Changing Origin Station

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brianpmcdonnell17

Conductor
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
Messages
1,560
Location
Chicago, Illinois
I am currently ticketed for a trip from Winter Haven to Chicago at low bucket. However, I need to change the origin to Tampa, which involves using a thruway bus to Orlando. The fare buckets are identical to Winter Haven, but the current fare is more than twice what I originally paid. When I called to make the change, the agent attempted to charge me the new fare, but I declined to make the modification as $200 is more than I am willing to pay for such a minor modification. After searching various city pairs, the extra expense seems to be due to the CL segment. Is there any way to avoid paying such a huge difference or do I need to find a way to get to Winter Haven?
 
I recommend you call back and try to only pay the fare difference for the Star portion, though they might not let you. I think that technically you have to pay the price difference for the whole itinerary, but I've found that sometimes they'll let you only pay the price difference for the segment you're changing. That does become more complicated if you have a connecting ticket that costs less than two separate tickets would, though, so you'll have to see.
 
Simply book a separate ticket Tampa to Winter Haven for the same train. Make it in coach and switch to your roomette at Winter Haven, if appropriate. I just checked...$13 value fare.

I do the same thing with the Lake Shore Ltd. I ride coach to ALB then switch to the NY section sleeper at ALB to CHI. The 2 hours in coach often saves $100 or more and my roomette is at the rear of the train, not up front in the Boston section (resuming in September) with the horn noise all night long.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Simply book a separate ticket Tampa to Winter Haven for the same train. Make it in coach and switch to your roomette at Winter Haven, if appropriate. I just checked...$13 value fare.

I do the same thing with the Lake Shore Ltd. I ride coach to ALB then switch to the NY section sleeper at ALB to CHI. The 2 hours in coach often saves $100 or more and my roomette is at the rear of the train, not up front in the Boston section (resuming in September) with the horn noise all night long.
I'm taking the Silver Meteor, which does not stop in Tampa. If I start in Tampa, the routing is a bus to Orlando, which is north of Winter Haven on the Silver Meteor's route, so I may have been listed as a no-show by that point.
 
Simply book a separate ticket Tampa to Winter Haven for the same train. Make it in coach and switch to your roomette at Winter Haven, if appropriate. I just checked...$13 value fare.

I do the same thing with the Lake Shore Ltd. I ride coach to ALB then switch to the NY section sleeper at ALB to CHI. The 2 hours in coach often saves $100 or more and my roomette is at the rear of the train, not up front in the Boston section (resuming in September) with the horn noise all night long.
I'm taking the Silver Meteor, which does not stop in Tampa. If I start in Tampa, the routing is a bus to Orlando, which is north of Winter Haven on the Silver Meteor's route, so I may have been listed as a no-show by that point.
It would be possible for an agent who knows what they are doing and talking about to modify the 97 segment down to ORL-WAS preserving the current bucket, auto reprice that segment, and then add the bus segment TPA-ORL. The key is using the modify function and not pulling new space at higher buckets.
 
Now that I think about it, my reservation is in the Value category, which is fully refundable since it is still two weeks away. Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa? I think that would work, but I don't know if it's worth risking $200 if I can't be sure.
 
Now that I think about it, my reservation is in the Value category, which is fully refundable since it is still two weeks away. Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa? I think that would work, but I don't know if it's worth risking $200 if I can't be sure.
With revenue management now, thats not necessarily the case. A low bucket can be returned to inventory and not be available at the bucket when repulled. Again, the easy thing to do is for an agent to MODIFY the segment. When reducing the distance between city pairs the bucket will be preserved. If you were increasing the distance between city pairs it would not preserve the bucket.
 
Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa?
Not if other people had booked tickets on the Capitol. If you cancel it, the buckets might go back down, and everything could be nice and peachy, but that's far from guaranteed.
 
Now that I think about it, my reservation is in the Value category, which is fully refundable since it is still two weeks away. Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa? I think that would work, but I don't know if it's worth risking $200 if I can't be sure.
With revenue management now, thats not necessarily the case. A low bucket can be returned to inventory and not be available at the bucket when repulled. Again, the easy thing to do is for an agent to MODIFY the segment. When reducing the distance between city pairs the bucket will be preserved. If you were increasing the distance between city pairs it would not preserve the bucket.
When I called yesterday, I did ask the agent to modify it. If I call again and they once again quote the extremely high price, is there something I should explain to them or should I just hang up and hope for better luck with another agent?
 
