Recent content by tj722

Once again, I've gotten the "lucky" email. But mine explicitly says "use double points to reach Select status". Could I use the double points to get to S+? As it is, I'm about to hit S without the special promo. I'd be more willing to hop on a couple more Acela trips to get S+.

I was a frequent rider of the most recent "limited" Acela runs. I and others that do the WAS-NYP run miss it a lot. It lasted for under a year. I saw a few signs advertising it, and there was even a note of this train on the departure/arrival monitors, but they really didn't give it enough...

I would not say you "proved" it as I and many others disagree with you. It's a lousy website behavior.

I can confirm that the promo is legit. It's now appearing on my home page when I log into my AGR account. Guess it's time to plan a quick trip! :)

The stores and food court itself may not open until noon, but there are food options near the gates (Au Bon Pain, McDonalds, and maybe a few others) that are usually open. Au Bon Pain is open 24 hours a day, according to its website.

Hokienav, The promotion links listed on the top of the train listings are NOT T's and C's. What if my city pairs were not those listed above? Those were only "sample" fares. Even if you click through, you get a more extensive listing, but it's not exhaustive. The T's and C's are finally listed...

No, this is NOT industry standard. Most airline sites online allow you to select "unrestricted/refundable/upgradable" types of fares online. The airlines that don't (or companies like Megabus/Boltbus) have a much more restrictive (but simpler) fare structure. And every airline ticket I've ever...

I also think it's a very bad practice on the web site to silently sell a discounted non-refundable fare without telling you ANYWHERE that it is so. The only mention of it is on the ticket which is usually not even seen until right before travel. Only savvy travelers like us that pretty much know...

Just this past week I was able to upgrade a "discounted fare" to First Class on Acela, no problem. The ClubAcela agent didn't even skip a beat. I used the Select 1-hour coupons. The only problem I had is that I had to wait exactly one hour before departure (sometimes I'm able to "slip in" a bit...

Count me as one of those who prefers the quiet car on the NEC between NYP-WAS. I must have bad luck, because when I don't sit in the quiet car, I end up surrounded by business people yapping loudly on their cell phones talking about whatever deals they are working on or the like. First Class on...

I've noticed that the low-ish buckets have not been selling out. If Amtrak treated Acela as a "business" they'd have much more aggressive promotions than the pretty much impossible-to-get (at least when I ride) 99 dollar fares.

I too (along with the OP) miss the discontinuation of the CO OnePass Dining. I used to rack up quite a bit of miles (and hence AGR points) that way. Others dissed the program but I happen to live close to many iDine restaurants so it really did add up!

Yeah, I know I really need in-ear phones... I've tried many of them and have yet to find ones that fit right (most of them end up falling out, or quickly losing their "seal"). My earphones do a pretty good job at blocking out the hum of the train/plane/etc, other people's loud conversations...

I've almost given up on the quiet car. The last time I rode it (from WAS - NYP) I had to be the "bad guy" and tell a group of people to quiet down, and they pretty much would not stop talking. Every time the attendant came by, she "scolded" them and they ended up making fun of her, laughing and...

I think having to sign the ticket is ridiculous. How am I supposed to buy train tickets for people in NYC when I'm in DC?? The reality is, I do it all of the time, and the person receiving the ticket just scribbles something on that line. Waste of time and ink.