Pacific Surfliner ~ Can tickets be transferred to a later train?

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user 6862

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We are flying into Los Angeles and want to continue on to San Diego the same day on the Surfliner.

If we buy tickets for a train but then have a flight delay or other problem that holds us up so we miss our chosen train, is it possible to transfer our tickets to a later train without any charge or penalty or do we have to buy new tickets?

Have considered buying our Surfliner tickets on the day but if time is tight it may take a while, and we are arriving late afternoon too which reduces the options to get to SD at a reasonable hour. The last two times we were in LAX there were long queues at the ticket counters of around 20 - 25 minutes.

Any information appreciated.

Thanks
 
Are the tickets in coach or business class? It is my understanding is coach is unreserved but business class is reserved.
 
Are the tickets in coach or business class? It is my understanding is coach is unreserved but business class is reserved.

Afternoon Penny.

Not sure yet but probably coach. It will be a long and expensive journey so may take the opportunity to go for the budget option?
 
I had the same situation several years ago when I had a not-for-sure arrival time at LAX aboard The Southwest Chief and going out on the Sunset Ltd at 10PM. Fortunately, we arrived close to on schedule and there was only 1 or 2 ahead of me at the ticket window to buy round trip tickets to San Diego. These days, however, I think I'd simply buy them using the Amtrak App on my cellphone once I was sure I could make the desired outbound train.
 
If in coach, tickets are unreserved (for most of the year). This means you can board any train at anytime, you may or may not have a seat though, but you can get on any train.

If in business class, those seats are reserved, and you can only board that specific train. It is possible that you may be able to get a seat on the next train in BC, provided there are seats left in BC. Also, that train may or may not cost more, just like any other reservation.
 
I had the same situation several years ago when I had a not-for-sure arrival time at LAX aboard The Southwest Chief and going out on the Sunset Ltd at 10PM. Fortunately, we arrived close to on schedule and there was only 1 or 2 ahead of me at the ticket window to buy round trip tickets to San Diego. These days, however, I think I'd simply buy them using the Amtrak App on my cellphone once I was sure I could make the desired outbound train.

Thank you both

The problem re timing is we arrive by plane after a long flight. I'm sure that most are on time but I like to know of an option B if something happens, it keeps us out of trouble for most of our travels. I'm almost embarrassed to write I do not have a modern smart phone and not really interested in getting one, so booking a train from 30,000 feet will probably not be a possibility for all sorts of reasons but do understand how most people on the planet could use your idea.

If in coach, tickets are unreserved (for most of the year). This means you can board any train at anytime, you may or may not have a seat though, but you can get on any train.


If in business class, those seats are reserved, and you can only board that specific train. It is possible that you may be able to get a seat on the next train in BC, provided there are seats left in BC. Also, that train may or may not cost more, just like any other reservation.

OK that is a good point as it allows us to miss a train with the only problem being having to stand or sit on the floor. Not the best but also not such a big deal.

Am I right in thinking that Amtrak sometimes sell 'reserved' coach seats too although I understand on the PS they are unreserved.
 
Thank you both

The problem re timing is we arrive by plane after a long flight. I'm sure that most are on time but I like to know of an option B if something happens, it keeps us out of trouble for most of our travels. I'm almost embarrassed to write I do not have a modern smart phone and not really interested in getting one, so booking a train from 30,000 feet will probably not be a possibility for all sorts of reasons but do understand how most people on the planet could use your idea.



OK that is a good point as it allows us to miss a train with the only problem being having to stand or sit on the floor. Not the best but also not such a big deal.

Am I right in thinking that Amtrak sometimes sell 'reserved' coach seats too although I understand on the PS they are unreserved.
Yes, all LD routes and most corridor routes are reserved. The PS is one of the few exceptions.
 
Where are you flying from? It is winter and depending on the jet stream your plane may be late. If Jet is in way airplanes from the NE will often encounter 100+ headwinds. have had them as much as 189 Knots.
 
