If I miss a connecting train...

[Kbyrdleroydogg]

I will be on the Chicago to NYC trip. I take a Capitol Limited to Washington DC, arriving at 1:05Pm. Then I wait in the lounge for the connecting Northeast Regional train which leaves at 3:55pm to complete the trip to NYC Penn Station.
My question is that Amtrak trains get into the stations late more often than not and if I miss my connecting train, will Amtrak put me on another later one for no additional cost or is it up to me?

 

[ehbowen]

If it was ticketed as a single trip (guaranteed connection), then yes, absolutely. There are several later trains from Washington to NYC which they could put you on. However, if you bought the two tickets separately as individual legs and the connection is not in Amtrak's system, then you'll need to scramble on your cell phone to rebook once you see your Capitol Limited is running late or else you'll lose your money for the Regional as a no-show.

 

[Acela150]

Happened to me once. I took 30 from Chicago to DC and was booked on a Regional to Boston. 30 left Chi town late and of course lost more time into DC. We got into DC at 4 on the nose, which made us just miss 2258 to Boston. I was actually lucky we got into DC on a Sunday. The last train to Boston that's a regional leaves DC at 4 during the week and around 330 on Saturdays. On Sunday's the last train to Boston from DC leaves around 530. If we had come into DC on anything but a Sunday we woulda been put on 66.

So I really wouldn't worry about a trip to NYP. Trains run out of DC twice every hour. One Acela and One Regional.

 

[Kbyrdleroydogg]

If it was ticketed as a single trip (guaranteed connection), then yes, absolutely. There are several later trains from Washington to NYC which they could put you on. However, if you bought the two tickets separately as individual legs and the connection is not in Amtrak's system, then you'll need to scramble on your cell phone to rebook once you see your Capitol Limited is running late or else you'll lose your money for the Regional as a no-show.

Mine was ticketed as single. Whew.

 

[bratkinson]

On the Thursday before Easter, I arrived at WAS on a 3+ hour late Crescent and my connecting NEC regional to NHV then a shuttle to WNL was missed. I made the mistake of going to the Passenger Services office in the short central-corridor leading to the the great hall (and Amtrak ticket counter). What a waste of time. The place was empty, and I waited at least 5 minutes or so for someone to appear. And her response to my problem? "You have to go to the ticket counter", which I immediately did. Unfortunately, the ONLY train that wasn't sold out (Easter travel started early, I guess) was the last train of the day to Springfield MA, #148. The clerk indicated that there was only 1 coach seat left and he grabbed it for me. But he said to check back in a couple hours if something earlier opened up. Since I had been booked in business class and only coach was available on 148, I got a refund voucher for the difference. I happened to check for any openings on my cell phone about 90 minutes later and found a seat on on Acela #2172, went back to the same agent who grabbed it and I paid the upgrade difference.

In short, if you miss your connections in WAS, go directly to the ticket counter. Apparently 'Passenger Services' no longer takes care of passengers. So be it.

 

[PVD]

I've been lucky enough to arrive on a CL in time to catch an earlier train (plenty of avaiable seats) than the scheduled connection and they moved me to the earlier departure. Probably a good deal less common than switching to a later departure to NYP.