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clearfork

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One can purchase a ticket using the AAA discount for a family member who resides in the same household as the AAA member. Rules of purchase stipulate that the AAA card needs to be presented when tickets are picked up and during the trip. Well, if the family member is travelling without the AAA member, what then? Would a copy of the card suffice?
 
If the tickets can be picked up at a QT machine, the machine never asks to see the card! ;) If the tickets are to be picked up from a ticket agent, they will usually ask to see the AAA card. :( Once you are aboard the train, I have NEVER been asked for my card!
 
I use a Student Advantage card which gets me 15% off. At times it's nice to have for Amtrak tickets. I've picked up tickets under my SA card at a ticket office and was not asked for it. But if you're traveling on a NE Regional select "adult".

Steve
 
I've booked tickets for several years, and have yet to have to show my AAA card at an Amtrak ticket office. You do, I seem to recall, have to enter the number into the reservation system when you book the tickets. Then again, the discount only applies to the coach portion of the ticket and I typically am booking accommodations for some or all of the route, so the discount isn't that big of a deal in the global scheme of things.
 
I don't have AAA, but my partner does. When I got our tickets, I used his card/number. When we left WIN for CHI, the lady at the ticket window asked to see the AAA card, and we showed her his card, and off we went. In our return trip, we were no asked for it.

So, I'd say one card for the household.
 
... , the lady at the ticket window asked to see the AAA card, and we showed her his card, and off we went.
What would you have done, if your partner was not traveling with you?

I believe the original question added that the AAA member was not traveling with them. I would think that means none of the tickets would have the AAA member's name printed on them. Would that possibly complicate things?
 
I appreciate the input.

I think, what I'll do, is buy the tickets with the AAA discount, give a copy of my card to my son along with AMTRAK's policy re: AAA discount, and assume the best......
 
If the tickets can be picked up at a QT machine, the machine never asks to see the card! ;) If the tickets are to be picked up from a ticket agent, they will usually ask to see the AAA card. :( Once you are aboard the train, I have NEVER been asked for my card!
So far I have been asked to show my AAA card once and my NARP card once. It all just depends. It is a good idea to have the card with you. I have also seen someone having to pay the difference upon failure to produce a card when asked by the conductor.
 
My wife and I both have AAA cards and we order tickets online using the two numbers. When we pick up the tickets at our station, they have never asked but when we have ordered tickets at the counter, they did ask for the card to get the numbers. Probably depends on which agent you get. Safest if you dont have the card with you is to have Quik track print them since it doesnt ask for any cards other than credit card if you used it. :lol:
 
I think, what I'll do, is buy the tickets with the AAA discount, give a copy of my card to my son along with AMTRAK's policy re: AAA discount, and assume the best......
The name on your AAA ID card will not match the passenger names on any of their Amtrak tickets, right?

IMHO, it might be better to claim one left the ID card at home, than to show them a card with a different name on it.
 
My wife and I both have AAA cards and we order tickets online using the two numbers. When we pick up the tickets at our station, they have never asked but when we have ordered tickets at the counter, they did ask for the card to get the numbers. Probably depends on which agent you get. Safest if you dont have the card with you is to have Quik track print them since it doesnt ask for any cards other than credit card if you used it. :lol:
Actually, you don't even need the credit card that you used if you have your AGR card. You can just use the AGR card to gain access to all your paid for and award reservations.
 
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I think, what I'll do, is buy the tickets with the AAA discount, give a copy of my card to my son along with AMTRAK's policy re: AAA discount, and assume the best......
The name on your AAA ID card will not match the passenger names on any of their Amtrak tickets, right?

IMHO, it might be better to claim one left the ID card at home, than to show them a card with a different name on it.
Last name will match. Amtrak policy says this: "American Automobile Association (AAA) members, their spouses and their dependents are eligible to receive a 10% discount on the lowest available adult rail fare for Amtrak travel." I would hope a copy of the AAA card would suffice.
 
I've never been asked to show any kind of card on ANY train or at the ticket window. One of my friends from Australia was asked for his ID in a random ticket search in December, the poor Ast. Conductor seemed a little overwhelmed when he produced a green passport.
 
I've never been asked to show any kind of card on ANY train or at the ticket window. One of my friends from Australia was asked for his ID in a random ticket search in December, the poor Ast. Conductor seemed a little overwhelmed when he produced a green passport.
That is pretty sad.
 
I've never been asked to show any kind of card on ANY train or at the ticket window. One of my friends from Australia was asked for his ID in a random ticket search in December, the poor Ast. Conductor seemed a little overwhelmed when he produced a green passport.
That is pretty sad.
Indeed! Specially considering that even the US has issued Green Passports in the living memory, as in 1993-94 commemorating the 200th anniversary of US Consular Service. These Passports have expired in 2003-04 and can legitimately be used just for Id purposes in many cases even now.

And then of course there are the Black or Brown US Diplomatic Passports, and the illusive Light Blue one allegedly issued to Special Services apparently. I have never seen a Light Blue one, only read about it. I have seen the Black or Brown ones though.

I wonder what the poor Conductor would do if he got a Red or Maroon Passport which is quite common in other countries. I guess it would depend on how concerned he is about the Communist menace. :lol:
 
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