# Guest Rewards - for Europeans!



## Sealink (Apr 27, 2008)

I've tried to sign up to Amtrak Guest Rewards, but it seems to insist on a Canada or US Address.

Is it possible for someone from the UK to join these scheme, or is it open only to US / Canada citizens?


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## the_traveler (Apr 27, 2008)

I can't find it right now, but I do believe you must have a US or Canadian mailing address.


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## AlanB (Apr 27, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> I can't find it right now, but I do believe you must have a US or Canadian mailing address.


Sadly, yes, only Cdn or US addresses.


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## Sealink (Apr 28, 2008)

I've emailed them and they've said I will receive a reply for their 'International Sales Department', so we'll see if they can do anything.


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## Cascadia (Apr 28, 2008)

Hey! I thought you had to be a US resident to qualify, I didn't think Canadians were eligible! Wonder if I can get my Canadian boyfriend to sign up? He really oughta.

Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to go look into that.

Sorry for Europeans though, I wish you guys could get the points too.


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## Sealink (Apr 28, 2008)

My reply arrived. Short and sweet.

_No, you must have a U.S. address._

_ _

_Regards, _

_ _

_Amtrak International Sales _


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## the_traveler (Apr 28, 2008)

Cascadia said:


> Hey! I thought you had to be a US resident to qualify, I didn't think Canadians were eligible! Wonder if I can get my Canadian boyfriend to sign up? He really oughta.
> Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to go look into that.
> 
> Sorry for Europeans though, I wish you guys could get the points too.


As far as I know, as long as you have a US or Canadian *address* - you can sign up!

*Sealink* - Note it is an address, not a citizen. If you could use a US or Canadian address (such as a friend's or relative's address), you could sign up!


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## Sealink (Apr 28, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> Cascadia said:
> 
> 
> > Hey! I thought you had to be a US resident to qualify, I didn't think Canadians were eligible! Wonder if I can get my Canadian boyfriend to sign up? He really oughta.
> ...



Oooooh!


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## Chris J. (Apr 29, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> Cascadia said:
> 
> 
> > Hey! I thought you had to be a US resident to qualify, I didn't think Canadians were eligible! Wonder if I can get my Canadian boyfriend to sign up? He really oughta.
> ...


Hmm, I had thought you needed to be a US/Canada citizen.

While there are companies that will sell/rent you a US mailing address, but I'm not sure how much they charge and if it would be worth getting one just to join AGR.


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## MrFSS (Apr 29, 2008)

Chris J. said:


> the_traveler said:
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> > Cascadia said:
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The Terms & Conditions page makes it pretty clear:

_Membership is open to all __*residents of the U.S. and Canada*__. If you are unable to __*provide adequate information for us to validate your identity*__, we have the right to not allow you to register for the Amtrak Guest Rewards Program (“Program”)._

Emphasis in bold is mine, but, to me, indicates they want to make sure you live in the US or Canada.


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## Chris J. (Apr 29, 2008)

MrFSS said:


> Chris J. said:
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> 
> > Hmm, I had thought you needed to be a US/Canada citizen.
> ...


Ah, that sounds like what I'd read before. I suppose if you have access to an address you could try it, but they might tell you to go away.


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## the_traveler (Apr 29, 2008)

Chris J. said:


> MrFSS said:
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I personally think that if you use a US or Canadian address, it is assumed you are a US or Canadian resident. I think one of the main reasons they want a US or Canadian address is that AGR will mail out the award tickets if the trip is more than 1 month in the future, and AGR doesn't want to pay the postage to the UK or France or South Africa or Japan or ...!


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## jackal (Apr 29, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> Chris J. said:
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> > MrFSS said:
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I think that's probably the real reason. Maybe if/when Amtrak gets their planned electronic ticketing system going, we can suggest they look at changing this policy...


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## AlanB (Apr 29, 2008)

jackal said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > I personally think that if you use a US or Canadian address, it is assumed you are a US or Canadian resident. I think one of the main reasons they want a US or Canadian address is that AGR will mail out the award tickets if the trip is more than 1 month in the future, and AGR doesn't want to pay the postage to the UK or France or South Africa or Japan or ...!
> ...


There is no logical reason whatsoever for what AGR does. Consider, one can make a normal paid reservation months in advance and just leave it sitting in the computer as little electronic blip. Then pick up real tickets less than 5 minutes before departure without issue. Also consider that in an effort to save money, Amtrak will not mail out paid tickets unless you are departing from a station that doesn't have a ticket office that is open upon departure or a Quik-Trak machine, for free. Otherwise you have to pay to get the tickets mailed. This was a cost saving measure on Amtrak's part.

Now here comes AGR, where unless your trip is less than 30 days away, they can't keep your reservation in the computer and must mail the tickets to you. So you're getting a free trip, yet Amtrak wants to waste money mailing you your free tickets and won't even give you the option of picking them up.

They won't mail tickets you paid for, but will mail tickets that you got for free. Go figure! :blink:


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## PRR 60 (Apr 30, 2008)

I think it is more complicated than simply mail.

If AGR provides benefits of value (free travel) to international AGR members, the countries of residency of those members may require some reporting of the value provided, kind of like income reporting. That might require paperwork or filings for some counties, and maybe not for some others. My guess (and it is a guess) is that Amtrak (or AGR) does not want to deal with those issues in multiple countries. Thus they limit AGR membership, and the awards, to only residents of the US and Canada: countries in which they operate and do business.


