E-Tickets

[PRR 60]

So, are all reservations now "e-ticketed"? Making rez for the Eagle for a short trip to LVW on Thanksgiving, and would rather use the QT to print out something tangible for my records.......

Thanks Misty. So I can just do as before? Get a barcode emailed to me to read at the QT?

The old barcode that was used at the QuikTrak to pull up the reservation is no longer being attached to the confirmation e-mails. The theory is that if you can print the e-mail, you might as well print the e-ticket.

To work around that, if you swipe the credit card used to pay for the reservation or your AGR card at the QuikTrak, the kiosk will pull up the reservation and allow you to print out a boarding document. Alternatively, you can swipe any credit card in your name at the QuikTrak, then enter the reservation number, and that will work as well.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I tried today to get my tickets from the Quik-Track kioak using my AGR card & then my debit card which I used to order the tickets. Neither worked. I'll have to check to see if my AGR # got assigned to the tickets (I was logged in so I assumed it did). Am guessing the "credit card" didn't work because it's a debit card. I didn't try another card w/resevation #.

No big deal. I have my e-tickets. Like Jis, I prefer the smaller tickets.

Do we have to keep the e-tIckes intact or can we tear off the bottom portion?

 

[RRrich]

. Like Jis, I prefer the smaller tickets.

Do we have to keep the e-tIckes intact or can we tear off the bottom portion?

I took my 8.5 x11" e-ticket and foldded it so it was pocket-size (in half then in thirds) with the scan thingy showing. C scanned no problem

 

[jis]

I actually mostly don't print anything. If I do print something it is at a QuikTrak. Chasing down a printer is a hassle unless I am at home, which often I am not, while getting ready for these trips.

For example, I just set up my Dome trip to Montreal sitting in India using my iPhone app.

 

[PRR 60]

I actually mostly don't print anything. If I do print something it is at a QuikTrak. Chasing down a printer is a hassle unless I am at home, which often I am not, while getting ready for these trips.

For example, I just set up my Dome trip to Montreal sitting in India using my iPhone app.

Paper boarding documents are so 2000's!

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

I have an AT&T Avail smartphone. I read somewhere in the thread that the reservation can be pulled up and scanned without having to use Internet to get to your emial. Does the app store the reservation itself? Im a bit confused on that particular point. I dont have the Amtrak app on my phone yet. I should probably get it soon.

Anthony

 

[Acela150]

I have an AT&T Avail smartphone. I read somewhere in the thread that the reservation can be pulled up and scanned without having to use Internet to get to your emial. Does the app store the reservation itself? Im a bit confused on that particular point. I dont have the Amtrak app on my phone yet. I should probably get it soon.

Anthony

Anthony, If you have an iphone then I suggest downloading the App. It makes things easier. Although I just made a ticket purchase yesterday on my new iPhone and the eTicket does not goto passbook like Apple claimed it would when they announced ios 6 in June. You can show the barcode in the App or the PDF in the email. Both are the same and can be scanned.

 

[AlanB]

I have an AT&T Avail smartphone. I read somewhere in the thread that the reservation can be pulled up and scanned without having to use Internet to get to your emial. Does the app store the reservation itself? Im a bit confused on that particular point. I dont have the Amtrak app on my phone yet. I should probably get it soon.

Anthony

Anthony, If you have an iphone then I suggest downloading the App. It makes things easier. Although I just made a ticket purchase yesterday on my new iPhone and the eTicket does not goto passbook like Apple claimed it would when they announced ios 6 in June. You can show the barcode in the App or the PDF in the email. Both are the same and can be scanned.

I believe that Amtrak will need to release an update to their App, before that will work.

And Anthony doesn't have an iPhone, unless he went and brought one this week after he got home from his trip.

So he'd have to find some way to get the barcode PDF to his smartphone and then hope that his phone can display PDF's.

 

[Eris]

I sent the PDF e-ticket to my Kindle device (e-ink), scanned great at the counter they use for checking in at Seattle for the Coast Starlight.

A problem I'm having now, though, is that I'd like to change my return trip, but because the station I leave out of doesn't have a QuikTrak machine, and because the trip is within two weeks, the system won't let me do the change online...

Limited Ticket Delivery Options: Because of the close proximity of this trip, our online booking system cannot provide a ticket delivery option that will ensure you receive your ticket(s) on time. Please call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) for assistance with making your reservation.[Error ID: 613S]

EVEN THOUGH I could totally get an e-ticket for it. (And, also, by the way? There's a Metrolink machine at the station I want to use, which can totally issue the Coast Starlight #14 ticket I'd need).

 

[AlanB]

Eris,

That doesn't make any sense. Sounds like you hit some odd glitch in the system there. Is the return on the same reservation? If so, then there should be no reason that things can't be changed. Even if its a different reservation number, you should still be able to eTicket it. I almost wonder if somehow the old online controls were left turned on for that station/route because this really doesn't make sense.

I would suggest calling Amtrak at the 800 number, as I'm sure an agent can redo the reservation the way you want it.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Once I move to Syracuse, it wouldnt be a problem, because SYR is staffed. Right now I live in Lafayette, LA *LFT*, with no Quik Trak or anything.

