Virginia Railway Express
In an effort to give you answers to your important questions quickly, below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions. They are grouped in these categories. If you find these don't answer your questions, please e-mail us at gotrains@vre.org
For Those Who Are New to VRE:
Does VRE offer free parking?
Are there bathrooms on the trains?
Is there a cafe car? Can I bring food aboard?
Are there power outlets on the trains?
Can I use the Internet on the train?
Do you offer weekend service?
Do kids ride free?
What does the "S" above the train number on the schedule mean?
How will I know if my train is late?
Can we take bikes on the trains?
I want to sell cookies, doughnuts, etc. at the VRE station. What do I have to do?
For Those Who Have Been Riding VRE Longer:
What are you doing about the people who loiter at the L’Enfant station?
What is VRE doing about the parking at Fredericksburg?
My ticket expired – what do I do?
I purchased a ten-trip ticket and now will no longer need it. How do I get a refund?
How do I use my SmartBenefits/SmarTrip card?
What should I do if I find I have left my ticket or a personal belonging on the train?
Tell me about Guaranteed Ride Home.
How do I subscribe or unsubscribe to Train Talk?
How is the temperature controlled in your cars? I am always too cold or too hot!
When will VRE get new locomotives?
I have a problem with the announcements on the train. They are too loud/not loud enough!
When are you going to offer service to:
Why doesn’t your service guarantee cover the Amtrak trains on your schedule?
When will you offer more service?
Efficiency tests delayed my train. Why can't they be done when some other time?
What are heat restrictions and why they necessary?
What are flood restrictions and why are they necessary?
Why do Norfolk Southern and CSX have different policies?
Answers:
Does VRE offer free parking?
VRE offers free parking at most of our stations. To view station amenities, including parking information, please visit our station page and click on the station of your choice.
Special Parking Information:
Are there bathrooms on the trains?
All of our trains have at least one restroom, which is located in the car at the opposite end of the train from the locomotive. Several trains have more than one restroom. If you have trouble locating a rest room, please feel free to speak to a conductor or fellow passenger.
Is there a cafe car? Can I bring food aboard?
VRE trains are not equipped with café cars. However, VRE passengers are allowed to bring their own food and drink (non-alcoholic) aboard our trains to enjoy while they commute.
Are there power outlets on the trains?
Most VRE trains are not equipped with power outlets. If you find an available outlet on the train, please use caution. Do not drape the cord across an available seat or across the aisle.
Can I use the Internet on the train?
Wireless Internet (WIFI) is not currently available on our trains. We know that there is interest in having WIFI on our trains and it is an idea that we would like to put into effect. Through a number of different tests and studies, we have discovered several areas along the tracks we use where a signal cannot be received. Until a provider is able to offer continuous service, we will not offer WIFI on our trains.
Do you offer weekend service?
Weekend service is not available. Amtrak does offer weekend service at some stations, but the VRE cross honor agreement does not apply to weekends.
Do kids ride free?
Children 6 and younger may ride free when accompanied by a fare paying adult. Passengers between the ages of 7 and 21 may take advantage of VRE's Youth Fare program which provides a discount of 50% of the regular fare. Discounted tickets can only be purchased at one of our vendors with proof of age.
What does the “S” above the train number on the schedule mean?
Literally, it means “special.” These trains operate every VRE service day. However, they are the only trains that operate when VRE is on its “S” Schedule. “S” schedule days typically occur during times of inclement weather or around certain holidays. The decision to run an “S” schedule is typically made the evening prior, or very early in the morning, before service starts. Service updates are passed to our riders via Train Talk emails, website updates, and alerts to local media outlets.
In 2007, these days are as follows:
Monday, December 24, 2007 (Christmas Eve)
Monday, December 31, 2007 (New Year’s Eve)
How will I know if my train is late?
On occasion, delays do happen. Delay information can be found through several different means:
Can we take bikes on the trains?
Collapsible bicycles are permitted on all of our trains. Full size bicycles, however, cannot be accommodated on VRE trains due to space and safety constraints. As our new railcars, that can accommodate full size bicycles, are added in 2008 , VRE will revisit this policy.
I want to sell cookies, doughnuts, etc. at the VRE station. What do I have to do?
VRE does not allow any sales of goods or services on its platforms. However, one day or short-term sales of goods are permitted at certain stations in the parking lot or on the sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot.
Guidelines for use:
Persons or groups interested in using a VRE owned or managed facility must complete a Right of Entry Application. Completed applications will be reviewed by VRE management and permission to utilize a VRE facility granted on a first come-first served basis.
What are you doing about the people who loiter at the L’Enfant station?
Some passengers have expressed concerns about individuals who loiter and attempt to solicit from passengers at our L'Enfant station. These individuals have been removed from our platform by VRE staff, Amtrak police and the Metropolitan Police Department on numerous occasions. However, they have continued to return.
Some individuals remain off VRE's actual property, (i.e., at the bottom of the steps at the 6th Street entrance), which limits our ability to remove them. To assist us in this situation, we ask that passengers do not contribute money to these persons. Instead, we request that passengers who wish to assist these individuals donate food or clothing instead.
