Jul 6, 2013, 11:41 am
Last edit by: themicah
THIS PROGRAM APPEARS TO HAVE ENDED IN EARLY 2020.
Overview
Prior to 2020, Amtrak operated a codeshare program with United. The codeshare program permits passengers to connect via Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) with train service to/from these train stations:
(NB: Codeshare trains are not available from Washington, DC or Boston, MA.)
These destinations are all along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC) line. The most popular codeshare origin/destination is ZFV (30th Street Train Station in Philadelphia, PA) since fares that are valid to PHL are often also valid to ZFV, and they can be quite cheap.
The codeshare trains are regular scheduled trains on Amtrak's Northeast Regional service. The trains stop at the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) rail link station, where passengers can board the AirTrain (monorail) to the terminals and proceed to your connecting flight. Passengers in possession of an Amtrak ticket, including through the codeshare program, travel on the AirTrain for free.
Earning Miles (PQMs/PQSs, PQDs, and RDMs) on Amtrak
Codeshare train segments earn 325/250 RDMs (depending on purchased fare class -- see link), 0 PQMs/PQSs, and 0 PQDs one-way. (Note: This is a change from the pre-merger days (Continental Airlines) where you would earn EQMs.) You will only earn these miles by actually riding the train.
You can also earn Mileage Plus RDM miles on Amtrak via Acela Express. See more details at the following URL:
http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/Mark...es/Amtrak.aspx
Other General Pointers
Here are a few important points that have been mentioned in this thread:
Checked Luggage
Train to Plane
There is no luggage transfer service between the train and Newark Airport (EWR). You must take your luggage to the same check-in point you would normally use--skycap, ticket counter, etc. Your baggage will not be transferred from the train to your flight. (Amtrak trains serving EWR do not have checked baggage service, and so you'll need to carry your bags onto and off of the train anyway.)
Plane to Train
When your flight arrives at EWR, your bags will only be checked to EWR (airport) and you must claim your luggage at the baggage claim. Once you have claimed your bags, proceed to the airport train station via the AirTrain (last stop, after P4). There is no checked baggage service on Amtrak trains at the EWR train station, but overhead luggage racks offer generous amounts of space, and many cars have an oversized luggage rack at one of the ends of the car (near the restrooms).
Printing Your Ticket
Online check-in through United will give you a "fake" boarding pass for the train segments. This "fake" boarding pass is not valid for transportation on Amtrak. You must obtain your train ticket from the Amtrak Quik-Trak machine or Amtrak agent at the train station of your departure and at Newark Airport train station for your return.
ZFV, ZTF, ZVE, ZWI
To pick up your ticket, go to an Amtrak kiosk on the same calendar day as your departure (won't work on the day before, even if within 24h) and swipe your credit card/ID. Tap 'Pick Up Ticket' (Or something to that effect), then 'Codeshare', then 'United Air/Rail Customer' and input your train's UA-coded 'flight' number, usually a 66XX number. It will locate your record and spit out your train ticket and a receipt, if you wish.
Other Stations
Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL with your time/date and train number that you will be traveling to obtain your Amtrak Passenger Name Record (PNR). Keep in mind that this is not the same as your United reservation number! You must call to get the Amtrak PNR. Once you have that information, you may go to any Quik-Trak machine (such as Penn Station) to print your Amtrak ticket.
Skipping ZFV-EWR/EWR-ZFV Segment
The purpose of the Amtrak codeshare is to provide service for those who are traveling to or from the codeshare-eligible cities. Frequently abusing the Amtrak codeshare program to travel to or from EWR while skipping the Amtrak segment puts one at risk to you (like losing your MileagePlus account) as well as jeopardize the continuation of the program.
All of that said, sometimes there are situations where you might not end up wanting to take the train. If you do so, you will almost certainly want to book the trip as two one-ways. Fares to/from ZFV are usually one-way fares, so this will not make your trip more expensive.
The scenarios below are categorized as low-risk, medium-risk, or high-risk.
Here are the scenarios:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I benefit from a schedule change?
If there is a schedule change, you can ask United to drop the ZFV-EWR segment. For example: I'm EWR based, but was "flying" ZFV-EWR-XXX. Originally, I had a 1 hour, 40 minute layover @ EWR, which got changed to a 1 hour 10 minute layover. I said I wasn't comfortable with that short of a connection time (since you have to take the monorail and clear security). I was able to drop the first segment (ZFV-EWR) without any trouble (and thus avoiding a "re-position" to ZFV).
Why would I want to book a train segment instead of just ticketing from Newark?
