Booking question online options not shown

[dadonatrain]

I'm fantasizing about a trip this summer from SC to Santa Fe and back. I'd leave from either Clemson (CSN) or Greenville (GVL) and disembark either at Lamy (LMY) or Albuquerque (ABQ), dep if I wanted to check my steamer trunk, which I could not do either at CSN or LMY. My question now is: I know connections would work, timewise, if I leave CSN on the correct days to connect from the Crescent at Charlottesville to the Cardinal and then to the SWC in Chicago, but when I put the CSN-LMY parameters and dates into the "book" page online only the connections in WAS to the Cap Ltd appear. If I put just CSN-CHI and the proper departure dates in, I do get the choice to connect in CSV.

What do I need to do to get all choices I know exist, in theory anyway, to be available?

 

[bms]

Amtrak's online booking system leaves a lot to be desired. You could call 1-800-USA-RAIL to book the whole thing, and it might require a supervisor or a second call. You could also book CSN-CHI and CHI-ABQ separately online, and call the same number - ask to "link" the two trains so the connection is guaranteed.

The connection from the Cardinal to the Chief is normally guaranteed so you should get no pushback, but you may need to ask for a supervisor or hang up and call back to get someone who actually knows how to do any of this.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Amtrak’s antiquated system requires all city pairs to manually put into the system. Perhaps no one inputted the CSN- LMY pair.
You should be able to call and get it booked. Be sure to ask the agent to notify someone that the city pair is missing (for others who may want to do the same trip in the future).

 

[dadonatrain]

Amtrak’s antiquated system requires all city pairs to manually put into the system. Perhaps no one inputted the CSN- LMY pair.
You should be able to call and get it booked. Be sure to ask the agent to notify someone that the city pair is missing (for others who may want to do the same trip in the future).

Blue, I think you’re right. I’ve found several examples over the years of trip fantasizing of trips I’d thought about starting in CSN and ending many places other than along the Crescent that don’t work online.

 

[zephyr17]

You can check the connection guarantee by putting in major points for each proposed connection (like, say, Charleston, WV and LA for the Cardinal-Chief). If those show, it is guaranteed even if your city combination has not been entered. You'd then be safe booking using Multi-City.

The fact that connections have to be entered point to point, not at least train to train is beyond stupid.

 

[dadonatrain]

Ok. Thx. If the “boss” lets me do this trip at all, I’ll be sure to try that!

 

[dadonatrain]

Just for giggles, I've been playing around online with a trip I'd like to take this summer. Greenville SC - Chicago via Charlottesville and the Cardinal. I could leave GRV Sat July 23, at 2-ish am, for example, connect to the Cardinal in CVS the same morning, and get to CHI on Sun July 24. I can find this train pair when I log in either online or on my ipad and choose "schedules" and enter that city pair and Sat July 23. But on either device, if I choose "book" and enter GRV-CHI on Sat July 23 the connection in CVS does not appear at all! Even if I try to book GRV-CVS as a separate leg and then try to book CVS-CHI on Sat July 23, when I KNOW the train exists, the choice does not appear at all!

What a weird site!

 

[John Bobinyec]

Looks to me like the westbound Cardinal (51) goes through Charlottesville on Friday and Sunday, but not Saturday.
jb

 

[dadonatrain]

You’re right. I went back and I now see I was misreading the “Sat. July 23” note on the results page I was looking at. That was the date of the arrival in Chi. My bad.