I have a $200 credit from Amtrak that I got when we were bussed last year from SEA to PDX. It expires May 22.
I won't be able to use it before then since we will be cruising.
Is there a way to extend it short of booking a trip?
Frank in still warm and sunny SBA
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Could it be used for a trip after May 22nd if you book the trip (and pick up the ticket) before May 22nd?
Wouldn't hurt to ask.
Posted by Vincent206 (Member # 15447) on :
Before May 22nd, try buying a coach class ticket to somewhere and pick up a paper ticket. The paper ticket should have validity for one year from date of purchase and should be exchangeable for another ticket during that year. Don't buy a ticket with any sleeper accommodations, I know it can get tricky trying to exchange that value.
Amtrak's ticket rules have been changing lately and many of the ticket agents are confused or clueless about the new rules. You may run into a situation where the agent says you can do one thing but the reservation system computer will reject the request. I recently had a big problem exchanging tickets for a trip that got washed out. What I thought would be a simple 5 minute ticket exchange turned into a very complicated, 45 minute long ordeal between me, 3 agents at King Street Station and I-don't-know-how-many people at the main reservations center. The bottom line is this: if you have a paper ticket and there is a "valid until" date on the ticket, you can use the value of that paper ticket until the expiration of the paper ticket's validity. If there is no "valid until" date on the ticket it is valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
I am just back from our Amtrak Station. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to exchange my voucher that expires on May 22, 2012 for a new one that expires on April 29, 2013. I lost a couple of weeks but this is the only way we could do it since I leave for a long cruise on Thursday.
The whole transaction was pleasant and handled efficiently by Rosa with some help from another agent.
Thanks, Amtrak!
Frank in still cloudy SBA
P.S. I was going to wait and see 784 arrive at 2:01PM but, after several calls to Julie I found out that it was delayed an hour. I believe it starts in Goleta so I wonder what happened. I would have stayed but my 75 minutes of free parking was about to run out.
Posted by Vincent206 (Member # 15447) on :
My new timetable arrived this weekend and I read the official policy in the Travel Information section (p 139, for those of you with a tt.)
quote:An exchange voucher (travel credit) is valid for one year after the date of issue, and may be renewed provided this is done before it expires.