Roomette reservation change question

[jonv16]

Hello,



I have a question about changing a roomette reservation:



I had a roomette reserved for my boys for a 2023 trip from Syracuse, NY to Chicago. I made the purchase about 10 months in advance. By the time of the departure date, both were in the Rochester area, one working and one at college. The one at college had a class the night of the departure, so they wanted me to change their boarding point to Rochester (the next station stop). I called an Amtrak agent a couple days before the departure. The ticket was changed at the rate at which it had been bought 10 months earlier and I received a $70 voucher! They boarded at Rochester and everything was fine.



For 2024, I reserved a roomette for them again, as this is an annual trip. I again did it 10 months in advance and from Syracuse as that is where my wife and I board and it was easier to make the purchase for two roomettes in this way. As the departure date drew near, they again asked me to change their boarding point to Rochester, this time just for convenience. Neither of them had a conflict. I called an Amtrak agent a couple days before the departure. This time, they told me they could only cancel the original reservation and a new one would have to be made at the current rate with the new boarding point. I explained what was done in 2023, but the 2024 agent saw no way of doing this and could not help in any way that wasn’t going to cost more $$$. So, my boys drove to Syracuse and boarded there as per the requirements of the reservation.



Now, I am getting ready to make the purchase for our 2025 trip. My questions are as follows:

• Has Amtrak changed some policy regarding such a change between 2023 and 2024?
  
  
• If there has been no policy change, how did the 2023 agent do it and was the 2024 Amtrak agent just not aware of how to do this type of transaction?
  
  
• Is there some ‘magic phrase’ that I should have used that would have guided the 2024 agent in the right direction?

The Rochester station is not in a great neighbourhood. It has a locked door and an armed guard (at least in 2023) who will not let you in unless you have a proper ticket. Having done it both ways, we all agree that boarding in Syracuse at 10 pm is a lot better than boarding at Rochester at 11:30 pm. In 2024, we were all tucked into our berths and asleep before we got to Rochester!



They are fine with driving the Syracuse; however, the one in college might have a class or exam, as in 2023, that might make it impossible to board in Syracuse. So, I am trying to cover all possibilities and ensure that it doesn’t cost extra $$$.



Thanks for any information.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Hello,



I have a question about changing a roomette reservation:



I had a roomette reserved for my boys for a 2023 trip from Syracuse, NY to Chicago. I made the purchase about 10 months in advance. By the time of the departure date, both were in the Rochester area, one working and one at college. The one at college had a class the night of the departure, so they wanted me to change their boarding point to Rochester (the next station stop). I called an Amtrak agent a couple days before the departure. The ticket was changed at the rate at which it had been bought 10 months earlier and I received a $70 voucher! They boarded at Rochester and everything was fine.



For 2024, I reserved a roomette for them again, as this is an annual trip. I again did it 10 months in advance and from Syracuse as that is where my wife and I board and it was easier to make the purchase for two roomettes in this way. As the departure date drew near, they again asked me to change their boarding point to Rochester, this time just for convenience. Neither of them had a conflict. I called an Amtrak agent a couple days before the departure. This time, they told me they could only cancel the original reservation and a new one would have to be made at the current rate with the new boarding point. I explained what was done in 2023, but the 2024 agent saw no way of doing this and could not help in any way that wasn’t going to cost more $$$. So, my boys drove to Syracuse and boarded there as per the requirements of the reservation.



Now, I am getting ready to make the purchase for our 2025 trip. My questions are as follows:

• Has Amtrak changed some policy regarding such a change between 2023 and 2024?
  
  
• If there has been no policy change, how did the 2023 agent do it and was the 2024 Amtrak agent just not aware of how to do this type of transaction?
  
  
• Is there some ‘magic phrase’ that I should have used that would have guided the 2024 agent in the right direction?

The Rochester station is not in a great neighbourhood. It has a locked door and an armed guard (at least in 2023) who will not let you in unless you have a proper ticket. Having done it both ways, we all agree that boarding in Syracuse at 10 pm is a lot better than boarding at Rochester at 11:30 pm. In 2024, we were all tucked into our berths and asleep before we got to Rochester!



They are fine with driving the Syracuse; however, the one in college might have a class or exam, as in 2023, that might make it impossible to board in Syracuse. So, I am trying to cover all possibilities and ensure that it doesn’t cost extra $$$.



Thanks for any information.

A couple things.

1) Amtrak agents vary in experience. Typically you will get the best customer service if you call the Amtrak Guest Rewards number (1-800-307-5000). This is different from the typical Amtrak reservations number (‘1-800-USA-RAIL’).

2) To board at a later station they will have to re-price it based your ticket on current pricing for that segment. Amtrak’s fares fluctuate, which is why in 2023 you got a refund (the fare dropped) but in 2024 they wanted you to pay more (the fare increased).

I’m not sure if they changed your existing reservation or issued a new reservation number, but honestly that doesn’t matter. I’m guessing you just got a less experienced agent in 2024, as I have been able to change my origin station before and kept the same reservation number. (Although as I said, you will still be subject to whatever fare difference there is). Also, internally a modification is called an ‘exchange’. However, I don’t think you need to know that.

3) Amtraks fare structure changed in late 2023. The change dosen’t affect sleeper fares, so I don’t think it would matter in your case.

4) Lastly, for your case specially. Technically, under Amtrak’s no show policy you are allowed at least one station of grace before they mark you as a no-show. So technically your ticket would still be valid if you boarded one stop later. I’ve never tried that out personally.

 

[jonv16]

Hello,

The original ticket was bought in November 2022 for travel in October of 2023. The ticket was changed in October 2023, just one day before departure. The reservation number was unchanged. The cost had definitely gone way up, but I got a $70 voucher because the agent made the change to boarding the next station using the original purchase price from November 2022. She acted like it was no problem, since it was a station later. She said if I had wanted to get on earlier, it would have cost more. So, I am trying to figure out what she did and whether or not it is still something that could be done in the future.