Now that I think about it, my reservation is in the Value category, which is fully refundable since it is still two weeks away. Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa? I think that would work, but I don't know if it's worth risking $200 if I can't be sure.
With revenue management now, thats not necessarily the case. A low bucket can be returned to inventory and not be available at the bucket when repulled. Again, the easy thing to do is for an agent to MODIFY the segment. When reducing the distance between city pairs the bucket will be preserved. If you were increasing the distance between city pairs it would not preserve the bucket.
When I called yesterday, I did ask the agent to modify it. If I call again and they once again quote the extremely high price, is there something I should explain to them or should I just hang up and hope for better luck with another agent?
What month/day are we talking about? Ill see if I can recreate the scenario.
 
Now that I think about it, my reservation is in the Value category, which is fully refundable since it is still two weeks away. Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa? I think that would work, but I don't know if it's worth risking $200 if I can't be sure.
With revenue management now, thats not necessarily the case. A low bucket can be returned to inventory and not be available at the bucket when repulled. Again, the easy thing to do is for an agent to MODIFY the segment. When reducing the distance between city pairs the bucket will be preserved. If you were increasing the distance between city pairs it would not preserve the bucket.
When I called yesterday, I did ask the agent to modify it. If I call again and they once again quote the extremely high price, is there something I should explain to them or should I just hang up and hope for better luck with another agent?
What month/day are we talking about? Ill see if I can recreate the scenario.
Departing Winter Haven/Tampa July 29th, arriving Chicago July 31st.
 
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Simply book a separate ticket Tampa to Winter Haven for the same train. Make it in coach and switch to your roomette at Winter Haven, if appropriate. I just checked...$13 value fare.

I do the same thing with the Lake Shore Ltd. I ride coach to ALB then switch to the NY section sleeper at ALB to CHI. The 2 hours in coach often saves $100 or more and my roomette is at the rear of the train, not up front in the Boston section (resuming in September) with the horn noise all night long.
I'm taking the Silver Meteor, which does not stop in Tampa. If I start in Tampa, the routing is a bus to Orlando, which is north of Winter Haven on the Silver Meteor's route, so I may have been listed as a no-show by that point.
Perhaps have them modify your existing ticket to board at Orlando, probably with zero refunded to you. Then take the bus connection from Tampa to Orlando.

If possible, go to a station with a ticket agent that can handle the situation for you.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Simply book a separate ticket Tampa to Winter Haven for the same train. Make it in coach and switch to your roomette at Winter Haven, if appropriate. I just checked...$13 value fare.

I do the same thing with the Lake Shore Ltd. I ride coach to ALB then switch to the NY section sleeper at ALB to CHI. The 2 hours in coach often saves $100 or more and my roomette is at the rear of the train, not up front in the Boston section (resuming in September) with the horn noise all night long.
I'm taking the Silver Meteor, which does not stop in Tampa. If I start in Tampa, the routing is a bus to Orlando, which is north of Winter Haven on the Silver Meteor's route, so I may have been listed as a no-show by that point.
Perhaps have them modify your existing ticket to board at Orlando, probably with zero refunded to you. Then take the bus connection from Tampa to Orlando.

If possible, go to a station with a ticket agent that can handle the situation for you.
The issue with modifying the ticket is that the fare for the Capitol Limited has shot up, so he'd have to pay the $200 fare difference for that part of the trip as well.
 
Simply book a separate ticket Tampa to Winter Haven for the same train. Make it in coach and switch to your roomette at Winter Haven, if appropriate. I just checked...$13 value fare.

I do the same thing with the Lake Shore Ltd. I ride coach to ALB then switch to the NY section sleeper at ALB to CHI. The 2 hours in coach often saves $100 or more and my roomette is at the rear of the train, not up front in the Boston section (resuming in September) with the horn noise all night long.
I'm taking the Silver Meteor, which does not stop in Tampa. If I start in Tampa, the routing is a bus to Orlando, which is north of Winter Haven on the Silver Meteor's route, so I may have been listed as a no-show by that point.
Perhaps have them modify your existing ticket to board at Orlando, probably with zero refunded to you. Then take the bus connection from Tampa to Orlando.

