eTicketing Available on All Train Routes

How do I receive and use my eTicket if I choose to purchase it at the in-station ticket counter, Quik-Trak kiosk or over the phone? 

How you make your booking may affect how you obtain your eTicket but once you have it in hand, you are ready to board the train. 

• In-Station Ticket Counter: The ticket agent will print out your eTicket* for you.
• Quik-Trak Kiosk: If you purchase your tickets at a Quik-Trak kiosk, you will receive your eTicket* at the end of your transaction.
• Over the Phone: You can still call 1-800-USA-RAIL to make your booking and receive your eTicket via e-mail and print it out on your own. However, eTickets cannot be purchased over the phone for Capitol Corridor trains unless you are unaccompanied minors or need special assistance; for more information about Capitol Corridor, call 1-877-9-RIDECC.

*The eTickets printed at the in-station ticket counter or Quik-Trak kiosk look different from the print-anywhere eTicket PDF but serve the same purpose. The difference is: from the in-station ticket counter or Quik-Trak kiosk, each eTicket is issued based on the individual passenger's name, not reservation number; each eTicket contains up to two travel segments only.

In what situation will I or will I not receive an eTicket?

An eTicket will be issued if you are traveling one-way, round-trip or multi-city on the same eTicketing enabled route. However, you will not receive an eTicket if...

• you are traveling with a multi-ride ticket, such as a monthly, ten-ride, six-ride or two-ride ticket.
• you are traveling beyond the same eTicketing enabled route.
• you have a group ticket.
• you pay the fare on the train.
• you purchase your tickets through a travel agency or corporate travel office.

I received my eTicket as a PDF document attached to my e-mail receipt. How is an eTicket different from a paper value ticket I used before?

Unlike the paper value tickets to be picked up at an in-station Quik-Trak kiosk or ticket counter, your eTicket (PDF document) may be printed anywhere after your online booking. You can simply print out another copy if you ever lose or misplace it.  You will receive only one eTicket for your entire itinerary.

Your eTicket may be printed anywhere - at home, work or a hotel business center; it has the phrases “eTicket” and “Present this document for travel” in the upper right hand corner. An eTicket from Quik-Trak or a ticket agent has the phrase “eTicket travel document” at the bottom of it, and in the fare box in the bottom left corner you will see, “eTicket has no value.” If you ever lose or misplace your eTicket, you can simply print out another copy since it doesn't have any dollar value.

I already have a paper value ticket for travel. With eTicketing, what do I do with my existing paper value ticket?

Your reservations made prior to July 30, 2012 may still consist of paper value tickets and they are still valid for travel. Present your paper value ticket to the conductor on the train and be sure to keep it safe because it has dollar value, and may have refund or exchange value. If you need to change your itinerary, you must contact Amtrak to modify your reservation and exchange your paper value ticket for a new one at an open Amtrak ticket office.

Can I have my eTicket on my smartphone or tablet and use it to board the train and present to the conductor for travel?

Yes. eTickets booked through Amtrak.com, m.amtrak.com or the Amtrak mobile application can be displayed from within the app. Retrieve your trip information and the eTicket barcode will display at the top of the screen. If you do not have an Amtrak mobile application but you provided your e-mail address when you made your reservation, then your receipt, with an eTicket attached as a PDF, will be e-mailed to you.

I have to change my travel plans within the eTicketing enabled route – board an earlier train or only take one of the two trips for which I bought an eTicket.

For Train Routes Requiring Reservations (Most of the Amtrak Train Routes):

If your travel plans change, you must contact Amtrak before the train you originally booked has departed. If you booked it on Amtrak.com and have not started any part of your journey, you can modify your reservation on Amtrak.com; otherwise, you can modify it over the phone at 800-USA-RAIL or speak to a ticket agent at the station. Your eTicket will then be updated to reflect your itinerary change, and any difference in fare collected or refunded. It is recommended, but not required, to print out an updated copy of your eTicket (or obtain a new copy from a ticket agent or a Quik-Trak kiosk) after you have modified your itinerary.

If you do not notify us before the departure of your original train, and do not board that train, your entire reservation will be canceled, your eTicket will no longer be valid and cannot be used for travel, and the money you paid will be stored in an eVoucher that you can either use for future travel or arrange for a refund, subject to any refund conditions that may apply to the fare paid.

If you are already on a train, and find that your reservation has been canceled because you changed your plans and did not tell Amtrak, you will need to pay the conductor for your trip, even if you had previously paid for the reservation that was canceled. The amount to pay the conductor will normally be at the highest fare level; an additional charge may apply if your boarding station had an open ticket office at the time of departure that you did not use. You will need to contact Amtrak at 800-USA-RAIL or visit a ticket office to inquire about obtaining a credit or refund for the original reservation that was canceled.

For Train Routes Not Requiring Reservations (such as the Capitol Corridor):

eTickets may be used on within one year of purchase on the train routes not requiring reservations, unless the fare paid specifies a shorter period of validity. You do not need to call 1-800-USA-Rail for your trip modification, unless the changes include:

• travel on a train route requiring a reservation, or
• travel on a segment that has not been eTicketing enabled.

For more information about Capitol Corridor, call 1-877-9-RIDECC.

My travel plans changed and I need to travel outside the eTicketing enabled segment. Can I still use my eTicket?

Not currently. If your travel takes you beyond the eTicketing enabled segment, you will need to obtain paper value tickets from a station ticket agent or Quik-Trak kiosk.

I use a Multi-Ride ticket. Will it now be an eTicket?

No. Due to their specific nature, Multi-Rides (such as Monthly Pass, ten-ride, six-ride and so on) Group, certain Promotional Fare customers (such as Downeaster Deals) and those who purchase their tickets onboard will continue to receive their tickets in the conventional manner during the pilot program. Treat your Multi-Ride ticket as you do today, and keep it safe.

I had my ticket but I left it behind or lost it. What do I do?

• If you had an eTicket, simply print out another copy of the PDF document attached to your receipt e-mail.
• If you had a paper value ticket, you will need to repurchase it at the ticket counter. When you recover the original ticket, you can submit it and the receipt from the repurchased ticket for a refund of the original ticket. If it has been lost entirely, the Amtrak lost ticket policy applies, and you need to call 1-800-USA-RAIL as soon as possible.

What is the difference between a Reservation Confirmation and an eTicket?

You receive a reservation confirmation when you complete your booking on Amtrak.com. You can print this confirmation, but it is not an eTicket and cannot be used on the train. You will receive a separate e-mail, including your purchase receipt and eTicket as a PDF attachment. The eTicket has a barcode on it and the phrase "Present This Document for Travel" in the upper right corner. Use this eTicket to board the train and present it to the conductor.  

I am an Amtrak Guest Rewards member and I have redeemed my points for my trip on the eTicketing enabled route. What will I receive and what do I do with it?

If you already redeemed your points prior to the launch of eTicketing, you will get your paper value ticket(s) as you identified in the ticket pick-up/delivery selection in your booking.

With eTicketing, you will redeem your points for travel in the same way as you do today and be able to select 'eTicketing' as your ticket pick-up/delivery method. Once your reservation is complete, you will receive your eTicket as a PDF document attached to your e-mail receipt.

I booked at a travel agency or corporate travel office. What do I do?

When you book your travel at a travel agency or corporate travel office, you will get a paper value ticket, not an eTicket. Make sure to keep your paper value tickets safe as they have dollar value. The travel agency will issue you with paper value tickets; when booking through a corporate travel office, use your booking confirmation to collect your paper value ticket from a Quik-Trak kiosk or in-station ticket office. You must use the paper value tickets to board the train.