Where are you flying from? It is winter and depending on the jet stream your plane may be late. If Jet is in way airplanes from the NE will often encounter 100+ headwinds. have had them as much as 189 Knots.

They’re coming from across the pond and not till October
 
They’re coming from across the pond and not till October

... and the wrong long way round.

Where are you flying from? It is winter and depending on the jet stream your plane may be late. If Jet is in way airplanes from the NE will often encounter 100+ headwinds. have had them as much as 189 Knots.

Shanghai, and as AB says in October. Does that help or hinder re the Jetstream?
 
Personally, I'd book tickets on the later train...and then see about transferring to the earlier train if my flight is on time and all the dominos fall into place. It's not as important on an unreserved train, but if you miss a reserved train before you have the chance to notify Amtrak of the change (call center busy, phone line drops, etc.) you're screwed. I've never had an issue changing to an earlier train if I had a valid ticket for a later train, as long as space was available.
 
Personally, I'd book tickets on the later train...and then see about transferring to the earlier train if my flight is on time and all the dominos fall into place. It's not as important on an unreserved train, but if you miss a reserved train before you have the chance to notify Amtrak of the change (call center busy, phone line drops, etc.) you're screwed. I've never had an issue changing to an earlier train if I had a valid ticket for a later train, as long as space was available.

That's so simple but brilliant, thanks for that.

When boarding an earlier train what is the procedure? Do you go to change your ticket at the ticket office or go straight to the train and have a word with the conductor or the car attendant?
 
When I was taking the Southwest Chief all the way into L.A. with intentions of transferring to the Surfliner to Anaheim, my sleeper attendant urged me to hop off in Fullerton and catch the next train southbound there. So I did. The Surfliner conductor groused that I should have called in to 1-800-USA-RAIL to process the change while I was waiting, but he took care of it on board himself and I got a business class seat the whole...what, 2-3 miles? ;)

The way I understand it, while Amtrak states that their long-distance trains are "All-Reserved" the process is supposed to allow for that reservation to be literally made at the last second, at the door of the train...if space is available. You should be able to walk up to an unmanned station as the train is pulling in, offer to pay with cash, and be seated if there is room. You'll pay a penalty and the conductor will fuss, but it should happen. And a valid ticket, even if it's for a later train, will normally be accepted for credit. Just to play it safe, though, when you see you have a chance to catch the earlier train speak to an agent in the ticket office or at the 800 number (be sure to ask for a live agent) and make the change before the next train pulls in. It should be a routine process and then you'll be on the conductor's manifest and everything will be A-OK.
 
The Surfliners are one of the very few Amtrak trains that are unreserved in coach. About the ONLY time that you may find no seats left and you may have to stand is during the horse racing season - but that is earlier in the year. Normally, there is no problem.
 
From the PS website: "Unreserved Coach tickets allow you to ride any Pacific Surfliner train from the origin station to the destination station listed on your ticket. This gives you the flexibility to take a different train than the one you selected in the booking process if your travel plans change, subject to certain restrictions."
I don't know what the "certain restrictions" are but book the later train and you can take an earlier one that day.
 
From the PS website: "Unreserved Coach tickets allow you to ride any Pacific Surfliner train from the origin station to the destination station listed on your ticket. This gives you the flexibility to take a different train than the one you selected in the booking process if your travel plans change, subject to certain restrictions."
I don't know what the "certain restrictions" are but book the later train and you can take an earlier one that day.

Thanks for the confirmation, that really does make riding the PS flexible for all sorts of situations, it's the way we'll go.
 
“Certain restrictions” just means that for most of the year, coach is unreserved and you can take any train. However, at certain times of the year (mainly around holidays - like Thanksgiving), they are reserved - and you can ONLY take that specific train that you booked.
 
Surfliner is normally unreserved and I believe has same ticket policies as Capitol Corridor. On Capitol Corridor as of a couple years ago you can use ticket for up to a year after the original travel date. So just buy unreserved Surfliner coach ticket for the earliest train you could be on if your plane is early.
 
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