Tuesday 24 March 2020

United States: Amtrak takes active measures to maintain safe environment

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The safety of Amtrak’s customers and employees is our top priority. We continue to monitor the coronavirus situation closely and we are taking action based on guidance from public health experts; that includes restoring service to trains and routes once demand returns. In order to maintain a safe environment and address customer concerns and potential business impact, we are taking the following measures:

Before You Travel
If you are planning your Amtrak trip:

  • Travel with confidence: As a valued customer, we are waiving change fees on all existing or new reservations made before April 30, 2020. Simply log in to your account or go to Modify Trip on Amtrak.com, or find your reservation from your account on the home screen in the Amtrak app. A fare difference may apply to your new itinerary. If you want to cancel your reservation, you must call 800-USA-RAIL (not available via Amtrak.com or the app).
  • Plan ahead: As Amtrak can take you to parts of Canada, if you cross the border, the US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) may ask about previous travel as well as require a medical screening. Visit the CBP website for more information.
  • Take care of yourself and keep others safe: If you are feeling ill, please stay home until feeling better.

Maintaining a Safe Environment
To reduce risk, we are:

  • Enhancing cleaning protocols: We have increased the frequency of cleaning services on our trains and at our stations to multiple times a day, and in some cases, on an hourly basis. We have increased the use of disinfectants to wipe down handrails, doorknobs, handles and surfaces.
  • Increasing disinfectant supplies: We have increased the quantity of sanitizers and disinfectant wipes available for customers and employees on our trains and stations.
  • Reinforcing good hygiene practices: We are regularly sharing best practices with employees and customers on ways to protect against communicable diseases.

Service Impacts
While Amtrak continues to operate, we have temporarily suspended some services due to reduced demand. See details on service impacts. (updated Monday, March 16, 6:00 pm ET)

What You Can Do
To protect against all communicable diseases:

  • Wash your hands: Wash hands frequently with soap and water – and for 20 seconds. If you can’t wash your hands, use hand sanitizer.
  • Cover your mouth: When sneezing or coughing, use tissues and promptly dispose of them or cover your mouth with your sleeve or elbow.

Ongoing Updates
We will continue to monitor and make changes to our procedures, policies and operations as necessary. We will continually update this page with any changes. For more information about the coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

(Source: Amtrak)

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