Q: My husband and I were scheduled to take the Amtrak Auto Train from Sanford, Fla., to Washington, D.C., two years ago. We received a surprising text message the day before departure that our train was canceled because of a "service disruption." The message advised me to call Amtrak right away to reschedule.
A representative told me the next available train was three days later. We could not wait three days. It was a confusing time. People were scared because of the pandemic. Hotels and restaurants were closing, and the governor of Florida was telling visitors to go home. We decided to follow the governor's instructions, and we drove 1,500 miles to Massachusetts.
When we got home, I called Amtrak and requested a refund. A representative told me I could not have a cash credit but offered a voucher for travel within two years. Amtrak then sent me the travel credit, also identified on the paper as a voucher code. I am elderly and have health concerns, so a travel credit or voucher is of no help.
Is there anything you can do to get an $834 refund for us?
A: I think Amtrak may have overlooked something with your ticket. According to the rail carrier, if it cancels your train, your fare is refundable. That's an industrywide practice — even airlines offer full refunds when they cancel flights. You should have had an option to receive either a voucher or a refund. But as you said, it was a confusing time.
Two years ago, we were at the beginning of the pandemic. Travel companies were desperately trying to save cash. It wasn't unusual to find airlines or hotels trying to force customers into accepting a nonrefundable voucher with a defined expiration date. I wasn't there when Amtrak canceled your train, but it looks like that might have been what happened to you.
By the way, you seem to have done everything right. The Auto Train is a terrific way to save time and do something good for the environment. You also followed the directions of local authorities and returned home at the outset of the pandemic, instead of staying in Florida a moment longer.
If you didn't like the way Amtrak handled your ticket credit, you could have filed a dispute on your credit card under the Fair Credit Billing Act. But you had to act fast. You only have 60 days to dispute the charges, so that option is off the table.
I contacted Amtrak on your behalf. It offered you a full refund for your tickets, which you gratefully accepted.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit consumer organization. Contact him at elliott.org/help or chris@elliott.org.
