H
Herb McLane
Guest
I'm writing about the California Rail Pass and about the USA Rail Pass. In 2009 I purchased a USA Rail Pass and went from Dunsmuir, CA (8 miles from my home) to Portland on the Coast Starlight, to Chicago on the Empire Builder, to Washington DC on the Capitol Limited. Returning on the Capitol Limited to Chicago I boarded the California Zephyr to San Francisco and then took the Coast Starlight home. It was easy to purchase the Rail Pass and get my reservations using the phone number 1-800-USARail. The pass and reservations were then sent to me by mail to my home in Mount Shasta.
Now, in 2012, to purchase the California Rail Pass, I have to call the 1-8--USARail number, then order the Pass and reservations, but I cant purchase it or get it sent to my home. I have to go to a STAFFED Amtrak station to purchase the pass and reservations! Mount Shasta is 222 miles from the nearest staffed Amtrak station! So I have to drive 444 miles round trip to get my California Rail Pass! Is that RIDICULOUS? YES IT IS!! Sorry for the caps, but I really am amazed at this program. It seems that it was designed to make it as difficult as possible to get the California Rail Pass!!
I spent the month of May in Germany this year. I purchased and had sent to my home in Mount Shasta a Eurail Pass. It arrived and had ample directions to understand how to use it. All I had to do was make sure I had a ticket reservation (when needed) before boarding a train, and write in the trip leg in the note area of the rail pass. It worked with ease and simplicity!
Now, our USA Rail Pass as well as the California Rail pass has to be picked up at t STAFFED Amtrak station! What? Why? Who is sabotaging Amtrak with these stupid procedures?
So, to get my California Rail Pass, I will have my partner pay for it and pick it up in Emeryville, CA, as she will be down there that week end. Why California Amtrak and Amtrak getting so complicated, cumbersome and filled with needless roadblocks? I'd like a response and I'd like to hear from others on this subject.
Now, in 2012, to purchase the California Rail Pass, I have to call the 1-8--USARail number, then order the Pass and reservations, but I cant purchase it or get it sent to my home. I have to go to a STAFFED Amtrak station to purchase the pass and reservations! Mount Shasta is 222 miles from the nearest staffed Amtrak station! So I have to drive 444 miles round trip to get my California Rail Pass! Is that RIDICULOUS? YES IT IS!! Sorry for the caps, but I really am amazed at this program. It seems that it was designed to make it as difficult as possible to get the California Rail Pass!!
I spent the month of May in Germany this year. I purchased and had sent to my home in Mount Shasta a Eurail Pass. It arrived and had ample directions to understand how to use it. All I had to do was make sure I had a ticket reservation (when needed) before boarding a train, and write in the trip leg in the note area of the rail pass. It worked with ease and simplicity!
Now, our USA Rail Pass as well as the California Rail pass has to be picked up at t STAFFED Amtrak station! What? Why? Who is sabotaging Amtrak with these stupid procedures?
So, to get my California Rail Pass, I will have my partner pay for it and pick it up in Emeryville, CA, as she will be down there that week end. Why California Amtrak and Amtrak getting so complicated, cumbersome and filled with needless roadblocks? I'd like a response and I'd like to hear from others on this subject.
