Customer Self-Service Launches on Amtrak.com

Customers who book their reservation online can now make modifications to their reservation at Amtrak.com with a few clicks of the mouse. Rather than having to contact a ticket agent, customers have the flexibility to change their travel schedule or class of service online, as well as upgrade, downgrade and exchange tickets. Any reductions in fare will be refunded automatically while payment of fare increases resulting from reservation changes can be collected through the online system.

“This is an important step forward in customer service,” said Tony Flynn, eTicketing program director. “Even though we just launched this feature on April 6, our customers are already taking advantage of it to change trains or upgrade their travel.”

The online self-service feature is currently available for reservations made on Amtrak.com before a paper ticket has been printed. All customers will still need to pick up printed tickets at the station prior to boarding their train — but not for long.

This new self-service feature is the first of several upcoming eTicketing program features that will offer additional customer self service opportunities. In May, a new capability will be introduced that will enable customers to pick up their tickets at Quik-Trak kiosks even if their reservation was affected by a last minute schedule change or re-accommodation. Previously, customers were required to go to the ticket window to obtain tickets under such circumstances.

By late summer 2011, customers will also be able to print travel documents at home or at the office. Conductors will simply scan bar codes on the “print-from-anywhere” boarding pass, eliminating the need to collect paper tickets. Additional functionality will allow passengers to present their boarding pass on their smart phone, such as a BlackBerry or iPhone, making completely paperless travel possible.

The eTicketing program, once fully developed, is projected to deliver up to $14 million in additional ticket revenue annually by improving access to Amtrak ticketing, particularly at cities with unstaffed stations or for those customers booking outside the U.S.

Ridership and Revenue on Record-Breaking Pace

During the first six months of the FY '10 fiscal year, Amtrak carried a record high of 13,619,770 passengers -- a 4.3 percent increase over last year and roughly 100,000 more than the same period in FY '08, when the company set its all-time record for annual ridership. A slowly improving economy and continued high fuel prices are contributing factors in ridership growth.

Comparing March 2010 to March 2009, ridership increased by 13.5 percent to a record 2.47 million passengers for the month. In addition, every single Amtrak route carried more passengers, with several experiencing double-digit growth.