Bid Up questions and experiences

[trimetbusfan]

if you had to cancel a trip.. would your bidup be removed? or would you be charged for a bid?

what happens if you switch trains. are you responsible for the bidup or is it cancelled?

Reservations with scheduled connections are also not eligible for bidup

 

[moosejunky99]

So, i got a question then. it is best to 1 reseveration for each leg of the trip to get eligible?

 

[trimetbusfan]

So, i got a question then. it is best to 1 reseveration for each leg of the trip to get eligible?

Yes, although technically if you miss your connection they aren’t responsible to accommodate you in the event of a delay.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Yes, although technically if you miss your connection they aren’t responsible to accommodate you in the event of a delay.

Supposedly the policy (or at least the practice) is to protect you anyway, at least insomuch as they choose to protect anyone on that particular day.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Supposedly the policy (or at least the practice) is to protect you anyway, at least insomuch as they choose to protect anyone on that particular day.

I guess either way, if you get awarded an upgrade and then that accommodation is sold out on the next days train you’ll have to get put in Coach.

 

[jis]

I guess either way, if you get awarded an upgrade and then that accommodation is sold out on the next days train you’ll have to get put in Coach.

That happens even if your original booking was in Sleeper. When there is no space in the alternate provided one gets a downgrade. This happens on airlines too, so nothing new there. Usually the difference in fare is refunded when that happens.

 

[JermyZP]

It's it possible to see other bids from other people so I can increase my bid or I just need to make a bid amount and who ever put in the highest amount gets it?

 

[daybeers]

It's it possible to see other bids from other people so I can increase my bid or I just need to make a bid amount and who ever put in the highest amount gets it?

Just the latter unfortunately.

 

[Sidney]

I had Coach on the Cardinal for this Friday from NYP to CHI. I put a bid in for $250 for a roomette which gave me a fair chance. Just got the roomette via email. At $350 total,it's totally worth it,even with flex food. This is the third time I've gotten rooms from bid ups. The thought of a seatmate for that long a trip was a downer,but at $500 extra I couldn't justity a roomette. At $250,a no brainer.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I had Coach on the Cardinal for this Friday from NYP to CHI. I put a bid in for $250 for a roomette which gave me a fair chance. Just got the roomette via email. At $350 total,it's totally worth it,even with flex food. This is the third time I've gotten rooms from bid ups. The thought of a seatmate for that long a trip was a downer,but at $500 extra I couldn't justity a roomette. At $250,a no brainer.

It's amazing to me that Amtrak will sell sleepers at a reasonable fee to coach passengers who bid up but refuse to sell the same room to someone who is willing to pay a reasonable rate at booking. Passengers with a flexible schedule should consider buying a standard coach trip and bidding up. If the bid fails move the coach trip to another convenient date and try to bid again. No harm, no foul.

 

[Sidney]

Indeed. As I mentioned,this is the third time I've bid up and won. First couple of times I bid the lowest price possible on the Coast Starlight and Lake Shore and got them. Last month I bid up on the Capitol Ltd from DC to Chicago at the lowest price and didn't get it. I had my wife with me,so at least riding Coach I wouldn't be seated with a stranger. This time for the Cardinal I put in the lowest bid in the "chances are fair" category and got it.

Agree. Buying a roomette on the Cardinal,Lake Shore and Capitol Ltd is expensive. Seems bid up is the only way to get a roomette at a decent price. Several years ago when Amtrak let you buy a sleeper once on board,I went from Chicago to.DC on the Cardinal for $125 more than Coach.

The Cardinal is my first leg of a Circle trip that begins Friday. I got a roomette at low bucket on the Eagle/Sunset to LA on Sunday and low bucket on the Builder from SEA-CHI for the following Sunday. The price for a roomette on the Starlight from LAX to SEA was outrageous
and no bid ups wers allowed so I opted for Business Class. Just wish all LD trains had it. My last leg is from CHI-NYP on the Lake Shore. BC is gone,so I settled for Coach. I put a bid up on that.

Nice feeling paying a decent price for a sleeper.