The best reason is that you actually want to get to one of the codeshare cities! Of course, there are also less straightforward reasons. Due to the competitive airline markets -- especially Philadelphia -- the ticket prices are often much less expensive using the train segments and a “connection” at the Newark Rail Station. Often times, other rail station ticketing points have fares that are less expensive than ticketing directly from EWR.
Can I obtain my Amtrak ticket at another location – say NY Penn Station?
According to the official rules, no. Quik-Trak machines not at codeshare stations (ZFV, ZWI, etc.) will not natively print codeshare tickets. Members here have reported mixed success in obtaining their Amtrak tickets from Amtrak ticket offices.
Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL to ensure your reservation is in their system before attempting to obtain your ticket at an Amtrak ticket office. United train segments are generally placed in the Amtrak system 24-48 hours in advance of your travel (the official policy is 36 hours, but others have reported that conflicts with reality and is often less than a day in advance). When you call Amtrak, you will need to know your train number and date of travel. The Amtrak phone agent can give you the Amtrak confirmation code (PNR, different from your United PNR), which may be helpful when picking up your ticket--you might be able to get non-codeshare-station Quik-Trak machines to print your ticket using this confirmation number.
When dealing with a human ticket agent, most Amtrak ticketing personnel are not familiar with these type of tickets and will need the “assistance” of the Amtrak support desk, generally, to issue your ticket.
If you cannot obtain your paper ticket in advance, you may have luck having the conductor search for you by name after you board the train. You can also give the conductor the Amtrak PNR you obtained by phone, but conductors seem to prefer looking by name anyway. Note that at some staffed stations (like Philadelphia and New York Penn), gate agents will not let you onto the boarding platform without a valid ticket. Additionally, when you arrive at EWR, you won't be able to proceed through the gate to board the AirTrain without either a valid Amtrak ticket or a New Jersey Transit AirTrain Access Fee ticket, which can be bought inside the EWR station for $5.50.
I want to drive/taxi/walk to the airport, do I actually have to obtain my ticket in Philadelphia and ride the train?
Technically, you are supposed to ride the train. If you fail to print your train ticket from an Amtrak kiosk prior to the train's scheduled departure from ZFV, your UA reservation will be cancelled. (Note: this may have changed since Amtrak's changeover to e-ticketing, since printing a paper boarding pass no longer affects the reservation's ticketed/unticketed status.) If you pick up your ticket but then fail to have a conductor scan your ticket, the remainder of your United flight reservation will likely be canceled within 24 hours and possibly sooner.
Can I board the train at a different point than PHL if I have my train ticket?
YES! You can board the train at any station along the way – Metropark, Princeton Junction, or (if you are traveling from points North) even New York Penn Station.
Can I pay the difference in Amtrak fare to travel beyond the point to which I am ticketed?
No. (Confirmed as no longer true by FlyerTalk's Amtrak lurker, AGR Insider, in this thread.)
Much of the information in this wiki was originally put together by FlyerTalk user martig4. Some of the FAQ information dates back to 2004 and could be no longer applicable, so please feel free to edit this wiki and help ensure its contents contain the most up-to-date information!
Known Issues
The Amtrak codeshare is pretty great. But there are certain aspects that make taking the train-plane tougher than your garden-variety connecting flight. In hopes that some of these might be able to get fixed, here's a short list of them:
Archive thread United-Amtrak Codeshare FAQ - Including ZFV (Philadelphia) {Archive}
Overview
Prior to 2020, Amtrak operated a codeshare program with United. The codeshare program permits passengers to connect via Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) with train service to/from these train stations:
- ZFV – Philadelphia 30th Street
- ZTF – Stamford, CT
- ZVE – New Haven, CT
- ZWI – Wilmington, DE
(NB: Codeshare trains are not available from Washington, DC or Boston, MA.)
These destinations are all along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC) line. The most popular codeshare origin/destination is ZFV (30th Street Train Station in Philadelphia, PA) since fares that are valid to PHL are often also valid to ZFV, and they can be quite cheap.
The codeshare trains are regular scheduled trains on Amtrak's Northeast Regional service. The trains stop at the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) rail link station, where passengers can board the AirTrain (monorail) to the terminals and proceed to your connecting flight. Passengers in possession of an Amtrak ticket, including through the codeshare program, travel on the AirTrain for free.
Earning Miles (PQMs/PQSs, PQDs, and RDMs) on Amtrak
Codeshare train segments earn 325/250 RDMs (depending on purchased fare class -- see link), 0 PQMs/PQSs, and 0 PQDs one-way. (Note: This is a change from the pre-merger days (Continental Airlines) where you would earn EQMs.) You will only earn these miles by actually riding the train.
You can also earn Mileage Plus RDM miles on Amtrak via Acela Express. See more details at the following URL:
http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/Mark...es/Amtrak.aspx
Other General Pointers
Here are a few important points that have been mentioned in this thread:
- The train tickets are for the coach section only.
