E-voucher redemption fun
 

My Amtrak travel bookings usually involve a lot of modifications and cancellations due to my fluctuating schedule. Under the new refund system, this means that when I need to cancel a ticket, I have to remember to just modify it (i.e. push the date into the future) rather than canceling it outright, so as not to incur the 10% penalty. But I've messed up a couple of times and found myself with e-vouchers.

Until Amtrak finally gets it together to be able to redeem e-vouchers online or on the phone, what I thought having an e-voucher meant was that I either had to pay a walk-up fare (ugh) or make two trips to the station, one to buy an advance fare ticket and a second to actually take the train. However, I was told two weeks ago by a CSR that I could in fact buy a ticket in advance at the prevailing fare at that time, then show up at the station and apply the e-voucher to it by having the ticket agent void the ticket and re-issue it with the voucher amount applied. I was skeptical that this would work, assuming that voiding the first ticket would then cause the new one to get re-priced at the walk-up fare, but in fact it did work as advertised this morning. So this is one small positive (although it would still be a hell of a lot easier to just be able to redeem the voucher online...I'm really not sure why this is not possible, at the very least for AGR members).

The other amusing part of my dealings with Amtrak this morning was the fact that I left for the station today without my driver's license (it was still in the pocket of my running outfit, after I forgot to take it out after yesterday's run). Although I pass through WIL at least 5-6x a month, the agents have no idea who I am because I almost never have to appear at the counter. So at first, the ticket agent refused to process the e-voucher as I did not have photo ID--although I did have about 20 other cards with my name and signature. I almost gave up, but then remembered that my iPad has a stored PDF version of my passport photo page. I showed that to him, and after checking with the Amtrak policeman to make sure that I didn't look like a criminal, he did in fact process the transaction. Yay! And I made a note to put my driver's license back in my wallet. I don't think this trick would have worked at NYP!

I've also been able to book tickets over the phone at the advance price then hold the reservation for in-person payment. You then arrive at the counter, give them your reservation number and tell them you want to pay for your ticket with an e-voucher.

I did try that over the phone and was told it wasn't possible. Interesting. But at least the buy-then-switch strategy worked.

I haven't had luck with a buy then switch though that's great information to know. I have tried the walk up at the station but they have made a mistake on my ticket one too many times for me to do that. Or the agent is busy (understandably so) so they suggested I call in advance. Now I call in advance, lock in the price, and have them hold the reservation for a week. Using that method I've been at 100%.

I had about 9 E-Vouchers so I just called Amtrak to get all the voucher numbers as some didn't have emails that came with them. I just presented the numbers written down to the ticket agent at the station to make his/her life easier. Some agents know how to enter multiple vouchers and some have to call the help desk but at the end of the day the tickets were issued correctly. Can't wait until this can be done online or by phone! :)

Well, I just went through the automated phone system and it worked fine at the ticket counter. I never spoke to anybody and the agent at the counter seemed totally unphased by it.

I travel weekly from same point to point (important for this trick), frequently change trains last minute, sometimes cancel, and I always simply go online and use the modify reservation, and if I need to cancel, I simply modify to a later date that I may or may not use - no fee, no in person, no phone agent; quick and works like a charm

Yes, as I said in my second sentence, that's my "new normal" practice these days, but I've forgotten to do it a couple of times.