Guaranteed connections/separate reservations

[LookingGlassTie]

Hey y'all,

Next year, I MIGHT be taking a trip from Norfolk to Orlando in July. I would take a Northeast Regional from NFK to RVR and then take the Silver Star to Orlando (specifically WPK). On the return trip, I would take the Star back to Richmond and then take a Regional back to Norfolk.

Here's my question:

Should I book separate one-way reservations on the Regionals and a round trip on the Star, or should I just book a round trip for the whole thing? On the outgoing trip, I'd want to reduce the layover time in Richmond and on the incoming trip, I'd want to make sure I can catch a Regional back to Norfolk in the event that the Star is late arriving in Richmond. If I book a round trip all the way, the layover in Richmond outgoing would be pretty long. However, if I book the Regional from NFK to RVR separately, I can arrive in Richmond closer to when the Star is scheduled to arrive. And I do understand that if the Star arrives in Richmond on time (on the return trip), my layover in Richmond would be long, but I can deal with that.

What do you guys think?

 

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Is there any benefit to making this one reservation, such as guaranteed connections, or more AGR points? If not I would book to best suit your needs and that sounds like booking segments separately.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I personally would book NFK - WPK as one reservation and WPK - NFK as a separate reservation. Those will give you guaranteed connections in RVR.
I never book round trips, either on trains or planes.

 

[bratkinson]

Guaranteed connections are great so they know that you have a connection to make.

Years ago, I was aboard the #421 through sleeper CHI->LAX connecting to a sleeper on #14, the Coast Starlight.

As we were running 5 or 6 hours late, 'they woke me early and got me off to make a bus connection to the Starlight. That was no problem. And I was a happy camper because of it. That was the second or third time having made a guaranteed reservation saved the day for me.

At other times, the Amtrak computer would not permit me to make a tight connection less than 2 hours as I recall. This happens fairly often for me along the NEC when going from a regional to or from an LD train.

I can easily change the regjonal to an earlier or later train as I am comfortable with making 'blocked' connections. Going from LD to regional is even more comfortable from the comfort of a roomette,..even making a 30 minute connection or stretching a tight connection to grab something at the food court, WAS or PHL most often.

 

[Dan O]

I would do as AmtrakBlue suggested. I recently had a trip from southern California to NYC and back. I was glad it was on two reservations as I had to change both legs of the trip due to family issues. I was able to do so but got charged a higher rate for the change. Breaking the trip in two, I only had the higher rate on each leg when I rebooked vs the whole trip. The great deal I originally got ended up to be a not so great deal with rebooking. But, I did see NYC and family so in that respect it was worth it.

 

[JoeRids]

Hi, I think I know the answer to this, but if booking multiple reservations (whether using AGR points or otherwise) for different trains, I assume that connections that otherwise would be guaranteed are not, correct? For example, I have a reservation booked on the CZ, and am considering adding the LSL to my travels, with a same day connection. It's a 4 hour connection, but you never know, and I don't want to have an unhappy surprise that Amtrak will not consider or accommodate me for a missed connection.

 

[Cal]

I personally would book NFK - WPK as one reservation and WPK - NFK as a separate reservation. Those will give you guaranteed connections in RVR.
I never book round trips, either on trains or planes.

Does booking round trip not make those guaranteed connections?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Does booking round trip not make those guaranteed connections?

I don't' think it will affect the guaranteed connections. I just like to book each direction separately as it makes it easier to make changes, if necessary. Changing my outbound won't affect my return trip.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I just posted this in another topic, but would you consider a 24 hour layover in Chicago? Much more relaxing and well worth a hotel. I've missed the CZ/LSL connection more than once.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Another factor with "guaranteed" connections is if you are travelling in coach or a room. These days rooms are often sold out weeks in advance, and while they may put you up in a hotel, you may have to take a coach seat for the next night.

 

[anmldr]

Do “guaranteed connections” still exist? Other threads that I have found are rather old.

I will be using a US Rail Pass. If I miss one of the earlier legs of my itinerary, it would change the rest of the itinerary if they put me on the next day’s train.

My question is, should I always add a day between trains routes just to be safe? But, that GREATLY increases the cost for the whole trip with motels. If there is scheduled to be, for example, a 4 hour layover between long distance trains, should I book that ticket or should I, almost always, schedule the next leg in the itinerary for the next day? Keep in mind, this would greatly increase the cost of the trip.

Thank you,
Linda

 

[zephyr17]

Guaranteed connections still exist and are handled the same way they always have been.

