Buy One Get One Free on Train Day

[The Metropolitan]

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...16&ssid=224

Hmm, thinking, thinking, thinking... Where to go, to go, to go...

 

[user 1215]

In "The City That Never Sleeps," is there anything you can do between 11 PM and 6 AM without getting into trouble?

 

[MrEd]

just my luck, I already purchased a May 10 trip on the crescent.

now they come out with a discount.

 

[The Metropolitan]

just my luck, I already purchased a May 10 trip on the crescent.
now they come out with a discount.

If you bought a sleeper, it wouldn't be good for that anyway. But if you're travelling in coach, and have a companion, you can always consider the rebook and cancel option if its not too much trouble.

 

[BobWeaver]

On the subject of National Train Day, I really hope that the freight railroads can pull it together just for one day and run all of the Amtraks on time. I'm guessing that there will be a lot of first-time passengers onboard, not to mention the attention that will be payed to the trains on that day as it is, but I think a late train would spoil some of the appeal for potential riders.. <_<

 

[MrEd]

someone told me there will be less frieght traffic on the 10th because its a Saturday, although I always see heavy weekend freight traffic on my route.

 

[yarrow]

national train day

this website has some kind of interesting info about amtrak's advertising gimmick "national train day". i'm not sure they wouldn't do better to put their money into new rolling stock, among other things, if they want to attract and keep new cutomers(not to mention old ones).

 

[RailFanLNK]

So, if I go to Burlington IA for $88 RT, my companion will get a free ticket RT to Burlington as well or would it just be a ticket to BRL? I could board in LNK at 5am and then catch the #5 back to LNK around 5:30pm. Thats correct right? Just spend a day riding the rails and eating in the Dining car. Its the day before Mothers Day so that limits me to where I could go.

Al

 

[the_traveler]

So, if I go to Burlington IA for $88 RT, my companion will get a free ticket RT to Burlington as well or would it just be a ticket to BRL? I could board in LNK at 5am and then catch the #5 back to LNK around 5:30pm. Thats correct right?

I would say that if you start your return trip at or before 11:59 PM on 5/10, it should be OK. (After all, you can travel on an AGR award from say SEA-NYP on a blackout date - as long as you departed SEA before the blackout date.)

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Personally, I think people need to accept the trains as they are- lateness and all- to appreciate the service and become long term customers.

 

[Kramerica]

Personally, I think people need to accept the trains as they are- lateness and all- to appreciate the service and become long term customers.

It is the customers who are wrong and the business that is right? I don't think so. The (potential) customers demand reasonably on-time performance, and Amtrak has to find a way to give them that if they want their business.

I understand that YOU don't mind late trains because YOU don't have to worry about vacation time and YOU enjoy being on the train. But you're in the exteme minority and Amtrak will continue to suffer with poor funding and relatively low ridership if attitudes like yours are prevalent in Amtrak management. "Customers - let them eat cake. We'll do what we want."

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I tend to figure that it's not ever worth taking Amtrak from Providence to Boston South Station. Part of that is the cost relative to an MBTA train, and the extra hassle of needing to make a reservation before boarding that probably eats up most of the time saved by taking Amtrak instead of the MBTA, but a lot of that is also seeing late trains from Newport News that are delayed by 2 hours or more for a trip that involves less than an hour of actual train riding. (I haven't carefully checked whether trains that start at Washington DC or New York City have better OTP, I admit.)

On the other hand, if I'm boarding a train at South Station in Boston and riding it for most or all of its length, and it takes 10% longer than the schedule claims, I don't really care much about that.

But better OTP probably would increase demand, especially among customers making relatively short trips in the middle of the route, which might enable Amtrak to make more trips per day, which might increase demand further.

In the short term, until Amtrak gets a lot more rolling stock, it probably doesn't matter, though.

I'm not entirely sure that Amtrak advertising at this stage is a bad thing. Getting more people interested in trains may be helpful in getting Congress to pay for more rolling stock.

 

[rtabern]

ANYONE GOING DOWN FOR THE EVENTS AT CHICAGO UNION STATION... IF SO, PM ME OR POST AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A MINI-GATHERING.

I think Amtrak didn't plan this out too well... I am not hearing a lot of specifics on what is going to be going on at the different stations.

