How to Get a Refund from Amtrak?

Known as an American road system, Amtrak is an economical alternative to flying passengers. Interestingly, it can transfer your car so that you can completely enjoy your trip with your own vehicle. Interestingly, this road system has spread to 46 different states and is highly renowned. But changes are bound to take place and so they ask for cancellations. If you also need to cancel your booking and get refund from Amtrak, this article is a complete guide. Keep reading this article to know all about cancellation and refund from Amtrak!

Can You Get Refund From Amtrak?

Luckily, Amtrak offers refunds to its customers who cancel their tickets within 24 hours of booking them. Apart from this, you can get a refund if the train has 24 hours to depart. When you fulfill these two conditions, you are eligible to get refund from Amtrak.

Those who cancel their tickets at the 25th hour after that are not guaranteed full refund but only a portion of it. This also matters on what kind of ticket you have purchased followed by how long it has been since you bought tickets.

Also Read: Get Refund from Expedia

Amtrak Refund and Fees

Interestingly, Amtrak has different rules for each type of ticket such as sale fares, value fares, flex fares, business fares, and first class fares. Each type of fare is entitled to monetary refund and you get 50% of your amount as cashback. Sale fares are considered to be the cheapest whereas value, flex, and other fares are not but can be refunded anytime before train departs.

With sales fare you get 50% and with flex fares you get 75% of refund but changes are prohibited for both of them. Better not expect to get refund from Amtrak if you have these fares.

How to Cancel Amtrak Ticket and Get a Refund?

Cancelling your ticket at Amtrak is a very easy task and does not require much time. You can even do this without contacting the customer care service.

Here’s how you can cancel tickets and proceed for a refund:

1. Start by logging into your account by clicking on “My Account” on the official website of Amtrak.
2. Now, you need to click on the “View/Edit” button.
3. Up next, scroll down and locate the trip you want to cancel.
4. After this, click on the “cancel” button.
5. Next, enter your details and confirm your cancellation.

If you have not made your account and made bookings as a guest, here are steps you need to follow to get refund from Amtrak:

1. Go to the “My Trip” section.
2. Now, enter details like your reservation number, and your phone number or your email ID.
3. After this, click on “Find Trips” and click on the “cancel trip” button.
4. Once again enter your details and cancel the trip.

Get Refund From Amtrak at Amtrak Ticket Office

Those who are interested in getting a refund in person can visit the Amtrak office but its working hours vary in every location. So, you need to do a bit of research work for this!

In Chicago, the ticket office remains functional from 6:00 am to 9:20 pm every day of the week. If you wish to find the details of the office of Amtrak near your location, visit Amtrak’s Routes & Destinations page where you can click on the region near you. Upon clicking the region on the map, you’ll be able to see the hours.

How Long Does it Take to Get Refund from Amtrak?

If you are waiting to get refund from Amtrak, you must know that it depends on which type of ticket you have purchased. For payments done through credit cards, it takes only 14 days for Amtrak to process a refund for the customer.

For first class fare you get 75% of refund in the form of a non-refundable e-voucher. For other tickets, you get a complete refund but the number of days might vary. Surprisingly, for some, you might be asked to pay cancellation fees.

Can I Email Amtrak for a Refund?

Luckily, Amtrak has a contact us form. While writing to Amtrak, you need to mention your name, state, email address, and phone number. But this is not the appropriate way to ask for a refund because you won’t find any option in the menu regarding refunds and cancellations.

Instead, we would suggest calling. This way you can have a word with a representative who can guide you on the necessary steps.

Final Words

To sum up, we can say that you can get refund from Amtrak but it depends on certain factors. Also, with some tickets, you can’t expect the entire refund and only a portion of it. In addition to this, refunds are not always in cash, they can be in the form of either an e-voucher or gift card which you can use for making future bookings.

So, now be clear whether you want a refund and for which type of fare you can expect a refund!

FAQs

1. Can I ask to get refund from Amtrak on social media?

Amtrak answers customers on platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook. You can leave a direct message on their account and they will reply.

2. What happens if I lose my Amtrak ticket?

If you lose the ticket, you need to simply repurchase it because the paper is required to show up at the station to get a complete refund.

3. Can I get a refund for an Amtrak gift card?

Sadly, you cannot get a refund for an Amtrak gift card as per the Gift Card Terms & Conditions page. But if you have purchased through a third party, contact them directly.

4. Can I get a refund for an Amtrak e-voucher?

Just like gift cards, e-vouchers are also non-refundable and you can’t expect to have cash in exchange.

5. How do refunds for lost tickets work?

For lost tickets, you can file an application and if the ticket was lost one year ago, Amtrak will hold onto it.