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## rimmiqs (May 6, 2008)

AlanB said:


> There is no logical reason whatsoever for what AGR does. Consider, one can make a normal paid reservation months in advance and just leave it sitting in the computer as little electronic blip. Then pick up real tickets less than 5 minutes before departure without issue. Also consider that in an effort to save money, Amtrak will not mail out paid tickets unless you are departing from a station that doesn't have a ticket office that is open upon departure or a Quik-Trak machine, for free. Otherwise you have to pay to get the tickets mailed. This was a cost saving measure on Amtrak's part.
> Now here comes AGR, where unless your trip is less than 30 days away, they can't keep your reservation in the computer and must mail the tickets to you. So you're getting a free trip, yet Amtrak wants to waste money mailing you your free tickets and won't even give you the option of picking them up.
> 
> They won't mail tickets you paid for, but will mail tickets that you got for free. Go figure! :blink:


That policy has since changed.


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## AlanB (May 6, 2008)

rimmiqs said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > There is no logical reason whatsoever for what AGR does. Consider, one can make a normal paid reservation months in advance and just leave it sitting in the computer as little electronic blip. Then pick up real tickets less than 5 minutes before departure without issue. Also consider that in an effort to save money, Amtrak will not mail out paid tickets unless you are departing from a station that doesn't have a ticket office that is open upon departure or a Quik-Trak machine, for free. Otherwise you have to pay to get the tickets mailed. This was a cost saving measure on Amtrak's part.
> ...


Which policy, as there are two contained within my post? :unsure:

The AGR policy of mailing tickets or the Amtrak policy of not mailing tickets.


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## rimmiqs (May 6, 2008)

AlanB said:


> rimmiqs said:
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> > AlanB said:
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The AGR policy of mailing tickets. You can now book travel months in advance, and pick your tickets up 5 minutes ahead of time.


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## AlanB (May 6, 2008)

rimmiqs said:


> AlanB said:
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> > rimmiqs said:
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Do you know as of when that policy was changed? Or any place that we all go to and see this change being reported?


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## rimmiqs (May 6, 2008)

AlanB said:


> rimmiqs said:
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The policy was changed roughly 4-6 weeks ago. It is not advertised, but if you ask an AGR rep about it, they can confirm it.


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## the_traveler (May 6, 2008)

rimmiqs said:


> AlanB said:
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> > rimmiqs said:
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I made an award trip for September-October about 1 month ago, and they mailed me the tickets. I had to cancel, so I had to mail them back.

If the policy did change, I wish they told me! :angry: It would have made canceling and not having to send back the tickets so much easier!


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## Neil_M (Jun 20, 2008)

PRR 60 said:


> I think it is more complicated than simply mail.
> If AGR provides benefits of value (free travel) to international AGR members, the countries of residency of those members may require some reporting of the value provided, kind of like income reporting. That might require paperwork or filings for some counties, and maybe not for some others. My guess (and it is a guess) is that Amtrak (or AGR) does not want to deal with those issues in multiple countries. Thus they limit AGR membership, and the awards, to only residents of the US and Canada: countries in which they operate and do business.


So how is that different to frequent flyer schemes for airlines? The principal is the same.

Does seem a bit poor to not offer the AGR scheme to travellers from other countries, they don't seem to be so picky when it comes to spending money on tickets!


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## jis (Jun 20, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> I personally think that if you use a US or Canadian address, it is assumed you are a US or Canadian resident. I think one of the main reasons they want a US or Canadian address is that AGR will mail out the award tickets if the trip is more than 1 month in the future, and AGR doesn't want to pay the postage to the UK or France or South Africa or Japan or ...!


All this would probably become a non-issue if Amtrak would get with the program and start doing e-ticketing. Heck even Indian Railways allows me to get on the web make a reservation and get an e-ticket and print out a boarding pass on my printer and just go and board the train on the appointed day. I can't understand why it is so difficult for Amtrak to do the same.


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## jis (Jun 20, 2008)

PRR 60 said:


> I think it is more complicated than simply mail.
> If AGR provides benefits of value (free travel) to international AGR members, the countries of residency of those members may require some reporting of the value provided, kind of like income reporting. That might require paperwork or filings for some counties, and maybe not for some others. My guess (and it is a guess) is that Amtrak (or AGR) does not want to deal with those issues in multiple countries. Thus they limit AGR membership, and the awards, to only residents of the US and Canada: countries in which they operate and do business.


As long as Amtrak does not have a registered office in those countries they do not have to deal with anything. I think this one is a red herring more or less. In the worst case said country might simply say you can't do it. I am not aware of any country that requires such filing for airline award tickets at this point in time. Not even China or Singapore or India!


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## AlanB (Jun 20, 2008)

jis said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > I personally think that if you use a US or Canadian address, it is assumed you are a US or Canadian resident. I think one of the main reasons they want a US or Canadian address is that AGR will mail out the award tickets if the trip is more than 1 month in the future, and AGR doesn't want to pay the postage to the UK or France or South Africa or Japan or ...!
> ...


And now that AGR no longer requires that the tickets be mailed out, if this was a reason, it no longer is.


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## jackal (Jun 21, 2008)

jis said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > I personally think that if you use a US or Canadian address, it is assumed you are a US or Canadian resident. I think one of the main reasons they want a US or Canadian address is that AGR will mail out the award tickets if the trip is more than 1 month in the future, and AGR doesn't want to pay the postage to the UK or France or South Africa or Japan or ...!
> ...


I understand it's in progress.

It's just in progress in typical government bureaucratic style. It will happen. Eventually. Someday. Maybe.


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