# one way or round trip



## boxcar479 (Feb 22, 2010)

In order to score the 100 point minimum, do i need to take a round trip or one way? for instance if i ride Amtrak Dallas to Ft.Worth can I receive the 100 point AGR award? then if I ride from Ft. Worth back to Dallas can I score another 100 point award? Or do I have to book this as a round trip to get any AGR points?


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## the_traveler (Feb 22, 2010)

As long as you get on and get off and travel between 2 stops, you earn 2 points per $, or a 100 point minimum. You don't have to travel round trip.

Example #1: FTW-DAL earns 100 points

Example #2: FTW-DAL earns 100 points and DAL-FTW earns 100 points for a total of 200 points

Example #3: DAL-FTW on the TE earns 100 points and FTW-OKC on the HF earns 100 points for a total of 200 points. In this case, it didn't matter that the fare from DAL to OKC was not $100! 

Example #4: If I need 100 AGR points, I can go from KIN to PVD for under $11 - and take a city bus back to my car! (This is also a good way to meet the "Ride Amtrak within 3 years to extend your points" rule!)


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## boxcar479 (Feb 22, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> As long as you get on and get off and travel between 2 stops, you earn 2 points per $, or a 100 point minimum. You don't have to travel round trip.
> Example #1: FTW-DAL earns 100 points
> 
> Example #2: FTW-DAL earns 100 points and DAL-FTW earns 100 points for a total of 200 points
> ...


Using example #1 & #2 Will AGR allow me to earn 200 points in the same day this way?


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2010)

The 100 points is based on the ticket itself and not the reservation. The one thing to remember is that the tickets have to be for different trains so you can't just buy 4 tickets and keep riding the same train.


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## RRrich (Feb 22, 2010)

boxcar817 said:


> Using example #1 & #2 Will AGR allow me to earn 200 points in the same day this way?


ABSOLUTELY thats why I rode KWD-WAH and then WAH-KWD

AGR is usually pretty reasonable but it doesn't hurt to ask here first


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## boxcar479 (Feb 22, 2010)

Guest said:


> The 100 points is based on the ticket itself and not the reservation. The one thing to remember is that the tickets have to be for different trains so you can't just buy 4 tickets and keep riding the same train.


OOps i meant example #2 & #3 ,DAL- FTW then FTW -DAL. will AGR now let me have 200 points? I can do this easily at least twice a week.  Since They won't let me have the AGR Mastercard :angry: I gotta find any way I can to keep up with some of these guys. You know who you are


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## the_traveler (Feb 22, 2010)

boxcar817 said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > The 100 points is based on the ticket itself and not the reservation. The one thing to remember is that the tickets have to be for different trains so you can't just buy 4 tickets and keep riding the same train.
> ...


Certainly! 

I know the timing doesn't allow it, but assume you could do a DAL-OKC round trip in a day. You would earn


DAL-FTW = 100 points

FTW-OKC = 100 points

OKC-FTW = 100 points

FTW-DAL = 100 points

You can earn up to 4 segments per day. If you could do it, you could earn points 400 points per day by taking Amtrak twice per day round trip between FTW and DAL.


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## boxcar479 (Feb 22, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> boxcar817 said:
> 
> 
> > Guest said:
> ...


If the trains ran that often I'd be on it. :lol: Rite now I can do the DAL FTW then FTW DAL and get to ride the TRE twice for around $20. and 200 points  I'm catching on slowly ,but I got alot to learn  I went to Barnes & Noble sat. looking for a book "Loopholes by the_traveler" clerk said they just sold the last one an hour ago :lol:


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2010)

boxcar817 said:


> If the trains ran that often I'd be on it. :lol: Rite now I can do the DAL FTW then FTW DAL and get to ride the TRE twice for around $20. and 200 points  I'm catching on slowly ,but I got alot to learn  I went to Barnes & Noble sat. looking for a book "Loopholes by the_traveler" clerk said they just sold the last one an hour ago :lol:


That is not a very good earning rate really. If you can get a double points promo or something it might be worth it, but you can buy stuff from the AGR mall at that earning rate or better and get a tangible item that may have more value than a very short train ride as well. If you are wanting status then riding the train is what you have to do, but when it comes to just points riding the train is usually the worst way to earn points. Heck 10 cents per point is shameful on flyertalk for a points/mileage run.

Personally I do my paid travel on Continental and redeem my miles on AGR. One roudtrip flight up and down the east coast can get me a free NE zone ticket.


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## boxcar479 (Feb 22, 2010)

Guest said:


> boxcar817 said:
> 
> 
> > If the trains ran that often I'd be on it. :lol: Rite now I can do the DAL FTW then FTW DAL and get to ride the TRE twice for around $20. and 200 points  I'm catching on slowly ,but I got alot to learn  I went to Barnes & Noble sat. looking for a book "Loopholes by the_traveler" clerk said they just sold the last one an hour ago :lol:
> ...


How do you know what value I put on my train rides?????


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## Cristobal (Feb 24, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> boxcar817 said:
> 
> 
> > Guest said:
> ...


This is nice to know. I had already been looking at maybe making a trip or two in the coming months to Jack London Square and back just for lunch, points (200), and of course the train ride. However, using this little bit of info I _could_ do:

GAC-SJC

SJC-OKJ (going right back past GAC  )

OKJ-SJC

SJC-GAC

400 points for about $40 and about 3 hours total trip time on 4 different trains (train numbers at least. tha actual trains from SJC to OKJ and to GAC may be the same as the ones that brings me to SJC since it is a terminus for Capitol Corridor and I'd have about 1 hour layover there both times).

I likey...


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## the_traveler (Feb 24, 2010)

Cristobal said:


> on 4 different trains (train numbers at least. tha actual trains from SJC to OKJ and to GAC may be the same as the ones that brings me to SJC since it is a terminus for Capitol Corridor and I'd have about 1 hour layover there both times).


That's all that matters - you have to be *ticketed* on different train numbers.

You can go from BOS-CHI on train 449, or on train 449 connecting in ALB to 49. Since the 2 trains combine in ALB, it doesn't matter time wise. But if you do #448 alone, you get the 2/$ for the entire trip. If you take #449/#49, you get 2/$ for each trip - and if one portion is under $49, you'll earn more points!


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## Cristobal (Feb 24, 2010)

Cristobal said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > boxcar817 said:
> ...


I just realized that if I make the following modifications:

GAC-SJC

SJC-*SUI* (going right back past GAC  )

*SUI*-OKJ

*OKJ*-GAC

I can still have time for lunch on a Sunday afternoon in Jack London Square, increase my total trip time to about 5 1/2 hours, get my 400 points but also, if done before March 13, since the fare is now up to $51.75 I would get another 1000 bonus points (Winter Frees special) for a free one-way trip! In other words, a free round-trip (I think) to Fresno and back! 

(I've already earned 1000 of those bonus points from an earlier trip. I'm just not sure if a combination of a Capitol Corridor and a San Joaquin train in both directions would count as 'one-way' or if the 1000 bonus points would have to just be applied to the more expensive SJ segment in both directions?)


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