I booked San Francisco-Chicago, departing April 18, on the California Zephyr about eight months ago. Was hugely looking forward to the trip but around the 3rd of March, Amtrak sent me an email saying it was cancelled.

The email had a link to an Amtrak customer service web page via which I could request a refund. Did that, and there's been no response save for a form email that claims they respond to queries seven days a week. (No, they don't.)

Since then I've followed up with further emails but there's been nothing from Amtrak. I understand they have problems with staffing, but once someone has requested a refund (for a trip cancelled at Amtrak's end), I don't know why it should so long to get so much as a response, let alone an actual refund.

I'm in a time zone 9-12 hours ahead of the US and don't want to make an expensive international call to try to get in touch with a live human because I probably will just be on hold for hours on end.

There's an option to "cancel trip" on the Manage booking page on Amtrak (why? the trip has already been cancelled by Amtrak) which I'm afraid to click because it'll probably give Amtrak some reason to delay the refund further, or not process it at all, since it'll look like the trip is being cancelled by the passenger.

They have one-stop alternative itineraries operating that route, but via Portland. I don't want to rebook on one of those - the point of it mostly was the views through Colorado etc for me.

Any ideas on what to do? Thanks in advance.