- United codeshare tickets operated by Amtrak are not valid on any other train (including Acela) besides your scheduled ticketed train as all trains on the NEC are reserved.
- It takes approximately 10 minutes (once you board) to travel between the Newark Airport Rail Station and Terminal C via the Airtrain (monorail).
- If you plan to do anything other than take the train exactly as ticketed (e.g., skip the train, pick up tickets at a different station, etc.), you need to be careful. Details on this issue are below.
- Misconnections between Amtrak and Newark will be accommodated in the same manner as if you had taken a flight segment and were not able to make your connecting flight. Simply explain to the EWR agent that you're connecting to/from Amtrak.
Checked Luggage
Train to Plane
There is no luggage transfer service between the train and Newark Airport (EWR). You must take your luggage to the same check-in point you would normally use--skycap, ticket counter, etc. Your baggage will not be transferred from the train to your flight. (Amtrak trains serving EWR do not have checked baggage service, and so you'll need to carry your bags onto and off of the train anyway.)
Plane to Train
When your flight arrives at EWR, your bags will only be checked to EWR (airport) and you must claim your luggage at the baggage claim. Once you have claimed your bags, proceed to the airport train station via the AirTrain (last stop, after P4). There is no checked baggage service on Amtrak trains at the EWR train station, but overhead luggage racks offer generous amounts of space, and many cars have an oversized luggage rack at one of the ends of the car (near the restrooms).
Printing Your Ticket
Online check-in through United will give you a "fake" boarding pass for the train segments. This "fake" boarding pass is not valid for transportation on Amtrak. You must obtain your train ticket from the Amtrak Quik-Trak machine or Amtrak agent at the train station of your departure and at Newark Airport train station for your return.
ZFV, ZTF, ZVE, ZWI
To pick up your ticket, go to an Amtrak kiosk on the same calendar day as your departure (won't work on the day before, even if within 24h) and swipe your credit card/ID. Tap 'Pick Up Ticket' (Or something to that effect), then 'Codeshare', then 'United Air/Rail Customer' and input your train's UA-coded 'flight' number, usually a 66XX number. It will locate your record and spit out your train ticket and a receipt, if you wish.
Other Stations
Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL with your time/date and train number that you will be traveling to obtain your Amtrak Passenger Name Record (PNR). Keep in mind that this is not the same as your United reservation number! You must call to get the Amtrak PNR. Once you have that information, you may go to any Quik-Trak machine (such as Penn Station) to print your Amtrak ticket.
Skipping ZFV-EWR/EWR-ZFV Segment
The purpose of the Amtrak codeshare is to provide service for those who are traveling to or from the codeshare-eligible cities. Frequently abusing the Amtrak codeshare program to travel to or from EWR while skipping the Amtrak segment puts one at risk to you (like losing your MileagePlus account) as well as jeopardize the continuation of the program.
All of that said, sometimes there are situations where you might not end up wanting to take the train. If you do so, you will almost certainly want to book the trip as two one-ways. Fares to/from ZFV are usually one-way fares, so this will not make your trip more expensive.
The scenarios below are categorized as low-risk, medium-risk, or high-risk.
- Low-risk scenarios are unlikely to result in cancelled segments; the risks here include UA coming after you if you do it frequently, and the possibility of being routed directly to PHL in IRROPS.
- Medium-risk scenarios are those where some people have reported cancelled segments, particularly if there is enough lag time between the Amtrak segment and one or more of the United segments for the systems to sync up; sometimes you can get an agent to reinstate canceled segments/trip for no charge but seating assignment and upgrades will probably be lost.
- High-risk scenarios are those where some segments are almost certain to be cancelled.
Here are the scenarios:
- Booking One Way or Round Trip: ZFV-EWR-XXX, boarding ZFV-EWR downline (e.g. at TRE or MET) - No risk (subject to obtaining your train ticket--see below)
- Booking One Way: ZFV-EWR-XXX, Skipping ZFV-EWR only - Medium-risk
- Booking One Way: XXX-EWR-ZFV, Skipping EWR-ZFV only - Low-risk
- Booking Round Trip: ZFV-EWR-XXX, Skipping ZFV-EWR only - High-risk
- Booking Round Trip: XXX-EWR-ZFV, Skipping ZFV-EWR only - Medium-risk
- Booking Round Trip: ZFV-EWR-XXX, Skipping EWR-ZFV only - Low-risk
- Booking Round Trip: XXX-EWR-ZFV, Skipping EWR-ZFV only - High-risk
- Booking Round Trip: ZFV-EWR-XXX -OR- XXX-EWR-ZFV, Skipping ZFV-EWR and EWR-ZFV - High-risk
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I benefit from a schedule change?