The "guaranteed" connections are the ones that Amtrak has set up as valid connections in its system, so if you request an origin and a destination, and Amtrak comes up with a routing between those two points, any connections shown on that routing are guaranteed. If no routing, or the one you want, isn't returned, there aren't any guaranteed connections, or the one you want isn't guaranteed. In that case, you'll need to lay over overnight.

Amtrak has a guideline of 60 minutes for guaranteed connections off the NEC. But bear in mind, it is only a guideline. Many connections that are more than 60 minutes are not guaranteed and some that are less are. Your only sure guide to whether or not a connection is guaranteed is if it is returned by the system. Note that there can be some glitches in the system that can sometimes return false negatives, and there are methods to check further, but those are exceptions and I won't go into that now.

Since you will be traveling on a USA Rail Pass, you don't need to worry about losing sleeping accommodations on a rebooking Amtrak makes because of a missed connection. Ensuring sleeping accommodations is the main reason to force an overnight layover for a connection that would have been guaranteed.

Finally, be aware that a guaranteed connection does NOT guarantee that a connecting train will be held. It guarantees alternative transportation and accommodations if the connection is missed.

 

[tgstubbs1]

A four hour window should be reasonable, maybe even two hours, but when a train is late, it can be very late, so some people have a rule. Other people have travel insurance
There are some resources on this site to help you find on-time stats for various routes. It would also be helpful to find information on track upgrades and work in progress.
Amtrak has some current information on their web site; the 'track-your-train' and ' service alerts' are a couple. So you can base your decisions on the specific train and city you plan to travel.
As to the expense of your motels, some people find lodging in a nearby suburb and use local transport to reduce their costs.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Do “guaranteed connections” still exist? Other threads that I have found are rather old.

I will be using a US Rail Pass. If I miss one of the earlier legs of my itinerary, it would change the rest of the itinerary if they put me on the next day’s train.

My question is, should I always add a day between trains routes just to be safe? But, that GREATLY increases the cost for the whole trip with motels. If there is scheduled to be, for example, a 4 hour layover between long distance trains, should I book that ticket or should I, almost always, schedule the next leg in the itinerary for the next day? Keep in mind, this would greatly increase the cost of the trip.

Thank you,
Linda

I suggest that you look into using Hostels to break up your nights in Coach,especially in Major Cities.( the Hostel Iternational on Congress in Chicago is especially nice and reasonable now that Hotel Rates have become so Pricey)

 

[joelkfla]

Do “guaranteed connections” still exist? Other threads that I have found are rather old.

I will be using a US Rail Pass. If I miss one of the earlier legs of my itinerary, it would change the rest of the itinerary if they put me on the next day’s train.

My question is, should I always add a day between trains routes just to be safe? But, that GREATLY increases the cost for the whole trip with motels. If there is scheduled to be, for example, a 4 hour layover between long distance trains, should I book that ticket or should I, almost always, schedule the next leg in the itinerary for the next day? Keep in mind, this would greatly increase the cost of the trip.

Thank you,
Linda

You should plan to be flexible.

Sometimes a missed guaranteed connection is satisfied by booking you on the next day's train and providing a hotel for the night. Sometimes trains get cancelled, due to floods, storms, freight derailments, or whatever.

I think you should plan on a hotel night (preferably refundable) at least every few nights, if not more often. Then if things get out of whack, you'll have a chance to get back on track, or rejigger your plans without pressure. And if you're not behind schedule, you'll welcome some recovery time after riding in coach for a few days and nights.

 

[zephyr17]

You should plan to be flexible.

Sometimes a missed guaranteed connection is satisfied by booking you on the next day's train and providing a hotel for the night. Sometimes trains get cancelled, due to floods, storms, freight derailments, or whatever.

I think you should plan on a hotel night (preferably refundable) at least every few nights, if not more often. Then if things get out of whack, you'll have a chance to get back on track, or rejigger your plans without pressure. And if you're not behind schedule, you'll welcome some recovery time after riding in coach for a few days and nights.

Agree, you should plan your trip in such a way that getting delayed to the next day's train does not knock over all the dominoes.

 

[Trucker72]

This September two of our trains are the LSL to the EB with a 5 hour window between them. We have always planned an overnight layover between our long distance trains but not on this one. Over the last 5 months we would have made the connection the vast majority of the time which is reassuring. If our luck goes down the tubes and we miss this connection, is it gauranteed? I have several alternate plans to recover like switching to the CZ or SWC and cancelling the EB, a night in Seattle and the Coast Starlight.

 

[PVD]

is the connection on the same reservation?

 

[Trucker72]

is the connection on the same reservation?