If possible, go to a station with a ticket agent that can handle the situation for you.
The vast majority of thruway buses can not be booked without a train on the same reservation. Bus 6098 is no exception.
 
Now that I think about it, my reservation is in the Value category, which is fully refundable since it is still two weeks away. Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa? I think that would work, but I don't know if it's worth risking $200 if I can't be sure.
With revenue management now, thats not necessarily the case. A low bucket can be returned to inventory and not be available at the bucket when repulled. Again, the easy thing to do is for an agent to MODIFY the segment. When reducing the distance between city pairs the bucket will be preserved. If you were increasing the distance between city pairs it would not preserve the bucket.
When I called yesterday, I did ask the agent to modify it. If I call again and they once again quote the extremely high price, is there something I should explain to them or should I just hang up and hope for better luck with another agent?
What month/day are we talking about? Ill see if I can recreate the scenario.
Departing Winter Haven/Tampa July 29th, arriving Chicago July 31st.
Let me confirm this is what you would like:

6098(29) TPA-ORL

98(29) ORL-WAS

29(30) WAS-CHI

Modifying your existing reservation to this would cost NOTHING. Same price. If you would like assistance please let me know.
 
Simply book a separate ticket Tampa to Winter Haven for the same train. Make it in coach and switch to your roomette at Winter Haven, if appropriate. I just checked...$13 value fare.

I do the same thing with the Lake Shore Ltd. I ride coach to ALB then switch to the NY section sleeper at ALB to CHI. The 2 hours in coach often saves $100 or more and my roomette is at the rear of the train, not up front in the Boston section (resuming in September) with the horn noise all night long.
I'm taking the Silver Meteor, which does not stop in Tampa. If I start in Tampa, the routing is a bus to Orlando, which is north of Winter Haven on the Silver Meteor's route, so I may have been listed as a no-show by that point.
Perhaps have them modify your existing ticket to board at Orlando, probably with zero refunded to you. Then take the bus connection from Tampa to Orlando.

If possible, go to a station with a ticket agent that can handle the situation for you.
The issue with modifying the ticket is that the fare for the Capitol Limited has shot up, so he'd have to pay the $200 fare difference for that part of the trip as well.
This is totally false. Please stop making it up as you go because you are giving out false information. Making a change to the Meteor segment has nothing to do with the Capital Limited segment, which would not be touched. An agent who knows what they are doing and following the proper steps can reduce a segment maintaining the existing bucket, which in this case would only touch the Meteor segment. The bus can be added, and the whole trip can be auto repriced in this scenario for the exact same conjunctive fare.
 
The issue with modifying the ticket is that the fare for the Capitol Limited has shot up, so he'd have to pay the $200 fare difference for that part of the trip as well.
This is totally false. Please stop making it up as you go because you are giving out false information. Making a change to the Meteor segment has nothing to do with the Capital Limited segment, which would not be touched. An agent who knows what they are doing and following the proper steps can reduce a segment maintaining the existing bucket, which in this case would only touch the Meteor segment. The bus can be added, and the whole trip can be auto repriced in this scenario for the exact same conjunctive fare.
I'm speaking from my experience. When I've tried to modify a reservation that includes multiple trains, I've been told that I have to pay the price difference for the whole thing. And it seems like the OP was told the same thing when he called. Also remember that you'll often get a discount by booking it as a connecting ticket instead of two separate reservations, so how would an agent calculate what the new price would be, had the Capitol Limited fare stayed the same?
 
The issue with modifying the ticket is that the fare for the Capitol Limited has shot up, so he'd have to pay the $200 fare difference for that part of the trip as well.
This is totally false. Please stop making it up as you go because you are giving out false information. Making a change to the Meteor segment has nothing to do with the Capital Limited segment, which would not be touched. An agent who knows what they are doing and following the proper steps can reduce a segment maintaining the existing bucket, which in this case would only touch the Meteor segment. The bus can be added, and the whole trip can be auto repriced in this scenario for the exact same conjunctive fare.
I'm speaking from my experience. When I've tried to modify a reservation that includes multiple trains, I've been told that I have to pay the price difference for the whole thing. And it seems like the OP was told the same thing when he called. Also remember that you'll often get a discount by booking it as a connecting ticket instead of two separate reservations, so how would an agent calculate what the new price would be, had the Capitol Limited fare stayed the same?
What we are talking about here must be done by an agent, not on your own online or any other reservation channel. This will not work when making a segment longer, only shorter. Unfortunatly not all agents know how to do this properly. The habit is to pull all new space(segments), price it, then cancel the old space(segments). Doing this will result in essentially creating a whole new reservation and then canceling the old reservation. This is not the correct way to handle the OPs request. When done correctly, the agent would not have to calculate anything. The whole thing automatically prices itself when commanded to do so.
 
