Will Amtrak honor a saver ticket from an earlier station when other saver tickets are sold out?
I'm buying a train ticket on the long-distance Amtrak Empire Builder train that runs Chicago-Milwaukee-...-St. Paul-...
I'm traveling from Milwaukee to St. Paul. All the saver tickets are sold out. Value tickets are sold out for Milwaukee-St. Paul, but not for Chicago-St. Paul. This means it cheaper to buy a ticket from Chicago and just get on the train at it's second stop in Milwaukee.
I found this similar question Can you get on an Amtrak train at a later station?, which notes I need to change my ticket after purchase. It doesn't address the possibility of a fare increase, is there a possibility that Amtrak would charge me extra and make me change my Chicago-Milwaukee-Minneapolis value ticket into a Milwaukee-St Paul flexible ticket?
Best Answer
Amtrak terms and conditions state that if you fail to board your train as booked your entire reservation is subject to cancellation
It's one of the first things detailed on the conditions of carriage page here.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241337896121
If discovered that you boarded at the wrong station the conductor at the very least might ask you to pay the difference in fare, and possibly be forced purchase a whole new ticket.
You ask about changing your ticket.
All saver fares are non refundable, so you can't change the booking, however if cancelled in advance they will issue you an e voucher for the value of the fare. Value fares also have conditions about cancellation and refunds
You would then need to purchace a whole new ticket, and if the saver or value fares have already sold out then you will be forced to buy a full fare ticket
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What happens if you get on an earlier Amtrak?
For all types of tickets, if your travel plans change and you do not modify or cancel your reservation before departure and then do not board your train, your entire reservation will be canceled, including all subsequent segments in the itinerary, and any remaining funds or points for that trip may be forfeited ...Can I use my train ticket from a different station?
Tickets that have been purchased with an \u201cany available route\u201d option can be used with any train company that operates between the stations you wish to travel. Any time tickets are the most flexible and can be used on any train on the chosen day of departure for the journey you have booked.What does Saver mean Amtrak?
Amtrak Saver Fares offer low prices to many destinations and select trains. Save up to 25% off the lowest available fares when you book 7 - 21 days in advance. Amtrak trains get you to the heart of the city without the stress and hassles of traffic or flying.Can I get an earlier train with a booked ticket?
Can I get an earlier train with an Advance ticket? Advance train tickets aren't flexible, so you must catch the train specified on your ticket. If you catch an earlier train, you may have to pay additional fees, so please check with ticket staff at the station.The Don'ts of Amtrak Train Travel in the US
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