If there is a schedule change, you can ask United to drop the ZFV-EWR segment. For example: I'm EWR based, but was "flying" ZFV-EWR-XXX. Originally, I had a 1 hour, 40 minute layover @ EWR, which got changed to a 1 hour 10 minute layover. I said I wasn't comfortable with that short of a connection time (since you have to take the monorail and clear security). I was able to drop the first segment (ZFV-EWR) without any trouble (and thus avoiding a "re-position" to ZFV).
Why would I want to book a train segment instead of just ticketing from Newark?
The best reason is that you actually want to get to one of the codeshare cities! Of course, there are also less straightforward reasons. Due to the competitive airline markets -- especially Philadelphia -- the ticket prices are often much less expensive using the train segments and a “connection” at the Newark Rail Station. Often times, other rail station ticketing points have fares that are less expensive than ticketing directly from EWR.
Can I obtain my Amtrak ticket at another location – say NY Penn Station?
According to the official rules, no. Quik-Trak machines not at codeshare stations (ZFV, ZWI, etc.) will not natively print codeshare tickets. Members here have reported mixed success in obtaining their Amtrak tickets from Amtrak ticket offices.
Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL to ensure your reservation is in their system before attempting to obtain your ticket at an Amtrak ticket office. United train segments are generally placed in the Amtrak system 24-48 hours in advance of your travel (the official policy is 36 hours, but others have reported that conflicts with reality and is often less than a day in advance). When you call Amtrak, you will need to know your train number and date of travel. The Amtrak phone agent can give you the Amtrak confirmation code (PNR, different from your United PNR), which may be helpful when picking up your ticket--you might be able to get non-codeshare-station Quik-Trak machines to print your ticket using this confirmation number.
When dealing with a human ticket agent, most Amtrak ticketing personnel are not familiar with these type of tickets and will need the “assistance” of the Amtrak support desk, generally, to issue your ticket.
If you cannot obtain your paper ticket in advance, you may have luck having the conductor search for you by name after you board the train. You can also give the conductor the Amtrak PNR you obtained by phone, but conductors seem to prefer looking by name anyway. Note that at some staffed stations (like Philadelphia and New York Penn), gate agents will not let you onto the boarding platform without a valid ticket. Additionally, when you arrive at EWR, you won't be able to proceed through the gate to board the AirTrain without either a valid Amtrak ticket or a New Jersey Transit AirTrain Access Fee ticket, which can be bought inside the EWR station for $5.50.
I want to drive/taxi/walk to the airport, do I actually have to obtain my ticket in Philadelphia and ride the train?
Technically, you are supposed to ride the train. If you fail to print your train ticket from an Amtrak kiosk prior to the train's scheduled departure from ZFV, your UA reservation will be cancelled. (Note: this may have changed since Amtrak's changeover to e-ticketing, since printing a paper boarding pass no longer affects the reservation's ticketed/unticketed status.) If you pick up your ticket but then fail to have a conductor scan your ticket, the remainder of your United flight reservation will likely be canceled within 24 hours and possibly sooner.
Can I board the train at a different point than PHL if I have my train ticket?
YES! You can board the train at any station along the way – Metropark, Princeton Junction, or (if you are traveling from points North) even New York Penn Station.
Can I pay the difference in Amtrak fare to travel beyond the point to which I am ticketed?
No. (Confirmed as no longer true by FlyerTalk's Amtrak lurker, AGR Insider, in this thread.)
Much of the information in this wiki was originally put together by FlyerTalk user martig4. Some of the FAQ information dates back to 2004 and could be no longer applicable, so please feel free to edit this wiki and help ensure its contents contain the most up-to-date information!
Known Issues
The Amtrak codeshare is pretty great. But there are certain aspects that make taking the train-plane tougher than your garden-variety connecting flight. In hopes that some of these might be able to get fixed, here's a short list of them:
- The eTicket for the Amtrak segment must be retrieved from a QuikTrak machine or a knowledgable Amtrak station agent, close in to the train trip.
- The Amtrak confirmation number (which is useful for picking up the train ticket) is not provided by United.
- Certain electronic reservation functions (like app boarding passes and automated SDC) are disabled when there is a remaining unused Amtrak segment in a reservation.
- Occasionally, the Amtrak ticket disappears entirely, and neither Amtrak nor United admit that it's their fault. At its worst, this means getting on the train with the risk that the conductor won't accept whatever documentation you have.
- Sometimes, the ticket shows up in Amtrak's system as unpaid.
- Amtrak agents (except station agents at the high-traffic codeshare stations) and United agents (even at EWR) are often ignorant about the program.
