BWI to MTR on points?

[cfsnowy]

I'm thinking about a weekend trip to Montreal sometime in February using AGR points. Can the NE Corridor and Adirondack be considered a single Northeast Zone?

Additionally, unless I take a VERY early train from BWI (not really an option, given how remote the station is), I won't be able to make a same day connection at NYP. I'd need to come to New York the day before, and board the Adirondack the next morning. Would this be permitted under AGR rules?

 

[Ryan]

BWI is remote?

Yes, BWI-MTR is a single (one way) NE redemption.

You should be able to do a redemption with an overnight (on your dime) at NYP.

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, it is all within the Northeast Zone, so it would be 4,000 points each way in coach. The only 2 "same day" connections northbound are between 4 and 5 am departing BWI. Stopovers are not allowed on an AGR award, so I doubt very much that they would allow you to stay in NYC overnight.

 

[SubwayNut]

Don't know about AGR points but if your willing to pay cash: The Adirondack has fixed fares between NYP and MTL at $65 except raised to $71 on Friday and Sunday.

With the low fixed fares of the Adirondack there is also a fixed connection price that allows for an extremely discounted trip down to the NEC attached to your ticket, for example a BWI-NYP-MTL through ticket is only $85 one-way. The only rule is that the layover in NYP must be 23.5 hours or less. The BWI-NYP fare on the Northeast Regional you want to take from BWI-NYP must be in the low-bucket price of $75 to be eligible for this deeply discounted through fare. Since your booking months out this shouldn't be a problem.

To book the ticket use the multi-city booking tool on Amtrak.com

For example (I entered dates next month, randomly, but are less than two weeks away to show that the two-weeks rule doesn't matter):

Wednesday, December 4, 2013
56 Vermonter (BWI - NYP)

Depart:
8:35 am, Wed, Dec 4, 2013
Arrive:
11:21 am, Wed, Dec 4, 2013
Duration:
2 hr, 46 min
Amenities

• 1 Adult$56.54
• 1 Reserved Coach Seat
• Subtotal $56.54

Thursday, December 5, 2013
69 Adirondack (NYP - MTR)


Depart:
8:15 am, Thu, Dec 5, 2013
Arrive:
7:06 pm, Thu, Dec 5, 2013
Duration:
10 hr, 51 min
Amenities

• 1 Adult$28.46
• 1 Reserved Coach Seat
• Subtotal $28.46

Terms & Conditions
Total
$85.00



Montreal is such a cheep destination (remember you'll earn 200 AGR, not just 100 points each way) that I wouldn't bother to redeem points for it especially if you want the overnight layover that Amtrak will ticket for you this cheaply (obviously New York hotels aren't cheep).

 

[cfsnowy]

Thanks, everybody. I didn't price it out until after I'd already asked the question. You're right, it isn't the best use of an AGR redemption. I'd just go ahead and pay cash and collect points. And yes, the actual BWI station is pretty remote. It's way back off a busy road, and the platform always feels like it's in the middle of the woods. Very creepy late at night when few people are around, and I think it would be doubly creepy in the early AM before staff arrived at the station.

Sigh...off to Plan B.

 

[the_traveler]

If you think it's that "remote" and "in the middle of the woods", why not just park at the BWI AIRPORT parking lots and take the FREE shuttle bus from the airport terminal to the train station?

 

[Ryan]

BWI is my home station - I've never had any problems using it and never thought of it as remote.

Stopovers are allowed, but looking at the rules again the overnight in NYP doesn't qualify because it's a published route.

*Where a published route requires a connection between two segments, a later connecting service may be chosen as long as it departs on the same date as the connection originally offered.

*Where a published route contains a valid connection of 23 hours, 30 minutes or less, an overnight stay in the connecting city is permitted at the passenger's own expense. (Example: one-way travel from New York to El Paso, where the published route requires an overnight connection in New Orleans, would be permitted on the same redemption.)

AGR has indicated that they're open to publishing logical overnight connections, if this is something you want to pursue, it may be possible to talk them into it.

 

[Ryan]

If you think it's that "remote" and "in the middle of the woods", why not just park at the BWI AIRPORT parking lots and take the FREE shuttle bus from the airport terminal to the train station?

That doesn't really solve anything. The platform is still in the same place.

 

[the_traveler]

True, but like you I would call it anything but remote.

 

[pennyk]

I traveled from Orlando to Montreal on a one zone AGR award last year. I stayed overnight in New York on my dime. The agent with whom I was speaking consulted with a supervisor before she approved the NYP to MTR on the same award.

 

[jimhudson]

Considering what New York Hotels Charge, Id go with Riding Regional #190(#150 on Sa/Su) from BWI-NYP,((Not sure if riding #110 is Allowed or Smart Since There's Only a Hour between NYP Arrival and Adirondack Departure!!) then the Adirondack NYP-MTR on a Thru Fare as was said! BWI is Staffed Station and in No Way Spooky or Scarey like North Philadelphia or a Subway Station in the Major Cities ! AGR Probably Will Allow a Stopover on your Own Dime but for the Hundreds of Dollars Involved I'd go with the Early Departure from BWI!!

 

[the_traveler]

I've taken #190 many times from WAS, and at the stop at BWI there were many passengers boarding. You won't be alone on the "remote" platform "in the middle of the woods"!

 

[jis]

You may also wish to look into getting the 15% "I Love New York" Discount which applies to Montreal.

 

[the_traveler]

And if you decide to use that, you may decide to stay overnight in another NYS location - like ALB or SDY which cost less then staying in NYC. And there are numerous trains to these cities throughout the day.

 

[cfsnowy]

In order to make the connection to the 8:15 AM Adirondack, I'd need to take the 110 from BWI at 4:25AM (yes, Amtrak lets you...I checked the website). Staff doesn't show up at the station until 5AM, and I have a hard time being that far off the road at an unstaffed station.

No kidding, it really is creepy around there when nobody else is around...and I can't imagine it being too crowded at 4AM. The earliest I've been to BWI was around 6AM for a trip to WBG, and there weren't many folks around. As others have said, regular commuting hours (any time from 6AM through around 10PM) are just fine.

 

[SubwayNut]

Whatever you do (if every connection/stopover is less than 23.5 hours), including possibly spending the night in a Hudson River town or SDY just make sure you book everything using the multi-city tool on Amtrak.com you will still just pay $85 (if you really wanted to you could go up to Penn), Amtrak allows unlimited stopovers up to 23.5 hours (although they don't publish this). I use them all the time to get more stations for my website and also get extra AGR points.

The I Love NY discount doesn't work for NE Regional connections, (or if your booking a segment on the LSL). It only works for trips continuously trips on the Empire Service plus Maple Leaf/Adirondack/Ethan Allen.