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ACE fare issue: Bring CASH!


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#1 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

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Posted 05 July 2007 - 10:47 PM

With the change from ACE Train #06 to ACE Train #08 came a new issue. I have already resolved it today. But it comes with a small warning.

Here are the facts as I derived them from the ACE website:


* At San Jose Diridon Station, one can purchase tickets for Amtrak and CalTrain, as well as for VTA at the nearby light rail stop. However, ACE tickets are not sold by any agent in the building or by any machine.
* A trackside vendor meets only Trains #04 and #06 selling all types of tickets in advance of those trains' departures. He or she is not there for Train #08.
* Tickets are proof-of-purchase, not collected by a conductor. A "Passenger Service Representative", their name for a fare inspector, walks the train and verifies that everyone has a ticket. The fine for non-payment of a fare is $240. However in certain cases, on-board sales are allowed. The website says that on-board cash sales are only handled on Trains #02 and #07.


Armed with this information, it appeared that we were destined to pay the $240 fine instead of the $11 fare. Hence the e-mail exchange I had with ACE today. I was told that we could either order our tickets online within 12 hours of our trip, or else pay cash on board to a Passenger Service Rep who gets on the train at the Great America station.

I fail to see how anyone can order tickets online and then use them within 12 hours... though I guess one could order them online from their hotel before leaving that morning. Even if they lived in town they would not receive them by mail in that short frame of time. Obviously anyone on vacation won't have that luxury anyhow.

So we have to take the option of the on-board cash fare, paid to the PSR after the train departs from Great America. The important thing here is: BRING EXACTLY $11 CASH PER PASSENGER!! (If you are entitled to a discounted fare, bring less.... see the website if you think you are eligible.) It is obvious they won't accept checks or credit/debit cards, so make sure you have the proper cash fare before boarding this train. They also frown on making change.


Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ





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