- The red phone at the EWR Amtrak station, which can be used to contact a good agent if the EWR ticket desk is unmanned, has a 10-minute call cut-off.
Archive thread United-Amtrak Codeshare FAQ - Including ZFV (Philadelphia) {Archive}
United-Amtrak Codeshare FAQ - Including ZFV (Philadelphia)
May 17, 2018, 5:04 pm
#331
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: JFK
Posts: 255
Looking at using zfv but don't want to take any chances.
I use the train from Baltimore anyway to get to ewr.
my understanding is that it is possible to get your train ticket at another station but not guaranteed.
So would this work-
Book zfv-ewr-xxx
Book a separate train ticket bal-zfv on the train prior.
If can pick up zfv ticket in Bal, then can ask agent to switch bal-zfv to later train so don't have to switch trains.
If can't pickup zfv ticket in Baltimore then take earlier train, get off at zfv, get ticket and board my train. may only add 50 min or so to my ride.
Makes sense?
I use the train from Baltimore anyway to get to ewr.
my understanding is that it is possible to get your train ticket at another station but not guaranteed.
So would this work-
Book zfv-ewr-xxx
Book a separate train ticket bal-zfv on the train prior.
If can pick up zfv ticket in Bal, then can ask agent to switch bal-zfv to later train so don't have to switch trains.
If can't pickup zfv ticket in Baltimore then take earlier train, get off at zfv, get ticket and board my train. may only add 50 min or so to my ride.
Makes sense?
May 17, 2018, 5:09 pm
#332
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,847
Looking at using zfv but don't want to take any chances.
I use the train from Baltimore anyway to get to ewr.
my understanding is that it is possible to get your train ticket at another station but not guaranteed.
So would this work-
Book zfv-ewr-xxx
Book a separate train ticket bal-zfv on the train prior.
If can pick up zfv ticket in Bal, then can ask agent to switch bal-zfv to later train so don't have to switch trains.
If can't pickup zfv ticket in Baltimore then take earlier train, get off at zfv, get ticket and board my train. may only add 50 min or so to my ride.
Makes sense?
I use the train from Baltimore anyway to get to ewr.
my understanding is that it is possible to get your train ticket at another station but not guaranteed.
So would this work-
Book zfv-ewr-xxx
Book a separate train ticket bal-zfv on the train prior.
If can pick up zfv ticket in Bal, then can ask agent to switch bal-zfv to later train so don't have to switch trains.
If can't pickup zfv ticket in Baltimore then take earlier train, get off at zfv, get ticket and board my train. may only add 50 min or so to my ride.
Makes sense?
May 17, 2018, 7:08 pm
#333
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
That's what I'd do. Book XXX-ZFV (assuming the fare is reasonable--it's often cheaper than booking to EWR) and then, separately, book PHL-BAL (or BWI, whichever is your destination). You'll be protected by United on the first half of your trip (to ZFV/PHL), and that will also give you time to make changes to your PHL-BAL segment should your incoming flight be late and you get rebooked onto a later EWR-ZFV train.
Or book a later train for PHL-BAL and just plan to stay in PHL for an hour or two; there are tons of interesting things to do in Center City Philly within just a few minutes of the train station. It's a fantastic place for a layover.
Or book a later train for PHL-BAL and just plan to stay in PHL for an hour or two; there are tons of interesting things to do in Center City Philly within just a few minutes of the train station. It's a fantastic place for a layover.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 17, 2018 at 7:13 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
May 17, 2018, 7:26 pm
#334
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,757
Two ZFV datapoints that have had the same problem:
When I realized my original train was late from ZFV, I went to the ticket window to be put on an earlier train to protect my connection in EWR. No problem making the change and the codeshare number stayed the same on the new train.
I even called UA in both cases to let them know what I was doing and to document the wazoo out of my reservation in case I looked like a no-show. Sure enough, both times when I took an earlier train, my reservation had been marked as a no-show by UA.
When I realized my original train was late from ZFV, I went to the ticket window to be put on an earlier train to protect my connection in EWR. No problem making the change and the codeshare number stayed the same on the new train.
I even called UA in both cases to let them know what I was doing and to document the wazoo out of my reservation in case I looked like a no-show. Sure enough, both times when I took an earlier train, my reservation had been marked as a no-show by UA.
May 18, 2018, 1:07 pm
#335
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA
Posts: 312
Happened to me too. They were on the phone with their help desk for at least an hour. So frustrating.
