Upgrades on Train

[ran801]

Taking the Auto train in a few days, northbound,could you tell me if Amtrak still upgrades on board to sleepers if they are available. I was able to do this a few years ago.

Thanks.

Ray

 

[AlanB]

Ray,

To my knowledge, one has never been able to upgrade to a sleeper once on board the AutoTrain. Yes that it normal practice on all of Amtrak's other trains, but not on the AutoTrain. If you want a sleeper, then you must upgrade at the terminal, before boarding. The conductor has no way to upgrade you on board, since he/she has no ticketing supplies.

I know of someone who tired about a year ago, they posted their story here I believe, and they were told that nothing could be done.

 

[AmtrakWPK]

Perhaps a cellphone call from onboard the train to an Amtrak ticket agent, either at the origination station or Amtrak central, and purchase of the upgrade by phone and payment by credit card, would work, if the ticketing system would allow that post-departure? It used to be true that the ticketing system would not allow purchase of a ticket if the train, according to the timetable, had already departed the station. We wanted to make a day trip WPK-JAX-WPK, returning on a Sunset that was late enough that day to allow the connection, but since it was already technically past the time when Sunset should have departed JAX, the system wouldn't sell the ticket, even though the train wouldn't actually arrive at that station for another 5 or 6 hours. That attempt was via the web site, though, and I don't know if there is a "manual override" that an agent can activate in order to force the sale of a ticket or upgrade.

 

[AlanB]

That probably would work on any other train. But again, this is the AutoTrain we're discussing here. It has already left the station and there are no other station stops from which to upgrade at. Plus again, in your example the conductor would have to have a way of accepting payment for that upgrade. AutoTrain conductors are not allowed to accept payment for anything.

 

[AmtrakWPK]

That's not what I suggested. My suggestion was call by cellphone to either the originating station ticket agent or to Amtrak central and buy the upgrade with a credit card by cellphone. The conductor of the train is not involved in taking the payment in any way.

 

[AlanB]

That's not what I suggested. My suggestion was call by cellphone to either the originating station ticket agent or to Amtrak central and buy the upgrade with a credit card by cellphone. The conductor of the train is not involved in taking the payment in any way.

Except that the conductor must either have a valid ticket for the sleeping car given to him by the passenger or he/she must process the sale themselves. I'm aware of no provisions for space management to call up the conductor and tell him/her that a passenger just phoned in and payed for an upgrade.

However, again it is all academic, since the AutoTrain does not allow onboard upgrades of any type. If you don't have a sleeping car ticket in your hand before the train leaves the originating station, then you will spend the trip in coach.

 

[amtrak_flyer]

Upgrading on board isnt always cheaper. Two cases recently buying the sleeper in advance saved me money. On most of Amtrak trains when you buy the sleeper they default your "railfare" to the lowest coach fare even if its not available.

I take the Coast Starlight every 6 weeks between LA and san jose. Last week if I went coach it would have been $95.00, the website said the upgrade charge for the room was $72.00 so you would think the total fare would be $167..nope it was $137 because they give you the sold out $65.00 coach fare.

Crazier example was in May on Empire builder where the roomette was CHEAPER then coach. The coach fare was $245 with an additional $122.00 showing for the upgrade. I bought the roomette, the coach fare dropped to 122.00 plus the 122.00 for the room...my total fare $244!!

I've also seen just playing around that the Family rooms on the Superliners can be cheaper then roomates. Really have to play around with it...its super confusing

 

[haolerider]

There is really no need to go through all the steps described.........calling on a cell phone to a station, making a paymetn etc. If there are sleepers available on the Auto Train at the time you arrive at either Lorton or Sanford, most of the time they will sell it to you at a discount. Some people have counted on this and been dissapointed when there are none available.

Just go to the counter when you check in and ask the ticket agent is something is available at a lower price. If it is there, they will sell it to you....no more complicated things to do.s

Alan is correct, there is no provision to sell the space on board the Auto Train.