Yes it is

 

[PVD]

Some one correct me if I'm wrong but Lake to EB connection in Chicago on a single resv should be a guaranteed connection. Just a thought, but it seems the Eastbound has a greater chance of misses than Westbound typically, although the Lake is last out LD coming East. I have Lake/Zephyr in a little over a week.

 

[zephyr17]

This September two of our trains are the LSL to the EB with a 5 hour window between them. We have always planned an overnight layover between our long distance trains but not on this one. Over the last 5 months we would have made the connection the vast majority of the time which is reassuring. If our luck goes down the tubes and we miss this connection, is it gauranteed? I have several alternate plans to recover lisike switching to the CZ or SWC and cancelling the EB, a night in Seattle and the Coast Starlight.

Is it on one reservation number? If so, that's a guaranteed connection. Separate reservations are not guaranteed.

You generally do not get to choose how Amtrak protects the guarantee. They'll book any hotels and reissue tickets as necessary, and that's often take it or leave it. I've been through the process several times. There may be some room for negotiation if you are willing to pick up added costs for your plans, an example being they'll generally allow being rebooked onto the next day's Starlight at LA instead of putting you on the same day San Joaquin/Thruway bus connection in case of a SW Chief or Sunset miss. But you need to agree that you're responsible for arranging for your overnight stay at LA.

Their response to an LSL-EB miss will be to put you up in a hotel and put you on the next day's EB, downgraded to coach if no sleeper space on that train. But it sounds like your ultimate destination is LA. If so, you probably can negotiate for the SWC as long as you're clear with them you are willing to skip Seattle. But rebooking to Seattle will be their initial response. They aren't going to do SWC/CS to Seattle for EB, though.

Generally, the westbound connections in Chicago are fairly safe, the eastern trains don't have as much time and distance on the road to get messed up as the western ones do. I always build in a Chicago layover eastbound when I have a connecting sleeper to protect, almost never westbound. I do the LSL-EB same day connection fairly regularly.

 

[Eric in East County]

Is it on one reservation number? If so, that's a guaranteed connection. Separate reservations are not guaranteed.

How about if one of the reservations is paid for with cash and one with AGR points? (They would be under separate reservation numbers even if they are connecting trains.)

 

[zephyr17]

How about if one of the reservations is paid for with cash and one with AGR points? (They would be under separate reservation numbers even if they are connecting trains.)

No automatic handling because the computer won't spit out your reservations on the a list of connecting passengers requiring accommodations and rebooking. You could argue for it with Chicago staff and Customer Relations. That probably would be ultimately successful. But resolution might be after the fact, and who wants to face dealing with that at zero dark thirty, as Chicago misses inevitably are. I just want to pick up the vouchers/packet that will have been already prepared and get to bed. That won't be there if I have separate reservations.

As to "linking" the reservations, that is just a manual note that will not trigger any misconnect processing. It'd help with the argument you'd be having with Chicago Passenger Services at 2 am, though.

I never put same day connections on separate reservations, even with mixed point/cash trips.

With Points plus Cash booking now an option, that's a better solution for same day connections than separate reservations.

 

[Eric in East County]

No automatic handling because the computer won't spit out your reservations on the a list of connecting passengers requiring accommodations and rebooking. You could argue for it with Chicago staff and Customer Relations. That probably would be ultimately successful. But resolution might be after the fact, and who wants to face dealing with that at zero dark thirty, as Chicago misses inevitably are. I just want to pick up the vouchers/packet that will have been already prepared and get to bed. That won't be there if I have separate reservations.

As to "linking" the reservations, that is just a manual note that will not trigger any misconnect processing. It'd help with the argument you'd be having with Chicago Passenger Services at 2 am, though.

I never put same day connections on separate reservations, even with mixed point/cash trips.

With Points plus Cash booking now an option, that's a better solution for same day connections than separate reservations.

Your reply served to remind us what can happen when a connection is missed in Chicago. (We should have known better since we went through just such a missed connection on our 2023 trip. Fortunately, on that occasion we had a guaranteed connection, and all went well.) For the sake of saving a few dollars, it’s not worth the risk to not have a guaranteed connection.

The Points Plus Cash option is, at present, only available to those making on-line reservations. (We always work with an agent so we can request bedrooms in the base sleepers.) Perhaps at some point, Points Plus Cash will also be available for those making phone reservations and we can take advantage of it.

 

[zephyr17]

The Points Plus Cash option is, at present, only available to those making on-line reservations. (We always work with an agent so we can request bedrooms in the base sleepers.) Perhaps at some point, Points Plus Cash will also be available for those making phone reservations and we can take advantage of it.

Well, maybe making a Points Plus Cash online reservation then calling to change the room would work?