Jun 18, 2018, 12:40 am
#336
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Formerly BUF but now PHL
Programs: AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 327
Single datapoint from a ZFV-EWR-ROC experience
I am an AA Plat. flyer who used to fly UA when AA was US and we still were in the *A. I rarely fly UA anymore only because of EQMs/EQDs etc. However in this case the fare from ZFV-EWR-ROC was too good to pass us as AA was $400 PP for a family of 4 from PHL vs UA's $114 PP from ZFV. With my newly minted Explorer card I was able to save an additional $100 so it was quite the steal.
When I arrived at ZFV the Quick Trak machine could not find my reservation. I tried for 10 minutes inputting every bit of information that I had and it simply would not work. I proceeded to the Amtrak counter and they found my reservation quickly and told me that the UA codeshare reservations "rarely can be found on the Quick Trak machines".
Airport experience at EWR was a breeze. I was allowed priority access with my Explorer card and 2 free bags and Mr. Easy Chicken found my reservation my reservations, complete with TSA pre check. I was very pleased with how smooth it went.
The return trip was another story. We got stuck in some summer construction traffic in both the BUF and ROC areas and arrived at the counter much later than I would have liked (40 mins before departure). On this day Easy Chicken was not my friend and could not find my reservation. I began to think that maybe I booked the flight incorrectly for the wrong day but the reservation on my phone said it was the correct departure date and time. After much gesticulation I finally got the attention of an agent who was willing to help me. FWIW he was not dressed in an UA uniform and had a different color shirt on that did not have a UA logo. (I was wondering if UA hired some contract agents at the ROC station?) He told me that the chicken rejected me because it is was too late to check in for my flight and I was basically out of luck. I protested and said that while I was there later than I would have liked it was 40 mins out when I began trying to check in. He kept inferring that I must not fly a lot to know that I needed to check in before 30 mins out. After he finished his lecture he finally set out to help me and said that I had no reservation in the system. He made some phone calls and after speaking to UA he suggested that maybe I skipped the ZVF-EWR leg and that they cancelled my reservation. I assured him that we traveled all legs and had the Amtrak boarding passes to prove it. After what seemed to be an eternity on the phone and (as I watched our UA flight fly over through the window he told me that they finally verified that I did take the train but that we could not get me back home until the next day. I hit the roof and asked why as it was only 10:30 in the morning. He said because I was going to Canada. I asked him what give him that impression and he said that I was going to ZFV, which is in Canada. I tersely told him that it was the 30th St. Station in Philadelphia. He seemed surprised by this and then tapped away at the keyboard for a while and finally told me in that case that he will put me on an AA flight to PHL (which was fine as we could take the SEPTA high speed rail line to ZFV from PHL).
So in the end it seems that there were some computer glitches and kinks in the system which I was a bit surprised have not been ironed out since I have known about this codeshare for a while. Of course if I was earlier they may have been able to resolve it in time but then again maybe not as this gentleman at the ticket counter was a bit confused for most of our encounter. In the end it worked out and I even got a few AA EQMs and EQDs on UA's dime. I was underwhelmed with UA and the codeshare experience but would likely risk it again for that kind of savings to Western NY from the PHL area.
When I arrived at ZFV the Quick Trak machine could not find my reservation. I tried for 10 minutes inputting every bit of information that I had and it simply would not work. I proceeded to the Amtrak counter and they found my reservation quickly and told me that the UA codeshare reservations "rarely can be found on the Quick Trak machines".
Airport experience at EWR was a breeze. I was allowed priority access with my Explorer card and 2 free bags and Mr. Easy Chicken found my reservation my reservations, complete with TSA pre check. I was very pleased with how smooth it went.
The return trip was another story. We got stuck in some summer construction traffic in both the BUF and ROC areas and arrived at the counter much later than I would have liked (40 mins before departure). On this day Easy Chicken was not my friend and could not find my reservation. I began to think that maybe I booked the flight incorrectly for the wrong day but the reservation on my phone said it was the correct departure date and time. After much gesticulation I finally got the attention of an agent who was willing to help me. FWIW he was not dressed in an UA uniform and had a different color shirt on that did not have a UA logo. (I was wondering if UA hired some contract agents at the ROC station?) He told me that the chicken rejected me because it is was too late to check in for my flight and I was basically out of luck. I protested and said that while I was there later than I would have liked it was 40 mins out when I began trying to check in. He kept inferring that I must not fly a lot to know that I needed to check in before 30 mins out. After he finished his lecture he finally set out to help me and said that I had no reservation in the system. He made some phone calls and after speaking to UA he suggested that maybe I skipped the ZVF-EWR leg and that they cancelled my reservation. I assured him that we traveled all legs and had the Amtrak boarding passes to prove it. After what seemed to be an eternity on the phone and (as I watched our UA flight fly over through the window he told me that they finally verified that I did take the train but that we could not get me back home until the next day. I hit the roof and asked why as it was only 10:30 in the morning. He said because I was going to Canada. I asked him what give him that impression and he said that I was going to ZFV, which is in Canada. I tersely told him that it was the 30th St. Station in Philadelphia. He seemed surprised by this and then tapped away at the keyboard for a while and finally told me in that case that he will put me on an AA flight to PHL (which was fine as we could take the SEPTA high speed rail line to ZFV from PHL).