The issue with modifying the ticket is that the fare for the Capitol Limited has shot up, so he'd have to pay the $200 fare difference for that part of the trip as well.
This is totally false. Please stop making it up as you go because you are giving out false information. Making a change to the Meteor segment has nothing to do with the Capital Limited segment, which would not be touched. An agent who knows what they are doing and following the proper steps can reduce a segment maintaining the existing bucket, which in this case would only touch the Meteor segment. The bus can be added, and the whole trip can be auto repriced in this scenario for the exact same conjunctive fare.
I'm speaking from my experience. When I've tried to modify a reservation that includes multiple trains, I've been told that I have to pay the price difference for the whole thing. And it seems like the OP was told the same thing when he called. Also remember that you'll often get a discount by booking it as a connecting ticket instead of two separate reservations, so how would an agent calculate what the new price would be, had the Capitol Limited fare stayed the same?
Do you really book and modify you're trips? You just turned 16. How do you pay for these trips? And how have you been able to travel them since you were under 16?
 
The issue with modifying the ticket is that the fare for the Capitol Limited has shot up, so he'd have to pay the $200 fare difference for that part of the trip as well.
This is totally false. Please stop making it up as you go because you are giving out false information. Making a change to the Meteor segment has nothing to do with the Capital Limited segment, which would not be touched. An agent who knows what they are doing and following the proper steps can reduce a segment maintaining the existing bucket, which in this case would only touch the Meteor segment. The bus can be added, and the whole trip can be auto repriced in this scenario for the exact same conjunctive fare.
I'm speaking from my experience. When I've tried to modify a reservation that includes multiple trains, I've been told that I have to pay the price difference for the whole thing. And it seems like the OP was told the same thing when he called. Also remember that you'll often get a discount by booking it as a connecting ticket instead of two separate reservations, so how would an agent calculate what the new price would be, had the Capitol Limited fare stayed the same?
Do you really book and modify you're trips? You just turned 16. How do you pay for these trips? And how have you been able to travel them since you were under 16?
My parents usually pay for them. However if we’re modifying trips or looking into modifying them, I’m usually the one who calls and figures out the price, tells them which particular train and accommodation, etc. We obviously talk it over and decide first, but since they aren’t particularly knowledgeable about Amtrak or the trains we’re taking, I’m usually the one who does those calls. And I have yet to travel alone, so it doesn’t matter that I was under 16 in that respect.
 
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You’re still talking to someone that actually works for Amtrak and is looking at the system and telling you how it works.

Listen, learn, and realize that your experience doesn’t matter, other than as an indicator that not all agents know how to do it in the way that was described.
 
Now that I think about it, my reservation is in the Value category, which is fully refundable since it is still two weeks away. Since the CL segment is the expensive portion, if I were to cancel my reservation, wouldn't the original fare become available from Tampa? I think that would work, but I don't know if it's worth risking $200 if I can't be sure.
With revenue management now, thats not necessarily the case. A low bucket can be returned to inventory and not be available at the bucket when repulled. Again, the easy thing to do is for an agent to MODIFY the segment. When reducing the distance between city pairs the bucket will be preserved. If you were increasing the distance between city pairs it would not preserve the bucket.
When I called yesterday, I did ask the agent to modify it. If I call again and they once again quote the extremely high price, is there something I should explain to them or should I just hang up and hope for better luck with another agent?
What month/day are we talking about? Ill see if I can recreate the scenario.
Departing Winter Haven/Tampa July 29th, arriving Chicago July 31st.
Let me confirm this is what you would like:6098(29) TPA-ORL

98(29) ORL-WAS

29(30) WAS-CHI

Modifying your existing reservation to this would cost NOTHING. Same price. If you would like assistance please let me know.
Yes, that is exactly what I am attempting to change it to. I thought that the price should be the same, because in the past I have made both trips and they did cost exactly the same. I would really appreciate it if you could assist me, since the agents I have spoken to have all told me it would be $200 extra.
 
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