by ajl1239
If I bought a one-way ticket from OSB to WAS, but instead -- I'm not sure where I will be on the day of travel -- got on at NYP and just went NYP to WAS, would I have a problem?
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Greg Moore wrote:If you're saying, "if I buy my ticket in advance, can I get on a different station, further down the line?"That sounds logical, but I'm wondering how the conductor finds out that the person holding ticket X that was supposed to board at station Y did not actually board. And then, just how does s/he cancel the ticket.
then no... not without changing your ticket. Amtrak can and generally will cancel a ticket if it's not scanned shortly after the time you were supposed to be boarded.
This way they can sell the "open" seat to someone else.
ajl1239 wrote:If I bought a one-way ticket from OSB to WAS, but instead -- I'm not sure where I will be on the day of travel -- got on at NYP and just went NYP to WAS, would I have a problem?Where's OSB?
Rockingham Racer wrote:Right after Old Saybrook for example (the station in question here) the Conductor goes through and scans all new tickets. When she's done walking the length of the train, I presume there's a "all tickets lifted" button or the like for that station. She'll press that and the computer back home will update and validate all lifted tickets and invalidate any ticket not lifted.Greg Moore wrote:If you're saying, "if I buy my ticket in advance, can I get on a different station, further down the line?"That sounds logical, but I'm wondering how the conductor finds out that the person holding ticket X that was supposed to board at station Y did not actually board. And then, just how does s/he cancel the ticket.
then no... not without changing your ticket. Amtrak can and generally will cancel a ticket if it's not scanned shortly after the time you were supposed to be boarded.
This way they can sell the "open" seat to someone else.
Greg Moore wrote:I dont think this happens.Rockingham Racer wrote:Right after Old Saybrook for example (the station in question here) the Conductor goes through and scans all new tickets. When she's done walking the length of the train, I presume there's a "all tickets lifted" button or the like for that station. She'll press that and the computer back home will update and validate all lifted tickets and invalidate any ticket not lifted.Greg Moore wrote:If you're saying, "if I buy my ticket in advance, can I get on a different station, further down the line?"That sounds logical, but I'm wondering how the conductor finds out that the person holding ticket X that was supposed to board at station Y did not actually board. And then, just how does s/he cancel the ticket.
then no... not without changing your ticket. Amtrak can and generally will cancel a ticket if it's not scanned shortly after the time you were supposed to be boarded.
This way they can sell the "open" seat to someone else.
It's all automated.
westernfalls wrote:I wish this all-reserved folly on regular Northeast Corridor trains would just go away.The reserved trains work quite well. It's very easy to make any adjustments, and you are guaranteed a seat. Many of the trains sell out and this system does a great job matching seats with butts.
It's such a waste of everybody's time for the sake of squeezing the last dime out of last-minute travellers.