So in the end it seems that there were some computer glitches and kinks in the system which I was a bit surprised have not been ironed out since I have known about this codeshare for a while. Of course if I was earlier they may have been able to resolve it in time but then again maybe not as this gentleman at the ticket counter was a bit confused for most of our encounter. In the end it worked out and I even got a few AA EQMs and EQDs on UA's dime. I was underwhelmed with UA and the codeshare experience but would likely risk it again for that kind of savings to Western NY from the PHL area.
Jun 18, 2018, 1:02 am
#337
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,017
Did the Amtrak conductor scan your ticket? That always very important and I have chased them down before to get it scanned, else UA may indeed cancel your ticket.
Jun 18, 2018, 6:26 am
#338
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Formerly BUF but now PHL
Programs: AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 327
Apparently I was not "all set" as maybe this is why the reservations were potentially cancelled?
Nov 22, 2018, 2:47 pm
#339
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 4
EWR-ZFV ticket missing
I'd booked a roundtrip XXX-EWR-ZFV for the Thanksgiving holiday, and after arriving at EWR on Tuesday the QuikTrak machines had no record of my reservation under the UA codeshare flight. I spent a while between United and Amtrak on the phone, with United insisting my reservation was confirmed and Amtrak telling me that the only thing that came up under my name was a trip I took in 2013 and they couldn't find anything. I managed to get the agent at EWR to let me through the AirTrain gate and boarded the train without a real ticket, hoping to plead my case to the conductor. I was not able to convince Amtrak that I had indeed booked travel through United, despite United's insistence that I was confirmed. I managed to make it to ZFV anyway while spending the whole time on the phone between United and Amtrak. United marked me as a no-show for the EWR-ZFV leg, but a customer service agent assured me that my ticket was still valid for the return journey. Unfortunately, I have no proof I actually took the EWR-ZFV leg, because I didn't have a valid ticket in Amtrak's eyes, and there was nothing for the conductor to scan.
What I believe happened is that UA's codeshare flight that I booked followed an Amtrak itinerary that does not exist. When looking at EWR-ZFV legs on United's website, there are two shown that are almost at the same time. UA 2939, which I had booked, is close to but not exactly the same as a scheduled Amtrak train, but UA 2853 lines up exactly with train 127, which I ended up riding without an actual ticket. I'm guessing United tried to put me on a train that doesn't exist, and there was no communication back and forth from Amtrak to let them know that. My return journey lines up exactly with Amtrak train 156, so hopefully when I get to 30th Street, I'll have a ticket waiting for me. Picking arbitrary days for a similar itinerary XXX-EWR-ZFV brings up both UA 2853 and UA 2939 still, both with departure and arrival times around the same time, but only one showing as identical on Amtrak's website. This seems to be a glitch in United's system, and it was very frustrating to go back and forth with CSRs for that long and risky that I even managed to get on an Amtrak train without a ticket and ride the whole way without getting kicked off.
What I believe happened is that UA's codeshare flight that I booked followed an Amtrak itinerary that does not exist. When looking at EWR-ZFV legs on United's website, there are two shown that are almost at the same time. UA 2939, which I had booked, is close to but not exactly the same as a scheduled Amtrak train, but UA 2853 lines up exactly with train 127, which I ended up riding without an actual ticket. I'm guessing United tried to put me on a train that doesn't exist, and there was no communication back and forth from Amtrak to let them know that. My return journey lines up exactly with Amtrak train 156, so hopefully when I get to 30th Street, I'll have a ticket waiting for me. Picking arbitrary days for a similar itinerary XXX-EWR-ZFV brings up both UA 2853 and UA 2939 still, both with departure and arrival times around the same time, but only one showing as identical on Amtrak's website. This seems to be a glitch in United's system, and it was very frustrating to go back and forth with CSRs for that long and risky that I even managed to get on an Amtrak train without a ticket and ride the whole way without getting kicked off.