What is VRE doing about the parking at Fredericksburg?
The bad news is that the City of Fredericksburg has made it clear that they will not support further expansion. Their decision was based on feedback they have received from residents in the neighborhood surrounding the Fredericksburg station and the congestion that the current parking lots cause.
The good news is that there are now more options than ever to get to the Fredericksburg station. GRTC provides bus service to the station from the Richmond area. FRED also provides bus shuttle service from Route 3 and other areas near the Fredericksburg.
In the meanwhile, we have surveyed the cars that park at our Fredericksburg lots and have found that the vast majority of the passengers who use the Fredericksburg station are Spotsylvania County residents. This lends credence to our efforts to engage Spotsylvania County and encourage them to bring service to their jurisdiction. If that were to occur, a station could be built to accommodate Spotsylvania County residents which would increase the parking options elsewhere. This is the best plan to alleviate the parking congestion at the Fredericksburg station. However, without their membership, we are unable to move forward with this.
My ticket expired – what do I do?
Although our policy states that tickets are non-refundable, we do make exceptions from time to time on a case-by-case basis. To receive consideration, simply send in your tickets along with your name, home address, day-time telephone number, and a brief written request explaining why you could not use your tickets. If your tickets were purchased prior to the most recent fare increase, you will need to remit the difference in the fare before any consideration is made. Requests can be made to:
Virginia Railway Express
Attn: Expired Ticket Exchange
1500 King Street, Suite 202
Alexandria, VA 22314
You should receive a response to your request within 10 to 14 business days.
I purchased a ten-trip ticket and now will no longer need it. How do I get a refund?
VRE Ten-Trip tickets are non-refundable. However, we do make exceptions from time to time on a case-by-case basis. To receive consideration, simply send in your tickets along with the refund request form to:
Virginia Railway Express
Attn: Ticket Refunds
1500 King Street
Suite 202
Alexandria, VA 22314
You should receive a response to your request within 10 to 14 business days.
How do I use my SmartBenefits/SmarTrip card?
VRE does not currently accept the SmarTrip card as a form of payment for VRE tickets, but we do accept Metrocheks. For more information on Metrocheks and how they can be redeemed for VRE tickets, please visit http://www.vre.org/service/metrochek3.htm.
However, in conjunction with WMATA and the Commuter Stores of Arlington, we are able to accept electronic SmartBenefits through a special program. For more information visit http://www.vre.org/service/smartbenefits/smartbenefits-faq.html.
What should I do if I find I have left my ticket or a personal belonging on the train?
If you accidentally leave a personal item or your ticket on a VRE train, please visit http://www.vre.org/feedback/lostitems.html (for lost items,) or http://www.vre.org/feedback/losttickets.html (for lost tickets,) to complete our customer service form. The information you supply will help us quickly locate your item and return it to you if it is turned in.
If you do not have access to the web, please call us weekdays between 7am and 7pm at (703) 684-1001. We can personally make note of any details that will help us identify and return your lost item(s) if it is located.
What is Guaranteed Ride Home?
Virginia Railway Express is pleased to participate in a special service that can get you home in case of emergency. Commuter Connections "Guaranteed Ride Home" (GRH) is a special service that can get you home in case of emergency. This program is free and available to all VRE passengers. To learn more about how the program works, or to sign up click here.
How do I subscribe or unsubscribe to Train Talk?
If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe your email address, simply visit http://traintalk.vre.org and follow the prompts. If you need assistance, contact the VRE office weekdays between 7:00a and 7:00p at (703) 684-1001.
How is the temperature controlled in your cars? I am always too cold or too hot!
It is no secret that each individual has a different internal temperature setting. Some people are always hot, some are always cold. To accommodate the majority of riders, VRE sets the temperature between 68 and 72 degrees. This is a range that we have found to be comfortable for most of our passengers. If the temperature in a car goes above 72 degrees, the air conditioning is activated and if the car temperature goes below 68 degrees, the heat is activated. Unfortunately, the systems are not designed so that blower speeds can be manually regulated.
Seating on the upper levels is usually warmer. Cars adjacent to the engines and cars that are near capacity will be warmer.
Unfortunately, on extremely hot and humid days, many of our older cars have difficulty maintaining an interior temperature in the range of 68 to 72 degrees. Some of our Gallery cars have been in service for 40 or 50 years, and their ventilation systems can no longer handle this area’s extreme summer weather conditions. That said, on most of our cars each passenger compartment has its own HVAC system, so if you find the temperature in one compartment uncomfortable, you may find relief by moving to another compartment, or another car.
When will VRE get new locomotives?
There is capital funding for VRE in the transportation package passed by the Virginia Assembly in 2007. Welcoming new locomotives into our fleet will make our service more reliable. However, these new locomotives are long-lead items and are manufactured to order. We expect that the first new locomotives will be ready for service sometime in the year 2010. As a short term measure, we received approval by our Operations Board to enter into a lease agreement for several additional locomotives. We hope to have them in service by the end of 2007.
