Can someone please explain...

[northnorthwest]

If I want to take a trip from PHL to DEN there is no option to go through NYC? I must be routed through DC. In talking to the person at AGR they never had any explanation besides "that's our policy" or arguing that going to NYC is "out of the way." Obviously DC is also out of the way and an even farther distance from PHL. To make matters more interesting if I search for PHL to CHI there is an option to travel by way of NYC.

Is there some reasoning behind this that I am missing and that AGR is unable to explain?

 

[gswager]

If Amtrak reservation system only show up DC route, then that's the only way. If it shows several options, then AGR should have those, too. AGR follows what the main Amtrak reservation shows.

 

[amamba]

My understanding is that Arrow, the reservations system for amtrak, has to be manually programmed for each connection between city pairs. It appears that no one bothered to program it with PHL - DEN via the LSL, only the CL.

Additionally, for most award reservations, AGR will only book exactly what comes up in amtrak.com, not using multi-city.

My recommendation to you, if you really want to take the LSL to CHI for this trip, is to go ahead and book your reward from NYP - DEN via the 49 and the 5. Then, wait a few days and call back and ask to add the regional to NYP from PHL to your award reservation. They will probably just go ahead and add it.

If they still won't, and you REALLY want to do that routing, just buy a coach ticket from PHL - NYP. Take the keystone or the regional up there. You can still use the Club Acela in both PHL and NYP if you have a sleeper on the LSL.

 

[the_traveler]

It's possible that train #49 is sold out that day, and thus it doesn't come up as an option.

 

[northnorthwest]

My understanding is that Arrow, the reservations system for amtrak, has to be manually programmed for each connection between city pairs. It appears that no one bothered to program it with PHL - DEN via the LSL, only the CL.
Additionally, for most award reservations, AGR will only book exactly what comes up in amtrak.com, not using multi-city.

My recommendation to you, if you really want to take the LSL to CHI for this trip, is to go ahead and book your reward from NYP - DEN via the 49 and the 5. Then, wait a few days and call back and ask to add the regional to NYP from PHL to your award reservation. They will probably just go ahead and add it.

If they still won't, and you REALLY want to do that routing, just buy a coach ticket from PHL - NYP. Take the keystone or the regional up there. You can still use the Club Acela in both PHL and NYP if you have a sleeper on the LSL.

Thanks for this response. The reason this came up is because I was trying to book an award trip from PHL to DEN but the CL from WAS had no roomette for the day I needed to travel, and that was the only option showing up. Someone on another post suggested that I try going via NYP, which I hadn't thought of. And that led me to the present situation. It's just silly that certain options are not available and it seems to depend solely on what is "in the system", based on what you tell me.

I will try your suggestion of asking them to add on the PHL-NYP portion, since I did go ahead and book it starting in NYP.

Thanks.

 

[amamba]

It's possible that train #49 is sold out that day, and thus it doesn't come up as an option.

But if you go to www.amtrak.com and just put in PHL - DEN for ANY day, I only see routings on the CL. Even if #49 was sold out for a leg, it normally shows up with the "sold out" symbol next to the train number.

 

[amamba]

Also there is a fare sale this week for PHL - NYP for $26 on the keystone.

 

[amamba]

I'll just add, for example, if I go to amtrak.com and put in PVD - SEA, the only options it gives me are to take a regional to BOS or NYP and then take the LSL to the EB.

If instead, I put in BOS - SEA, it gives me choices of the LSL to the EB, a regional to NYP to the LSL to the EB, and then it also gives me the 449 to the CZ to the CS and also the 449 to the SWC to the CS.

So there is a possibility that AGR wouldn't book PVD to SEA via the CZ and the CS or the SWC and the CS, but they would do it from BOS. Which is stupid, but it is what it is.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I'll just add, for example, if I go to amtrak.com and put in PVD - SEA, the only options it gives me are to take a regional to BOS or NYP and then take the LSL to the EB.
If instead, I put in BOS - SEA, it gives me choices of the LSL to the EB, a regional to NYP to the LSL to the EB, and then it also gives me the 449 to the CZ to the CS and also the 449 to the SWC to the CS.

So there is a possibility that AGR wouldn't book PVD to SEA via the CZ and the CS or the SWC and the CS, but they would do it from BOS. Which is stupid, but it is what it is.

This sounds like what I was finding yesterday in playing around with flights to Ireland (where my daughter & her family may move to if her husband gets a job he's interviewing for). If I flew out of PHL which is my "home" airport, the cost was over $1000 (refundable), but if I flew out of DCA or ERW, the cost was less than $600 (non-refundable) - and taking the same plane from PHL to DUB. You really need to shop around for the best prices on Amtrak and the airlines.

I told my daughter that I wouldn't mind flying out of DCA or ERW because that would give me train time too. :wub:

 

[AlanB]

Hmm, it seems as though Amtrak was listening. I just checked a random date in March and I now getting a routing via either DC or NY.

So you may want to check it for your dates North and then call back AGR.

 

[the_traveler]

I'll just add, for example, if I go to amtrak.com and put in PVD - SEA, the only options it gives me are to take a regional to BOS or NYP and then take the LSL to the EB.

This sounds like what I was finding yesterday in playing around with flights to Ireland (where my daughter & her family may move to if her husband gets a job he's interviewing for).

I'd rather "fly" Amtrak to Ireland if they ever finish that bridge! :giggle:

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I'll just add, for example, if I go to amtrak.com and put in PVD - SEA, the only options it gives me are to take a regional to BOS or NYP and then take the LSL to the EB.

This sounds like what I was finding yesterday in playing around with flights to Ireland (where my daughter & her family may move to if her husband gets a job he's interviewing for).

I'd rather "fly" Amtrak to Ireland if they ever finish that bridge! :giggle:

Hopefully they'll be back in the states by the time the bridge is finished. He has applied for "in house" positions in several states and each one she told me about I'd say "a train goes there".

 

[northnorthwest]

For whatever reason the option to start my trip in PHL is now available, so...it will be business to NYP, lunch in NYC, then our sleepers to DEN (and coach to Glenwood Springs after). The trip is 3 months off, but I'm looking forward to it!

Thanks for all the info, everyone.

 

[amamba]

Hmm, it seems as though Amtrak was listening. I just checked a random date in March and I now getting a routing via either DC or NY.
So you may want to check it for your dates North and then call back AGR.

YAY!!! I love it when our complains on the internet are heard.

Now if they can only fix PVD - SEA for me so I can take the CZ to the CS....

 

[amamba]

And Alan, was my assessment right about having to manually program city pairs into Arrow? I don't want to tell people that if its not actually the case.

 

[PRR 60]

And Alan, was my assessment right about having to manually program city pairs into Arrow? I don't want to tell people that if its not actually the case.

I'm not Alan (obviously), but yes, it is true.