Nov 22, 2018, 3:35 pm
#340
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,017
I'd booked a roundtrip XXX-EWR-ZFV for the Thanksgiving holiday, and after arriving at EWR on Tuesday the QuikTrak machines had no record of my reservation under the UA codeshare flight. I spent a while between United and Amtrak on the phone, with United insisting my reservation was confirmed and Amtrak telling me that the only thing that came up under my name was a trip I took in 2013 and they couldn't find anything. I managed to get the agent at EWR to let me through the AirTrain gate and boarded the train without a real ticket, hoping to plead my case to the conductor. I was not able to convince Amtrak that I had indeed booked travel through United, despite United's insistence that I was confirmed. I managed to make it to ZFV anyway while spending the whole time on the phone between United and Amtrak. United marked me as a no-show for the EWR-ZFV leg, but a customer service agent assured me that my ticket was still valid for the return journey. Unfortunately, I have no proof I actually took the EWR-ZFV leg, because I didn't have a valid ticket in Amtrak's eyes, and there was nothing for the conductor to scan.
What I believe happened is that UA's codeshare flight that I booked followed an Amtrak itinerary that does not exist. When looking at EWR-ZFV legs on United's website, there are two shown that are almost at the same time. UA 2939, which I had booked, is close to but not exactly the same as a scheduled Amtrak train, but UA 2853 lines up exactly with train 127, which I ended up riding without an actual ticket. I'm guessing United tried to put me on a train that doesn't exist, and there was no communication back and forth from Amtrak to let them know that. My return journey lines up exactly with Amtrak train 156, so hopefully when I get to 30th Street, I'll have a ticket waiting for me. Picking arbitrary days for a similar itinerary XXX-EWR-ZFV brings up both UA 2853 and UA 2939 still, both with departure and arrival times around the same time, but only one showing as identical on Amtrak's website. This seems to be a glitch in United's system, and it was very frustrating to go back and forth with CSRs for that long and risky that I even managed to get on an Amtrak train without a ticket and ride the whole way without getting kicked off.
What I believe happened is that UA's codeshare flight that I booked followed an Amtrak itinerary that does not exist. When looking at EWR-ZFV legs on United's website, there are two shown that are almost at the same time. UA 2939, which I had booked, is close to but not exactly the same as a scheduled Amtrak train, but UA 2853 lines up exactly with train 127, which I ended up riding without an actual ticket. I'm guessing United tried to put me on a train that doesn't exist, and there was no communication back and forth from Amtrak to let them know that. My return journey lines up exactly with Amtrak train 156, so hopefully when I get to 30th Street, I'll have a ticket waiting for me. Picking arbitrary days for a similar itinerary XXX-EWR-ZFV brings up both UA 2853 and UA 2939 still, both with departure and arrival times around the same time, but only one showing as identical on Amtrak's website. This seems to be a glitch in United's system, and it was very frustrating to go back and forth with CSRs for that long and risky that I even managed to get on an Amtrak train without a ticket and ride the whole way without getting kicked off.
Nov 23, 2018, 5:43 am
#341
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 4
oh yuck. I hope you had the UA agent annotate the record that you had issues w/ that segment. Without a scan of the Amtrak BP the return will likely auto-cancel. Watch out for that and call asap when that happens to make sure there is still space to re-book. T-day is not a good time of the year to have these kinds of issues, unfortunately. Watch the reservation very carefully over the coming days and get ready to call when you see a problem. This is a nasty one.
This is the first time I've done this, and the first time in a very long time I've flown United, so forgive my inexperience.
Nov 23, 2018, 6:27 am
#342
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,017
The UA agent I spoke to yesterday told me my reservation would still be valid after I explained to him I had issues with the EWR-ZFV segment. It still shows up online under my confirmation number with "A modification has been made to your itinerary.", which the agent told me was due to supposedly no-showing that segment. If it auto-cancels, would the message change?
This is the first time I've done this, and the first time in a very long time I've flown United, so forgive my inexperience.
This is the first time I've done this, and the first time in a very long time I've flown United, so forgive my inexperience.
Nov 23, 2018, 6:56 am
#343
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 4
have them fix it now. The best is to take the segment out (forget the 250 miles) and have it fixed for good. The system is known to auto-cancel the remainder of the itinerary in cases where the Amtrak segment was not validated. Now, the agent may already have done that and you are all good. Just watch this reservation very carefully. Also, with the red warning ... call to get that fixed since it may affect your ability to check in at ZFV.
Nov 23, 2018, 6:59 am
#344
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,847
have them fix it now. The best is to take the segment out (forget the 250 miles) and have it fixed for good. The system is known to auto-cancel the remainder of the itinerary in cases where the Amtrak segment was not validated. Now, the agent may already have done that and you are all good. Just watch this reservation very carefully. Also, with the red warning ... call to get that fixed since it may affect your ability to check in at ZFV.
Nov 23, 2018, 2:42 pm
#345
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 4
I should probably call Amtrak one last time to make sure my name is still on the manifest for the train tomorrow...