vouchers

[Mark]

Hey guys:

I got a voucher for a late hiawatha, (about 3 hours the NPCU failed and we had to wait for the second set to come pick us up), a few months ago. If I charge my next trip on my AGR Chase card will I lose the points when I redeeme the voucher? What I have done in the past, prior to being an AGR member, was make my reservations via the internet then present the voucher when I picked up the tickets. Is this the best way?

 

[the_traveler]

The only way to use a voucher is to present it to an agent at the window. If any extra is needed, that amount can be charged. (You'll only get credit for that extra amount on your credit card. But you will earn the full amount of AGR credits when you ride.)

An example is I just bought a $29 ticket a few weeks back. I had a $21.xx voucher that I used. So the remaining amount owed was $7.xx, and that is what I charged. But when I travel, I will get AGR credit for the entire $29 ticket (100 AGR point minimum)!

Assume that the ticket would have cost $129 instead. When I traveled, I would earn 258 AGR points, even though I only charged $107.xx!

 

[PRR 60]

The OP indicated he was going to book on-line and then present the voucher when he picks up the ticket. Since on-line booking requires prepayment in full, can the voucher be used and, if so, does the OP then get a refund to the credit card when the voucher is presented? I'm (obviously) not sure how or even if vouchers can be used with internet bookings.

 

[MrEd]

last time I used a voucher, I called 800 # and made reservation, then drove to station later to pay. If that does not work, I think you can mail the voucher in, but I could see where that would take some time to complete transaction.

 

[AlanB]

First, I'm not sure if what you want to do is actually possible Mark. I believe, but I'm not certain, that if you charge the entire ticket to your card up front, that upon arrival at the station the agent must redo the entire sale in order to process the voucher. If indeed that is correct, that would mean the loss of any discount codes used, since the computer will now think that you didn't book within the 3 day window. And in the case a bad agent, it might even mean the loss of the bucket you had in favor of the current bucket price.

All that said however, no matter how it gets processed you will get full AGR points from Amtrak for the full price of the ticket. Chase however will only send over points for the amount that actually ended up paying. So for example if you were buying a $100 ticket and had a $10 voucher, once travel is completed, you will get 200 AGR points from Amtrak and 180 points from Chase.

 

[Mark]

Thanks guys. I figured the, (extra), Chase card points would only be for the amount purchased, less the voucher but I didn't know that you could still get rail points. So in effect, a $40.00 voucher is still worth 40 points in rail travel?

I'm not sure I'm asking this question the way I want to but I think you all know what I mean.

 

[the_traveler]

So in effect, a $40.00 voucher is still worth 40 points in rail travel?

A slight correction - since AGR credits 2 AGR points per $ spent, the $40 voucher would give you 80 AGR points! And since there is a 100 point minimum per segment, assuming you spend $49 or less and only travel on 1 train, you would earn 100 AGR points! B)

 

[AlanB]

Thanks guys. I figured the, (extra), Chase card points would only be for the amount purchased, less the voucher but I didn't know that you could still get rail points. So in effect, a $40.00 voucher is still worth 40 points in rail travel?
I'm not sure I'm asking this question the way I want to but I think you all know what I mean.

Actually, no, a $40 ticket purchased with a $40 voucher would be worth 100 points in travel, since the minimum is 100 points. Now if you brought a $60 ticket, with a $60 voucher, then you would get the normal 2 point per $ for a total of 120 AGR points.

 

[Mark]

Got it, thanks!!

 

[Trogdor]

Keep a close eye on your AGR account. It seems that whenever I buy a ticket with a voucher, the points don't automatically post, and I have to call AGR and get them to credit my account. This has happened on numerous occasions, and seems to only happen with tickets paid for (either in full, or in part) with a voucher.

 

[AlanB]

Keep a close eye on your AGR account. It seems that whenever I buy a ticket with a voucher, the points don't automatically post, and I have to call AGR and get them to credit my account. This has happened on numerous occasions, and seems to only happen with tickets paid for (either in full, or in part) with a voucher.

Hmm, wonder if that's why one of my recent Acela trips didn't post? :unsure: I used like an $8 voucher towards the ticket. I had to deal with it manualy.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I departed Boston South Station (BOS) on December 22, 2008 headed to South Bend, IN (SOB), with that reservation paid for in part with a voucher; the points automatically posted to my account on January 7. I did have to remember to ask the person at the call center to put my AGR number on my reservation when I made the reservation, though.

 

[wayman]

First, I'm not sure if what you want to do is actually possible Mark. I believe, but I'm not certain, that if you charge the entire ticket to your card up front, that upon arrival at the station the agent must redo the entire sale in order to process the voucher. If indeed that is correct, that would mean the loss of any discount codes used, since the computer will now think that you didn't book within the 3 day window. And in the case a bad agent, it might even mean the loss of the bucket you had in favor of the current bucket price.
All that said however, no matter how it gets processed you will get full AGR points from Amtrak for the full price of the ticket. Chase however will only send over points for the amount that actually ended up paying. So for example if you were buying a $100 ticket and had a $10 voucher, once travel is completed, you will get 200 AGR points from Amtrak and 180 points from Chase.

I have a similar but perhaps slightly different situation. In October, I made several reservations which I subsequently had to cancel. Since the first itinerary started from a location with no ticket office or QuikTrak, those tickets had already been printed and mailed to me. When I called Amtrak to cancel, they told me I could use those tickets at full face value towards future Amtrak travel. So it sounds like they act just like a voucher.

But what they also told me over the phone was that to use them, I could make a reservation online, pay with my credit card, and then go to a ticket office (say at 30th St) to pick up my tickets in person and say "actually, I'd rather pay for them with these" and hand the agent those printed tickets; then the agent would take that amount off my credit card and still charge me the rest. I asked specifically whether there would be any risk of the price of the tickets changing in the course of that transaction and was told no. I later asked an agent at the 30th St ticket office if that was the correct procedure to follow, and this was confirmed.

I guess I just have to hope I don't get a "bad agent" when I actually do this. So, um... how does one be sure to avoid a bad agent? :huh:

(I won't be using a discount code, and hence won't stand to lose one, since I intend to use these "ticket vouchers" towards an Acela. And I want to pay full-adult-fare for the Acela so it will be eligible for a Select FC upgrade coupon.)