Spring Promo + Triple Points?

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transit54

Conductor
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
1,390
Location
Washington, DC
In late December, Amtrak sent me a targeted promotion for triple points for any trips Jan 1-March 31. I registered and have used it several times. I also registered for the new double/triple point spring promotion that was released. However, for the last two weeks of March, they overlap. I find it hard to believe that I'd get 5x bonus points for the next two weeks, but I checked out the terms and conditions of both offers and neither say "cannot be combined with other offers" or anything to that effect. They both say "additional terms and conditions may apply," but of course these terms and conditions are nowhere to be found. What does everyone on here think? Could I use both promotions simultaneously?

If so, every night after work I'm going to hop on the commuter bus down to Waterbury, get on the train and ride back to Essex Jct for about $7.50 for 500 points. That's cheaper than buying them outright from Amtrak by almost half!

Edit: If I call AGR and ask do you think I'd either 1) get a straight answer or 2) ruin the opportunity to get 5x points?
 
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I would definately not call AGR as I doubt that they would know for sure and you could be tipping them off.

Now, I have in the past had an occasion where I hadn't taken a train in a while and got one of those targeted tripple point offerings. Towards the end of that, along came a regular double point promo open to all. I hesitated to sign up, but eventually did. Not only did I get double points for new trips that I took after registering for the promo, the system went back retroactively and posted double points for trips that I had already taken that were within the promo period.

This was a few years ago, so it is possible that they have since fixed things to prevent that, and of course there is the distinct possibility that the new company has new computers that will prevent it, so YMMV. You may not want to go crazy, but I'd say that it's probably worth trying to do it at least a few times.
 
Sounds good. In any event, I'd be getting 300 points for a $7.50 ticket, which isn't bad at all. It'll give me some time to explore downtown Waterbury and if I get board with that I can always go down to Montpelier and board there. I think I'll make a few trips and hope for the best.
 
One more question: Most of these trips, if not all of them, I will have to have the conductor write me out a ticket on board the train, since I have no way to print tickets up here (sadly, I'll be at NHV on Sunday, but the terms specifically state they must be purchased Monday or later). I will provide my AGR number when I make the reservation on the phone - has anyone had any success with getting handwritten tickets to post automatically? I worry that I'd run into some issues with this and not getting the bonus points to post properly.
 
I don't know about handwritten tickets, but I'd say that as long as your AGR number is on the res, there should not be a problem.

The way the overlapping promos post is this:

Triple points = base points + 2x base poinnts

Double points = base points + 1x base points

The base points are only earned ONCE, so during the overlap, you will earn base points + 3x base points = 400 points per segment! :D

During a promo a few years ago, I signed up for a double point promo, a triple point promo and another triple point promo - all overlapping! So I earned 600 points per segment! :D And since this was in the "old days" (when you got 100 points per segment for the same train), I earned 2,400 points per one way trip - or 4,800 points for a round trip! :D :D
 
One big snag on this promotion though. The terms say you can't make reservations before March 16th. Even if you take a trip inside the dates, but you reserved the tickets before that, you can't get the bonus points. And that I think really stinks. The very last part of my trip I paid for but won't be getting double points. :angry:
 
Yes, it does! :angry: But there's a way around it - sort of! ;)

I have 2 trips planned for 3-22 and 1 more on 3-27. What I plan to do is cancel those (original) reservations and rebook them after 3/16! :D True, it may result in a higher bucket - but you get double points (or more) on that higher bucket! :p
 
Yes, it does! :angry: But there's a way around it - sort of! ;)
I have 2 trips planned for 3-22 and 1 more on 3-27. What I plan to do is cancel those (original) reservations and rebook them after 3/16! :D True, it may result in a higher bucket - but you get double points (or more) on that higher bucket! :p
I will be traveling in April to Colorado - if I cancel and remake the rezzies it will cost me about $300 EACH WAY. I don't think so!

But I will make 4 mileage runs previously just in case they decide to waive the mileage rule. A guy can always hope :)
 
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