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Amtrak makes passengers agree to accept arbitration for all disputes. Public Citizen filed a lawsuit to make Amtrak stop
Reportedly Amtrak stopped demanding ID to buy a ticket in December 2017. However, some trains (especially on the Northeast Corridor) require a reservation — a ticket alone is not sufficient. To sell a reservation, Amtrak still requires ID, and won't even accept cash.
Therefore, I urge you not to travel on Amtrak trains that require a reservation.
Without a reservation, Amtrak requires giving the passenger's name, which gets printed on the ticket, but does not normally check the passenger's ID. However, ticket checkers on the train can, if they wish, demand to see the passenger's ID.
Don't spoil your anonymity by paying with something other than cash.
Meanwhile, some Amtrak stations have no human agents and the only way to buy a ticket is from a kiosk that does not accept any anonymous payments. Check before you travel!
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