Amtrak has announced the start of a pilot test of its eTicketing system on the Amtrak Downeaster service, which operates daily between Boston and Portland, Maine.
The eTicketing program provides passengers increased flexibility when making or changing reservations and eliminates the need to obtain traditional paper tickets.
Amtrak intends to rollout eTicketing to all its trains nationwide during 2012.
With eTicketing, passengers have the ability to print their reservations from the comfort of their home or office.
A receipt will be e-mailed to the customer with the eTicket attached as a printable PDF document which can be printed any time prior to travel.
Passengers also will be able to use their Smartphone to present their eTicket to the conductor, by simply opening the eTicket PDF document from their email on their Smartphone and displaying the barcode for the conductor to scan.
If a customer misplaces their eTicket, they can re-print the document for presentation on-board. Passengers may also print their eTickets at Amtrak ticket offices and Quik-Trak kiosks.
Under the pilot test, eTickets will be issued to passengers who have one way or round trip reservations.
Passengers with more complicated bookings will continue to receive traditional paper value tickets, including when they:
- Are traveling beyond the Downeaster route;
- Have purchased a Multi-Ride Ticket; (e.g., monthly or ten-trip ticket)
- Have a group ticket;
- Are paying travel on the train; or
- Have purchased travel at a travel agency or corporate travel office
Amtrak Downeaster eTicketing customers will now be able to make changes to their reservations online until the start of their journey.
During 2012, Amtrak will look to provide greater flexibility to its online customers with respect to modifying reservations once a trip is underway.
Amtrak operates the Downeaster under contract with the State of Maine’s Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA.)
“We thank our partners at NNEPRA for their continued support and cooperation in helping bring this exciting initiative to our passengers,” said Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak vice president for marketing and product development.
“The eTicketing process provides a more convenient and flexible way for customers to book their travel on this increasingly popular line.”
Ridership on the Amtrak Downeaster line increased dramatically this past year, exceeding the 500,000 passenger mark for the first time, with overall ridership more than doubling since 2005.
“I am enthusiastic about the positive effect that eTicketing will have on operations for the Downeaster”, said Patricia Quinn, Executive Director, NNEPRA.
“The electronic validation of tickets is a critical step in improving service, revenue accountability and security on our trains. It’s exciting for the Downeaster service to be one of the first to offer this new technology.”