I got a call a couple of months ago from one of the head Trails & Rails people saying that Amtrak wants our group to be a part of National Train Day... and then asked for ideas on things we could do.

I submitted a list of probably 5-10 ideas and I know others in our group too.

And we haven't heard back anything yet. *sighs* I dunno... with 5 weeks to go, I'd hope more things would be set in concrete than this, but maybe it will all work out.

RT

 

[RailFanLNK]

Ok, I have a friend whose son lives in Denver. We could take the #5 at 12:30am to DEN, then hang in DEN for about 12 hours and depart DEN at 8pm on May 10th. Will I have to have the name of the "companion" when I book the trip? Or can I take "whoever" with the free ticket? Can you book this online or only via the 800 #? I was hoping the Rockies were playing since its right next to Union Station but they are out of town that night. Anybody have any answers? Thanks!

 

[AlanB]

I see nothing that indicates that you can't book the trip online, and in fact since they gave out a code I would think that that's what they'd prefer people to do. Without a code, you would have no choice but to call most likely.

And I'm sure that you'll have to provide the name of your traveling companion at the time of booking. The ticket will need to be issued in their name to comply with the TSA regs.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Ok....phone call has been made. My friend from work who has a son that lives in DEN "is aboard". He says its sounds like a blast! I did some more digging and found the "code" so I will try to book it online. Would attempting to book it at 12:01am on 4/4 be wise? Its the CZ and everytime I'm on it its full or packed! We will depart LNK on 5/10 at 12:08am give or take a few hours :lol: and arrive in DEN at 7:30am. Hang in DEN for 12 hours and then board the #6 around 8pm and arrive back in LNK around 5am on 5/11. Ok, I just signed up for "double points" for AGR members through May 31st, will this be valid for this trip? Also, 12:01am CDT, what time would the sale actually start? Is it EDT, CDT? Thanks and I really hope I can get a free ticket out of this for us. My friend said, "I couldn't drive 1/4 of the way there for the price we will be going."

 

[AlanB]

Al,

All very good questions. I honestly don't know, but I would guess that the sale starts 12:01 EDT.

They do say that the number of seats is limited, so I definately thinking that booking as early in the day as possible would be to your advantage.

As for the double points, most likely you'll get that but I wouldn't hold my breath either. The free companion coupons given out to Select & Select Plus members actually state on the coupon that the member will not earn points for the trip. On the other hand most members report still getting their points despite that condition.

 

[the_traveler]

I would also say it is 12:01 EDT. As far as the double points, I would say yes! (I also got it! B))

A couple of years ago, there was a double point promo, a triple point promo and another triple point promo - all at the same time! I registered for all 3 - and got all 3! :lol: And that was before the multi-segment loophole was closed! So my 4 segment cheap round trips earned me 4,800 points! B)

 

[the_traveler]

Bumping this thread!

Just a reminder of the sale on April 4 ONLY! On Flyertalk, someone said they called and asked when the sale began. The agent replied "1 minute after midnight!" When asked what time zone, the agent replied "Any time zone" So it is unclear if it's EDT or not.

But I'm going to try! :lol:

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Jeez, I've been wracking my small brain, and poring over the timetable, for a way to take advantage of this twofer. Gnashing teeth so far, but haven't given up. Unless I'm visiting another city I'd rather not ride just to ride; prefer to have a SoCal goal in mind, like going to a ballgame.

Think fast, rabbit!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Do I book as one and enter the promotion code, or as two and enter the promotion code?

 

[AlanB]

Do I book as one and enter the promotion code, or as two and enter the promotion code?

Usually you book as two, then enter the promo code in the box at the bottom of the page. You may want to first check the price for just one ticket, so as to be sure that when you get to the pricing screen where it totals the bill, that the code did indeed work and you are being charged the correct amount.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Its 11:15 CDT and I just called Amtrak. She said I wouldn't be able to book it until 3am central time due to the west coast. Why 3am? Wouldn't it be 2am? The west coast is 2 hours behind us! Guess I'm gonna set the alarm and wake up at 2 am and see and then 3am and see. It better be forthright or I'm gonna be an unhappy camper. I have tried to book it online and its not working.

Al

 

[the_traveler]

Has anyone had luck yet? :huh: I don't think the start time is 12:01 AM EDT - maybe CDT? :huh:

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Its apparently West-coast time.