Refund and Cancellation Policy

Ticket Changes


Amtrak is waiving all change fees for any changes made by December 31, 2023 on fares that have change fees. A fare difference may apply for itinerary changes. Cancellation fees still apply to fares that have cancellation fees. Rules that apply to Reward Tickets redeemed using Amtrak Guest Reward points are not affected by this waiver. The removal of some restrictions on Multi-Ride tickets on the Northeast Corridor is extended through December 31, 2023.

Subject to the conditions below, there are two options when canceling your Amtrak reservation:

  1. Refund to the original form of payment
  2. Receive an eVoucher to apply as payment toward future trip purchases

To begin the refund process cancel your reservation online.

Paid Reservations

The cancellation policy for paid reservations (one-way, roundtrip or multi-city) is based on the type of fare purchased. Amtrak fares are grouped into different categories: Saver, Value, Flexible, Business, and First Class.

All Fares

Full refund to original form of payment if changed or canceled within 24 hours of purchase, regardless of time elapsed between purchase and scheduled departure (within one hour for tickets on unreserved services).

“No Show” Policy: After departure, all fares are non-refundable and cannot be changed. Passengers who do not show or cancel prior to departure forfeit the entire amount of the "no show" trip segment.

Saver Fares

Classes of Service: Coach on Reserved Services, Acela Business Class

  • Refunds: Non-refundable 24 hours or more after booking but may receive a 75% non-refundable eVoucher.
  • Changes: 25% fee if changed more than 24 hours after purchase.
  • Change fee waived for Select Executive members.
  • Upgrade coupons not allowed.

Value Fares

Classes of Service: Coach on Reserved and Unreserved Services, Acela Business Class

  • Refunds: Full refund to original form of payment with no fees if canceled 15 days or more before departure. 25% fee charged if canceled less than 14 days before departure. Tickets on unreserved services incur 25% fee if canceled an hour or more after purchase.
  • No change fee

Flexible Fares

Classes of Service: Coach on Reserved and Unreserved Services, Acela Business Class

  • Refunds: Full refund to original form of payment with no fees if canceled before departure.
  • No change fee

Business Fares

Classes of Service: Non-Acela Business Class

  • Refunds: Full refund to original form of payment with no fees if canceled before departure.
  • No change fee

First Class Fares

Class of Service: Acela First Class

  • Refunds: Full refund to original form of payment with no fees if canceled before departure.
  • No change fee

Class of Service: Private Rooms

  • Refunds: Full refund to original form of payment with no fees if canceled 121 days or more before departure. Refund to original form of payment with 25% fee charged if canceled 120 to 15 days before departure. Within 14 days of departure, only refundable to non-refundable eVoucher with a 25% cancellation fee.
  • No change fee

Reward Ticket Cancellations & Modifications

The following applies to tickets redeemed using Amtrak Guest Rewards points:

One-Way, Round-Trip, or Multi-Segment Reward Travel

  • Cancellations: A 10% points penalty is assessed for any refund (redeposit) to the Member account. If canceling a non-room ticket within 24 hours prior to departure, or a private room ticket within 14 days prior to departure, an additional "close-in" penalty of 10% of the points redeemed will be collected (waived for Select Executive and Select Plus members).
  • Modifications: A points difference (to new, prevailing fare) will apply in all cases with a 10% points penalty withheld on any fare difference returned to member. If modifying a non-room ticket within 24 hours prior to departure, or a private room ticket within 14 days prior to departure, an additional "close-in" penalty of 10% of the points redeemed will be collected (waived for Select Executive and Select Plus members).

Multi-Ride (Six-Ride, Ten-Ride) Reward Tickets

  • Cancellations: Points are refunded minus a 10% points penalty if unused and unexpired. Points are non-refundable if first trip is used or if ticket is expired.
  • Modifications: Before first ride, a full exchange in point value will be issued without penalty. No exchange in point value after first ride or after expiry—whichever comes first.

Monthly Pass Reward Travel

  • Cancellations: Points are refunded minus a 10% point penalty prior to first day of valid month. Redemption is non-refundable on or after first day of valid month.
  • Modifications: Full exchange in point value prior to valid month. No exchange in point value on or after first day of valid month.

Multi-Ride Tickets

A cancellation fee applies to all multi-ride refunds. Refunds may be restricted if the multi-ride ticket was paid for with a tax-free transit subsidy.