 

[Laurajeantx]

Anyone ever told you were "ineligible" for bid up? They offered the opportunity and I accepted and placed a bid up offer. It confirmed I had successfully placed the offer. The night before trip back I received an email stating we were "ineligible" for a bid up. It wasn't that we lost or were outbid, just ineligible. Confused. Tried to reach out to customer service but no response.

 

[tricia]

I'd been thinking of doing a bid-up from coach to roomette for two of us on the CONO southbound from northern Mississippi into NOL in November ... but with the degradation in sleeper service it no longer seems worth it for a daytime trip.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Anyone ever told you were "ineligible" for bid up? They offered the opportunity and I accepted and placed a bid up offer. It confirmed I had successfully placed the offer. The night before trip back I received an email stating we were "ineligible" for a bid up. It wasn't that we lost or were outbid, just ineligible. Confused. Tried to reach out to customer service but no response.

Once you loose the bid your reservation becomes ‘ineligible’ for an upgrade

 

[20th Century Rider]

Bidding up sounds like an enticing idea for the Eastern routes / CONO one nighters... where the specter of flex dining and poor service reduces the appeal to pay high prices. However a 2 night journey in the West is not a risk I would take. Unfortunately there only seem to be high bucket fares on the EB and CZ, so you gotta pay up.

The CS does have a business class which seems to be a good compromise as it is usually less crowded and a single traveler has a better chance of having next to seat open... I'm wondering if BC has any effect on the bidding up process... has anyone had that experience???

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Once you loose the bid your reservation becomes ‘ineligible’ for an upgrade

Do you know if this is true if you move your coach reservation to another date after the bid fails?

 

[zephyr17]

So, i got a question then. it is best to 1 reseveration for each leg of the trip to get eligible?

Personally, I wouldn't trade the assurance of protection afforded by the explicit guarantee for a chance at Bid Up.

 

[moosejunky99]

Personally, I wouldn't trade the assurance of protection afforded by the explicit guarantee for a chance at Bid Up.

Ya that make sense. I was going to do a single sections for my CHI to SAN next year because i figure i can just book a train when i get to LAX to SAN via the app. In case i'm running late via the Southwest Chef plus i want to see the LAX union station.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Apparently some trains aren’t as full as they used to be. Poor service and flex meals finally catching up to Amtrak? The Cardinal example above blows me away. Summer season on a 3x weekly, single sleeper train getting the bid approved for only $250. I think we will be seeing this more often as prices stay artificially high and service for lack of a better word stinks.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Apparently some trains aren’t as full as they used to be. Poor service and flex meals finally catching up to Amtrak? The Cardinal example above blows me away. Summer season on a 3x weekly, single sleeper train getting the bid approved for only $250. I think we will be seeing this more often as prices stay artificially high and service for lack of a better word stinks.

Most trains have been sold out. But someone ALWAYS cancels last minute so it makes sense bidup works every now and then.

 

[Sidney]

Reading on facebook someone did a bid up to BC on the Lake Shore and got it Only one flaw. There is no longer BC on the LS. Amtrak strikes again. Guess she'll be dissapointed when she boards

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Reading on facebook someone did a bid up to BC on the Lake Shore and got it Only one flaw. There is no longer BC on the LS. Amtrak strikes again. Guess she'll be dissapointed when she boards

Your bid has been accepted! Enjoy your upgrade to Coach Class.

 

[user4321]

How does it work if you submit two offers? E.g.:

Currently travelling in Business Class

Bedroom
Bid of $425 USD for 1 Bedroom
Roomette
Bid of $240 USD for 1 Roomette

If both clear, would you get charged $240+$425 = $665? Or?

 

[zephyr17]

How does it work if you submit two offers? E.g.:

Currently travelling in Business Class

Bedroom
Bid of $425 USD for 1 Bedroom
Roomette
Bid of $240 USD for 1 Roomette

If both clear, would you get charged $240+$425 = $665? Or?

Boy, I wouldn't trust Amtrak IT with that one...

 

[trimetbusfan]

How does it work if you submit two offers? E.g.:

Currently travelling in Business Class

Bedroom
Bid of $425 USD for 1 Bedroom
Roomette
Bid of $240 USD for 1 Roomette

If both clear, would you get charged $240+$425 = $665? Or?

It would charge you for just one. Not combined.