Amtrak Seating Discussion: Assigned, First-Come, Reserved, Unreserved, Standees

[Jeff Smith]

It's been discussed on here, but not as a separate topic from what I can tell: Lifehacker.com

What is this, Southwest Airlines???!!!

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting a Seat on Amtrak

On a recent Amtrak trip, I arrived early, boarded as quickly as possible, and yet, wound up without a seat. I had purchased a “reserved seat” ticket, and when I asked the conductor about this, he told me that everyone on the train had a “reserved seat” ticket and having one did not guarantee you a seat.

As frustrating at this is, there are ways to improve your chances of getting a seat on a very full train. Here’s what you need to know about Amtrak’s coach ticketing policy and more importantly, how to snag yourself a seat.
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"Each passenger paying a fare will be entitled to a seat, to the extent coach seats are available.

Passengers are entitled to one seat per fare, to ensure other paying passengers are not excluded. Unless specific seats are assigned, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Seat availability is not guaranteed until we provide you with a reservation confirmation. On unreserved trains there are no guaranteed seats. Seating arrangements will be made without regard to race, color, gender, creed or national origin. Amtrak reserves the right, whenever operating conditions require, to transfer passengers from one car or train to another en route.

Seating is limited. Seats may not be available on all trains at all times."
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[rcthompson04]

I see this as a good problem to have...

I take the Keystone about once a month and I have seen it be "standing room only" coming out of Philadelphia heading west at rush hour.

[jonnhrr]

Amtrak should allow reserving a specific seat, as most airlines and virtually every railroad outside the US does. This is not rocket science.

[mtuandrew]

Amtrak should allow reserving a specific seat, as most airlines and virtually every railroad outside the US does. This is not rocket science.

Right, and (literally standing) standby tickets for customers who are willing to chance not having a seat in exchange for getting where they want to be. If a seat opened up (a no-show or cancellation) said customer would get a text with seat details.

[ExCon90]

Back in the 60's a Deutsche Bundesbahn ticket not only identified your seat by number but also included a diagram showing whether your seat was in a compartment or airline-style, window or aisle, smoking or non-smoking (in those days), any of which you could specify in your request for a reservation. Talk about rocket science--I mean this was back in rotary-dial and carbon-paper days.

[J.D. Lang]

If I were to buy a reserved ticket on a regional from NYP to Philadelphia and had to stand the whole way that would be my last Amtrak trip. If you sell all the seats then the train should say sold out book another train. Their policy as it stands is nonsense.

[ExCon90]

From observations by frequent riders, when a train is crowded are the train crews fairly vigilant about freeing up seats occupied by passengers' luggage (seats commandeered by the crews presumably being inviolate)?

[J.D. Lang]

When I took a regional last fall from NHV to Philly the train was packed all the way from NHV to Penn. When I boarded the crews went through all of the cars and freed up the seats (put your luggage in the overhead rack, no you can't have both seats to yourself) and we were able to get a seat within fifteen minutes after departure. So on this train the crew did a good job getting everyone seated.

[R36 Combine Coach]

Commuter passes (10-trip, monthly) are considered unreserved coach. It's not uncommon to see such commuters seated in the cafe.

[bratkinson]

My primary rule to getting a decent seat is to be among the first to board. Being a senior citizen helps at some stations.

On the NEC I always take business class. The extra 25% TQPs makes it worthwhile, as does the added legroom.

As for having 'pick any seat' vs one that was chosen during ticketing, I'll chose the former. Just today on a Hiawatha to Milwaukee, an obese sweaty man thankfully chose several rows ahead of me to sit. If it was reserved by seat number, I have little doubt I'd be the one squeezed against the window try to get away from the odor.

[Tadman]

From observations by frequent riders, when a train is crowded are the train crews fairly vigilant about freeing up seats occupied by passengers' luggage (seats commandeered by the crews presumably being inviolate)?

Yes, a few weeks ago the conductor threatened to make a little old lady pay for an extra seat. It was a real gentleman move. There was no "would you like me to put this up?", just a comment that if the suitcase stayed there, it would be an extra ticket.

Can't beat the customer service these days. You wonder why I complain so much, it's stuff like this.

[Tadman]

My primary rule to getting a decent seat is to be among the first to board. Being a senior citizen helps at some stations.

On the NEC I always take business class. The extra 25% TQPs makes it worthwhile, as does the added legroom.

As for having 'pick any seat' vs one that was chosen during ticketing, I'll chose the former. Just today on a Hiawatha to Milwaukee, an obese sweaty man thankfully chose several rows ahead of me to sit. If it was reserved by seat number, I have little doubt I'd be the one squeezed against the window try to get away from the odor.

The problem with this, and it's been on the Hi (the Low?) for me, is that when I board with a companion and the train is already full, my companion and I often have to sit apart. It's happened on quite a few trains, including Crescent, Hiawatha, Wolverine, et al... and it's frustrating that I board and have to sit four rows apart from my companion.

Regarding sweaty seat mates, if we had arm rests like the airlines started using in 1930, it would be less objectionable.

Hey, if we worked with competing TOC's for the corridor trains, they'd probably install armrests and have a ticketing app that allows for seat selection in order to attract passengers. But at Amtrak, the mantra is "you can't get away from us and we have no reason to innovate so we're not going to try".

[ExCon90]

There was no "would you like me to put this up?", just a comment that if the suitcase stayed there, it would be an extra ticket.

I'm almost afraid even to suggest this, but would the suitcase have to pay the on-board penalty fare? And at that day's walk-in level? Not that there would be a system-wide policy in effect in any case ...

[Suburban Station]

Commuter passes (10-trip, monthly) are considered unreserved coach. It's not uncommon to see such commuters seated in the cafe.

Bingo. Rush hour trains are the ones that usually have standees.

[njtmnrrbuff]

The New Haven to Springfield 400 series shuttle trains, from what I have heard, have been standing room only, a lot. Unfortunately many of them operate with two cars but there is one set that is three cars and CDOT has Amtrak run that on trains like 475 especially since it runs during the rush hour. Sadly, people have been turned away from the Amtrak shuttle trains just because they are way above capacity. Sometimes, CDOT will loan Amtrak a four car Mafersa trainset for shuttle service. In fact, the very first day that Ctrail Hartford Line started running, there was a four car Mafersa set protecting a shuttle set. The Amtrak Springfield Shuttle trains as well as the Northeast Regionals that run between New Have and Springfield are unreserved.