Monthly Ticket Refund Policy

Refund Request Date Amount of Refund
Exchange Value
Before valid month
Full refund, less 25% cancellation fee
75%
Day 1 through day 10 of valid month
50% refund, less 25% cancellation fee
50% exchange value,
less 25% cancellation fee
On or after day 11 of valid month
Non-refundable
None

Ten-Ride and Six-Ride Ticket Refund Policy

Number of Rides (punches) Taken
Amount of Refund
Exchange Value
None
Full refund, less 25% cancellation fee
75%
One or more
Non-refundable
None

Multi-Ride Tickets Sold for Other Carriers

The refund policies for multi-ride tickets sold by Amtrak for other carriers (such as MARC and Shore Line East) are determined by the carrier.

Illness Waiver Policy

When a passenger requests to change or cancel his or her travel plans due to an illness and upon presentation of a doctor’s note Amtrak will modify or waive fare change and refund policies that would have normally applied to that change or cancellation had it been made voluntarily. This waiver will apply to all persons in the ill passenger’s party.

Reservations Purchased with Gift Cards

If you paid with a gift card and wish to cancel, modify or downgrade your reservation, credit will be provided as an eVoucher. The type of eVoucher you receive will correspond to the type of fare purchased. For full details, see the Gift Card Terms and Conditions.

Vehicles and Add-on Fees

The refund policy is that of the customer ticket with which the vehicle (automobiles, motorcycles) or add-on (golf bags, bikes, pets) fee ticket is associated. Example: For reservations with a Bedroom and automobile on Auto Train, the private room refund policy also applies to the automobile ticket.

Boarding Late or Leaving Early, Downgrading

No refund or exchange credit is given if a customer boards a train at a station beyond, or detrains at a station before, the station from or to which they are reserved, or if the customer downgrades accommodations on the train. To receive a fare adjustment the reservation must be changed before the train departs the original boarding station of that train. This restriction will not apply if there is a service disruption. Customers who downgrade accommodations do not receive any adjustments or refunds after the train departs.

Refund Calculations

Refund rules are applied based on the scheduled departure for the first segment in a trip and are calculated for the total fare paid for each trip. A "trip" is a grouping of continuous travel.

Example: A booking Wilmington → Washington → Chicago → Seattle with same-day connections is one trip.

When a trip consists of multiple classes of service, the refund policy is applied to the entire trip based on the primary class of service, which is determined in the following order:

  1. Private Rooms
  2. Acela First Class and Non-Acela Business Class
  3. Flexible Fares
  4. Value Fares
  5. Coach on Reserved Services and Acela Business Class
  6. Saver Fares
  7. Advanced Purchase Fare
  8. Coach on Unreserved Services

Example: If a trip includes both coach on a reserved service and a private room, then the private room refund policy applies to the entire trip.

How to Get Refunds

Amtrak.com or Amtrak Mobile App: Most tickets purchased online can be canceled and refunded online.

Phone: Refunds may be processed by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

Amtrak Stations: Refunds may be processed at stations with Amtrak ticket offices.

Mail: Requests of refunds for cash must be sent in via mail. Send original tickets via certified mail with return receipt requested to:

Amtrak Refunds
Box 70
William H Gray III 30th St. Station
2955 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2898

If paper value tickets were printed, with the exception of eTickets, they must be returned for any refund. Paper value tickets purchased from a travel agency must be returned to that agency, except when there is a service disruption.

Additional Information

  1. Cancellation fees have a minimum of $5.00 and a maximum of $250.00 per transaction (maximum of $250.00 does not apply to monthly or multi-ride tickets).
  2. An Amtrak ticket becomes non-refundable, not valid for carriage and has no exchange value, after one year from the date payment was made for that ticket (or other period if so endorsed on the ticket). An eVoucher or other exchange credit is valid for one year after issuance of the original ticket.
  3. If a customer does not take the entire trip paid for, the remaining ticket value is calculated by subtracting the fare for any travel already taken from the total amount paid. The refund policy applies as soon as payment is made, whether or not any ticket is printed, and applies to entire fare paid including both rail fare and any accommodation charge. The Amtrak refund and cancellation policy is subject to change at any time.
  4. eTickets and tickets purchased through other prepaid programs are considered "paid for" and subject to the refund and cancellation policies of any component rail fare, customer type discount, and/or promotional discount, even if paper value tickets have not yet been printed.