We have tickets on the LSL from Poughkeepsie to Chicago. As it stands, we are going to be an hour closer to Albany than to Poughkeepsie the day of departure. We have yet to get a clear answer from an Amtrak customer service rep on whether or not we can get on at Albany instead without reissuing the ticket (at a big jump in $). We are traveling by sleeper, not coach.
I feel like it wouldn't be a problem since we are getting on at the next stop and not an earlier stop (and the fares would be the same anyway). We travel a lot on Amtrak but haven't had this one come up for us before! Does anyone have any experience with this?
One thing you should avoid is to not change the reservation at all, then attempt to board at ALB with your original tickets from POU. It's likely when the train departs POU that you would be considered a "no-show" at POU and risk having your entire reservation cancelled from that point on, plus if that happens, your accomodation charges are non-refundable.
Not true. Read the Amtrak Standards Manual
If you notice the rules for a no-show is that
... 2 hours or 2 stops later ...
The
VERY NEXT stop on the LSL after POU is ALB, and it
is less than 2 hours away! So unless there is a derailment on the line, or it is really delayed, it would not meet either case and would not be considered a "no-show" and could mot be resold!
I'd say leave it as it is!
Also untrue. Here is the actual words from Amtrak's Standards Manual (P8-126/7)
c) For the purpose of this rule, no-show Sleeping
Car space is defined as space not occupied within
two hours or within one stop from the boarding
point indicated on the manifest, whichever is longer.
Of course this doesn't guarantee that the conductor has read or follows Amtrak's rules. It is always best to update the reservation information.
And, of course, the rules may change when eTicketing goes into effect.
An interesting situation would be on the Crescent where prices have been cheaper from Anniston, AL heading north than from the next station, Atlanta on the same train. Theoretically, one could save money by buying the room from Anniston but not boarding until Atlanta.