My conversation with Amtrak customer service today went well, eventually. The first agent, apparently of the customer “service” variety, offered either a full refund of the balance of my account or a modification of my reservation, at my request, which would have me depart on the LSL out of NYC instead of Boston, for an upcharge of $214.00 dollars, even though the current upcharge--which I was seeing on my monitor concurrent with our conversation--had I simply cancelled the Boston reservation and booked a new NYC to Chicago roomette online was only $92.00. I thanked her for her time, asked her not to change a thing and hung up.
The second customer “service” agent, when I explained succinctly that I wished to modify my reservation as above without upcharge of any kind or cancel it entirely and receive a full refund, promptly and without further comment connected me to the third agent, who identified herself as of the customer “relations” variety. She was apparently a very happy person, which I deduced from the fact that she was singing softly to either herself or perhaps to others in the room--or possibly in her head—during our entire happy conversation. As there are many paths to the Buddha I thought little of it and after the third chorus I was asked to check my email. Et Voila!—a new reservation for Train #49 out of NYC magically appeared. Thanks to all, particularly zephyr17, for the patient guidance.
(Of course, the real upcharge will be the $350.00 a night hotel room I must now book in Midtown Manhattan, but the consolation of access to the delights of the Big Apple for a few days is very real in my book.)
I’ve thought up an exciting Amtrak marketing slogan:
Amtrak! The only railroad on Earth that might throw you off the train before you’ve even boarded!
