Amtrak makes passengers agree to accept arbitration for all disputes. Public Citizen has 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. Take a bus instead. Most buses in the US do not require passengers to show ID, and if they ask for data such as a name, you can give any name.
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 with a kiosk that does not accept any anonymous payments. Check before you travel!
Can someone confirm for me that it is possible to buy a ticket anonymously with cash for a non-reserved Amtrak train?
Research sourced from stallman.org.