I have a problem with the announcements on the train. They are too loud/not loud enough!
If the volume of announcements appears too high or too low, it could be due to a mechanical problem, or it may be due to the manner in which the crew person is making manual announcements. If this continues to be a problem for more than one day, please alert your conductor to the problem.
After you have discussed it with your crew person and you continue to observe a problem, please submit a mechanical concern complaint via the online form on our website. Information submitted in this manner is automatically sent to our Director of Rail Equipment & Services, allowing for faster review and problem resolution.
When are you going to offer service to:
Gainesville/Haymarket?
Currently, the rail line from Manassas west to Front Royal is a single, unsignaled “dark” track, unlike the dual tracks we normally operate on. Norfolk Southern, who owns the line, has indicated that investment in capacity and signal improvements will be required prior to the operation of commuter service. At least one additional track must be constructed from Manassas to Haymarket, and a modern signaling system installed, before any expansion to these areas is possible. In addition, the at-grade highway crossing at Route 29 would have to be eliminated.That said, ridership studies have shown this to represent our most promising near-term expansion opportunity. With growing public support, we are working to make this happen. It will be a number of years, however, until passenger trains begin to operate to Gainesville/Haymarket, and no decisions have yet been made as to what affect this will have on service levels to Broad Run. Service beyond Haymarket is not being considered at this time.
Spotsylvania?
We are aware that many of our Fredericksburg Line passengers reside in Spotsylvania County. We would like to open a station there to ease the commute for our Spotsylvania riders while relieving the parking situation in downtown Fredericksburg. Our overnight storage & maintenance facility is in Spotsylvania County off Route 17, which would make an ideal location for a station. We continue our efforts to engage Spotsylvania County and encourage them to bring service to their jurisdiction.
Bealeton?
It is in our long range strategic plan to expand service to the Bealeton area. We feel that service to the Bealeton area would be a valuable service to the growing constituency in the Fauquier County/Culpeper region. At this time, our efforts to expand on the Manassas Line are focused on the Gainesville/Haymarket area.
Richmond?
The main considerations for expanding the Fredericksburg Line further south to Richmond are similar to those of Spotsylvania, but also include issues of trackage rights, limited equipment, and funding.
Why doesn’t your service guarantee cover the Amtrak trains on your schedule?
We are proud to be one of only three transit organizations in the United States to offer a service guarantee. We are also pleased to offer select Amtrak trains as a supplement to our own service.
Amtrak trains are not strictly limited to our service area. They are long distance trains that pass through our area of service. We are unable to provide any type of guarantee regarding their on time performance.
When will you offer more service?
VRE service is concentrated during peak commuting hours. We do offer one early afternoon departure on each line, timed to allow many of our passengers the ability to work a half day and commute home on the train.
We regularly receive requests for express trains, early trains, late evening trains and weekend service. As much as we would like to add more service, we do not own the tracks we operate on. Therefore, we must receive permission from our host railroads (Norfolk Southern and CSX) to operate additional trains. We are negotiating for additional service to start in the summer of 2008. However, this process takes time.
Efficiency tests delayed my train. Why can't they be done when some other time?
In order to ensure your safety as passengers on VRE commuter trains in our heavily used rail corridors, the operating officials of Amtrak, CSX, and Norfolk Southern periodically conduct "efficiency tests" on the crews that operate our trains. These teams, on a monthly basis, create unannounced "tests" and "observations" of employee compliance with the Railroad Codes of Operating Rules.
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rules require periodic field testing of your "driver," the engineer. Conductors are also tested within the owning railroad's rules and regulations. Such tests must be performed under actual operating conditions. For more information, see our VRE Update article.
What are heat restrictions and why they necessary?
Just as automobiles are sometimes requested to lower speeds for various road and weather conditions, trains are subject to similar restrictions. Heat restrictions are orders given to railroad engineers to reduce their speed over a given section of track.
Steel rails slowly expand and contract as temperatures rise and fall. Careful engineering measures are taken when rail is installed to account for rail expansion and contraction. The ties, rock ballast, and rail anchors, which hold the rail longitudinally, must be strong enough to keep the rail solidly in place instead of expanding or contracting. Under extreme heat, the rail, on rare occasions, will experience a “sun kink”, which causes the track to shift laterally causing a curve in the track.
When a “kink” or high tension is found in the track, the track is taken out of service, repaired, and then put back in service. That is why there are times that we are limited to one track during the summer as repairs are made.
What are flood restrictions and why are they necessary?
Railroads have crevices in the ballast (the rocks that support the tracks). When an increased amount of rain occurs, water gets into the track bed and can cause washouts. As a result, our host railroads issue periodic flood restrictions: Norfolk Southern requires trains to operate no more than 20 mph. CSX limits the maximum speed to 40 mph. Both railroads institute these restrictions to ensure passenger safety.
Why do Norfolk Southern and CSX have different policies?
The short answer is that each railroad operates efficient and safe. Railroading is an inexact science and many challenges faced are met in different, but equally effective, ways. The approach to track restrictions in different kinds of weather is one of those challenges.