I dont have an Iphone, just an Android smartphone. I havent tried the Amtrak App with my phone yet. Ill have to play around with my phone to see what it can or cant do.

Sorry if I confused anyone.

I hope you are alll having a great weekend.

Ant

 

[Eris]

It sure does seem odd to me, too, Alan! I don't wannnnnnna call. But it seems that it's the only way in this case, even though it shouldn't be.

 

[AlanB]

I dont have an Iphone, just an Android smartphone. I havent tried the Amtrak App with my phone yet. Ill have to play around with my phone to see what it can or cant do.

Currently the Amtrak App is only available for those with an iPhone. Amtrak has not yet released an Android App.

 

[TimePeace]

I dont have an Iphone, just an Android smartphone. I havent tried the Amtrak App with my phone yet. Ill have to play around with my phone to see what it can or cant do.

Currently the Amtrak App is only available for those with an iPhone. Amtrak has not yet released an Android App.

Must be some money or other consideration changing hands there... since lots more people use Android than iPhone.

 

[AlanB]

I dont have an Iphone, just an Android smartphone. I havent tried the Amtrak App with my phone yet. Ill have to play around with my phone to see what it can or cant do.

Currently the Amtrak App is only available for those with an iPhone. Amtrak has not yet released an Android App.

Must be some money or other consideration changing hands there... since lots more people use Android than iPhone.

Nope. The Amtrak App was really just an extension of the team developing the eTicketing App that the conductors use on their iPhones. While the team was working doing all the programming for the eTicketing, inventory, bad orders, and other things currently being rolled out to Amtrak staff, they worked on the App for iPhones for we passengers with iPhones.

 

[CHamilton]

So far on this trip, my ticket was not scanned on the CS, and it has been scanned on the CZ -- which is the second leg of the same reservation. It seems as though different crews are handling the process differently.

 

[Eris]

So far on this trip, my ticket was not scanned on the CS, and it has been scanned on the CZ -- which is the second leg of the same reservation. It seems as though different crews are handling the process differently.

Did you leave out of Seattle? My ticket was scanned in the station there, not on board the train.

 

[Acela150]

I dont have an Iphone, just an Android smartphone. I havent tried the Amtrak App with my phone yet. Ill have to play around with my phone to see what it can or cant do.

Currently the Amtrak App is only available for those with an iPhone. Amtrak has not yet released an Android App.

Must be some money or other consideration changing hands there... since lots more people use Android than iPhone.

Did you watch the iphone 5 press release?? The iphone is the number 1 smart phone in the world.. More people have iPhones then androids..

But please let's not turn this into a whose phone is better then whose...

 

[Ryan]

There's more than one andriod phone, though, and the number of android phones together is bigger than the number of iPhones.

Still, the "money or consideration" is silly, since the reasons for it being iPhone only at this point have already been explained.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Well, my phone does have a pdf reader, so maybe I can still use e-tickets by sending it from my email via usb cable to my pdf app that can store it. Then I can pull it up from there. The app is called DocsToGo, its really neat. It can read *and store* .doc, .ppt, .xls and .pdf files.

I didnt mean to turn this into a phone debate either, sorry guys. I was just trying to jump into the new e-ticketing setup. Im eager to try it. As an IT guy, I love trying new things when it comes to tech. Haha.

Ant

 

[Acela150]

Today an iphone app update was released. Quite interesting. It shows the eTicket in a separate page with all the information. Still no eTicket in passbook.

 

[Ryan]

Another one? I'm still showing v1.2 from the 23rd as the latest.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Well, my phone does have a pdf reader, so maybe I can still use e-tickets by sending it from my email via usb cable to my pdf app that can store it. Then I can pull it up from there. The app is called DocsToGo, its really neat. It can read *and store* .doc, .ppt, .xls and .pdf files.

I didnt mean to turn this into a phone debate either, sorry guys. I was just trying to jump into the new e-ticketing setup. Im eager to try it. As an IT guy, I love trying new things when it comes to tech. Haha.

Ant

If you can open the PDF from your email on the phone you may be able to "send it to Docs To Go" then save it. I have Docs To Go on my iPod touch. I can't open attachments in my email when accessing it in the web, but can from the Apple email app. I then save the attachment in DtoG. Of course I have to have WiFi to access the email.

 

[Acela150]

Another one? I'm still showing v1.2 from the 23rd as the latest.

That's what it was.. I just got it.. Strange.

 

[Barciur]

Just bought my first ever e-ticket online and printed it out from my e-mail. On the print out it does say that for Unreserved service the ticket may be used on any unreserved train on the same route within one year of purchase, and that information is lacking on the print outs from QuikTrak. But anyway, I was reading earlier that people were trying to/could print out their tickets at QuikTrak despite having a print out from the computer? is that right?

I'm going to test it out and see what happens when I put my debit card/ASG card into the quiktrak machine in Lancaster, quite curious to see if there is any chance. Just messing around with the new system, but having the ISIC discount I already see it's gonna be so much more comfortable having to book the ticket 3 days in advance and be able to just do it and print it out at home. This is good stuff.