During the latest stay-at-home order, Amtrak is requiring passengers to have reservations on trains traveling between San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
Reservations will be required starting Wednesday, Dec. 23 and ending Monday, Dec. 28.
The Rail 2 Rail program will be suspended during that time, and monthly Metrolink and COASTER passes will not be accepted.
Amtrak monthly and 10-ride passes can still be used.
Customers should only travel for essential purposes, according to the state order.
Tips from Amtrak to ensure a safe and smooth trip:
- Plan Ahead and Book Early: Visit pacificsurfliner.com/holiday [pacificsurfliner.com] to check availability and book tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at Amtrak.com [amtrak.com], from Quik-TrakSM ticket kiosks, on the Amtrak app [amtrak.com], or by calling 800-USA-RAIL.
- Travel Responsibly: Follow safety measures and any important public health orders in place during your trip and at your destination. This includes wearing a mask at stations and onboard trains at all times, washing hands or using sanitizer often, staying home if you are sick, and traveling for essential purposes only.
- Travel Off-Peak: When searching for travel during the all-reserved period, customers will see a volume percentage next to each trip option so they can get insight into specific trains that are less crowded. The percentage displayed is available in real-time when customers search for their train. These percentage numbers adjust dynamically as more passengers make reservations.
- Cancel If You Need To: Amtrak has waived all change fees for reservations made by December 31, 2020. If you decide that you don’t want to take a trip, and prefer to cancel rather than postpone, please call 1-800-USA-RAIL and speak with an Amtrak agent.
- Check Train Schedules: Check holiday schedules and train status before arriving at the station on Twitter (@PacSurfliners [twitter.com]), Amtrak.com [amtrak.com], or the Amtrak app [amtrak.com].
- Book Travel Electronically: The Amtrak website and app now offer additional digital payment options, including Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, to make it easier to book travel and update reservations. Your eTicket will be delivered to your inbox and is also available in the app. Save it on your mobile device and present it to the conductor upon request.
- If You See Something, Say Something: Report any suspicious activity or unattended items to an Amtrak employee or member of the Amtrak Police Department at (800) 331-0008, by calling 911, or by sending a text to APD11 from a smartphone, or to 27311 from a standard cell phone.
