availability weekly specials
Nov 10, 2005 | 10:37 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: AMS,BRE,ABE
Programs: AY-G, LH *S, DL, UA, BA, AA, all hotel programmes
Posts: 1,351
availability weekly specials
it used to be no problem to book a decently priced special on the Pennsylvanian (train 42) from any station in PA (except PHL) to NYC, like Paoli-NYC.
Now even if there is availability shown on the date I want to go, it tells me "no availability" if i chose a station between Harrisburg and Philly. Would it work to buy a ticket from Lewistown, PA and board the train in Paoli? Could I pick up the ticket at Paoli station after dept of the train in Lewistown,PA? I would really like to take Amtrak, but with those "normal" fares (almost 90 bucks for a party of two), it is hard not to take Septa/NJT on that route...
Now even if there is availability shown on the date I want to go, it tells me "no availability" if i chose a station between Harrisburg and Philly. Would it work to buy a ticket from Lewistown, PA and board the train in Paoli? Could I pick up the ticket at Paoli station after dept of the train in Lewistown,PA? I would really like to take Amtrak, but with those "normal" fares (almost 90 bucks for a party of two), it is hard not to take Septa/NJT on that route...
Nov 10, 2005 | 12:18 pm
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: HH Diamond, Amtrak Exec
Posts: 3,262
Mith,
I'm not sure what would happen if you handed the conductor a ticket from Lewistown, while boarding in Paoli. In theory he should accept it, since technically you paid to travel further than you really did. However, if Amtrak has caught people doing this before, then they might have created some rule to stop that. My guess is that there is no such rule, but I don't know.
On your return however, there would be nothing that Amtrak could do. They would have no way of knowing that you got off in Paoli, even though you were ticketed to Lewistown.
As for picking up the tickets, it wouldn't matter where you picked up the tickets or when you picked up the tickets. You could pick up the ticket a week before in Philly if you wanted. I would not however recommend waiting until after the train has left Lewistown to pick up your tickets. It is possible that the computer might cancel your reservation once the departure time has gone by. I'm not sure how fast that happens.
I'm not sure what would happen if you handed the conductor a ticket from Lewistown, while boarding in Paoli. In theory he should accept it, since technically you paid to travel further than you really did. However, if Amtrak has caught people doing this before, then they might have created some rule to stop that. My guess is that there is no such rule, but I don't know.
On your return however, there would be nothing that Amtrak could do. They would have no way of knowing that you got off in Paoli, even though you were ticketed to Lewistown.
As for picking up the tickets, it wouldn't matter where you picked up the tickets or when you picked up the tickets. You could pick up the ticket a week before in Philly if you wanted. I would not however recommend waiting until after the train has left Lewistown to pick up your tickets. It is possible that the computer might cancel your reservation once the departure time has gone by. I'm not sure how fast that happens.
Nov 10, 2005 | 12:27 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, US
Posts: 2,264
Conductor is unlikely to care
Once you're on the train, there is little the conductor can do.
He or she likely will be completely satisfied that the travel distance is covered by a ticket.
It is FAR too much work to call the police to have the passenger removed, etc.
I admit I don't quite understand the problem, but as long as the train stops to pick you up, a ticket covering a longer travel distance should be just fine. All you say, if asked, is that you changed your mind as to the boarding station. The crew is unlikely to be well-informed about all the tariff idiosyncracies and cares about one basic thing: does the passenger have a ticket covering the distance they're going.
He or she likely will be completely satisfied that the travel distance is covered by a ticket.
It is FAR too much work to call the police to have the passenger removed, etc.
I admit I don't quite understand the problem, but as long as the train stops to pick you up, a ticket covering a longer travel distance should be just fine. All you say, if asked, is that you changed your mind as to the boarding station. The crew is unlikely to be well-informed about all the tariff idiosyncracies and cares about one basic thing: does the passenger have a ticket covering the distance they're going.
Last edited by Reindeerflame; Nov 10, 2005 at 12:29 pm