Best 2 zone award?

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Don't know the time comparison, but BOS-ABQ is a pretty nice 2 zoner I did once and will be doing again this Sept...
 
Norman OK to SEA is a nice 2 Zoner as well, and the return gives you the option of doing the California Zephyr. Out and back gives you a total of 7 train nights.
 
I'm pretty happy with being able to do SJC <--> CHI as a 2-zone using both the CS and EB (3 nights either way).

Could I do better?

Maybe...

But a 10 min drive (plus free parking) to/from SJC is pretty tough to beat in the grand scheme of things. ;)
 
I imagine it's probably along the lines of CHI-(ELP)-LAX-PDX or NOL-CHI-LAX-PDX.
 
Also ELP-(#421)CHI-(#30)WAS-(#97)MIA (or 3 days a week) ELP-CHI-CHV-(Bus Bridge-)RVR-MIA on the Cardinal#50 in place of the CL to WAS! Almost good as the Old Loophole Days! ^_^
 
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jimhudson said:
1341892056[/url]' post='379118']Also ELP-(#421)CHI-(#30)WAS-(#97)MIA (or 3 days a week) ELP-CHI-CHV-(Bus Bridge-)RVR-MIA on the Cardinal#50 in place of the CL to WAS! Almost good as the Old Loophole Days! ^_^
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You'll be lucky to take #421 from ELP to CHI, Jim!
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#421 goes to LAX from ELP!
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And I think you meant CVS, not CHV.
 
Well, I guess I answered my own question! I just got off the phone with AGR & they gave me ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI-NOL ( 5 nites in roomette) for 20k! I consider that a pretty good deal!!! :)
 
I enjoy threads like this. I don't worry about having missed out on crazy conscience straining loopholes, but finding the best possible use of points is a great idea for passenger train fanatics. I'm currently scheduled to travel SAS-SPI-GBB-SAC-SEA myself for about 95 hours of total train time. After reading about Amamba's Empire Builder fiasco I'm glad I didn't pick anything involving the Empire Builder for this trip. Hopefully the other routes will be doing much better.

ELP-CHI-WAS-MIA comes out to 86 hours and change, and it includes a few hours in Chicago and a final destination in Miami, which are two great cities with plenty to see and do. Is there any specific benefit for choosing ELP-CHI-[CVS]-Bus-RVR-MIA instead?

Rail Freak said:
Well, I guess I answered my own question! I just got off the phone with AGR & they gave me ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI-NOL ( 5 nites in roomette) for 20k! I consider that a pretty good deal!!! :)
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Wow. Looks like you'd be clearing 110 hours or so of train time on that award. That's absolutely stupendous. Did you have to do or say anything special to get them to ticket that? I can't get it to come up on Amtrak.com, which in the past has meant the AGR staff would refuse to build it themselves and tell me I either needed to purchase a ticket with cash/credit or travel on another day when another routing was available.
 
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Texas Sunset said:
Rail Freak said:
Ispolkom said:
Rail Freak said:
I also got a $69 fare from CO Airlines MSY-TPA
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What airline?
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Continental. I just went back to that web site & the fares were $139! This is for (/04/12)
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What website? When I go to Continental.com it redirects to United.com, just has it has for some time now, and which is what I presume Ispolkom is getting at.
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I've had Continental website in my Favorites for years, so that's been my way of getting to the CO site. I also put in my CO name & password, nothing has changed for me!!!

EDIT: I looked at my printed reservation & it is a United Receipt!
 
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the_traveler said:
That's because CO and UA merged and is now known as United. There is no more Continental Airlines!
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I understand! But I was asked where I got the reservation & it was on the CO Site! The airline reservation prices change a heck of a lot faster than Amtrak!!!! :lol:

Any honorable mentions for New Orlean's hotels?

Thanx
 
Rail Freak said:
1342748366[/url]' post='381431']
the_traveler said:
1342747358[/url]' post='381426']That's because CO and UA merged and is now known as United. There is no more Continental Airlines!
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I understand! But I was asked where I got the reservation & it was on the CO Site! The airline reservation prices change a heck of a lot faster than Amtrak!!!! :lol:
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Airline fares can change as much as 200 times PER DAY!
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I just did MKE-CHI-SAS-LAX-OKJ-SFC on a two zone award. Thats 3 nights and 4 days. It sounds like 4 nights is the most you can get on a two zone award. It looks like HMD (Hammond, LA) to SEA is another 4 night trip that will route you to HMD-CHI-LAX-SEA.
 
saxman said:
I just did MKE-CHI-SAS-LAX-OKJ-SFC on a two zone award. Thats 3 nights and 4 days. It sounds like 4 nights is the most you can get on a two zone award. It looks like HMD (Hammond, LA) to SEA is another 4 night trip that will route you to HMD-CHI-LAX-SEA.
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I'm still pinching myself after getting that 5 night 2 zone award. (ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI-NOL) But after all the EB troubles, I may get another AGR night in a Chicago Hotel! :huh:
 
Rail Freak said:
the_traveler said:
That's because CO and UA merged and is now known as United. There is no more Continental Airlines!
Click to expand...

I understand! But I was asked where I got the reservation & it was on the CO Site! The airline reservation prices change a heck of a lot faster than Amtrak!!!! :lol:

Any honorable mentions for New Orlean's hotels?

Thanx
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The only time I stayed at a hotel in New Orleans, I stayed at The Columns on St. Charles Ave. It was pretty nice. Just yesterday a friend mentioned to me that he and his wife stayed there this past winter and liked it also.

It's an old place, with big Greek style columns in front. There is a great bar with very good free food at happy hour time every day.

I think I paid about $100/night but that was a few years ago, pre-Katrina. It would be worth a call to get rates.
 
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Rail Freak said:
saxman said:
I just did MKE-CHI-SAS-LAX-OKJ-SFC on a two zone award. Thats 3 nights and 4 days. It sounds like 4 nights is the most you can get on a two zone award. It looks like HMD (Hammond, LA) to SEA is another 4 night trip that will route you to HMD-CHI-LAX-SEA.
Click to expand...

I'm still pinching myself after getting that 5 night 2 zone award. (ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI-NOL) But after all the EB troubles, I may get another AGR night in a Chicago Hotel! :huh:
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WOW. That's like a 20 hour trip EB. Way to go. I have used Priceline (thru the AGR website) and bid for NOL hotels. As long as you stay with 4* hotels in the area you want you usually won't be disappointed. Go to betterbidding.com and learn how to use the same day re-bid and just snoop around there and you can usually pin point which hotel you will winn 75% of the time. have a great trip!
 
Have read of some impressive trips taken using AGR points using various routes in order to enjoy more nights on the train.   Leaving from Kansas City could anyone outline such a trip for me to give me an idea how this would work.  I have about 40,000 points but would prefer to use only about 25,000, saving the others for a trip to Boston next spring.
 
CNW said:
Have read of some impressive trips taken using AGR points using various routes in order to enjoy more nights on the train.   Leaving from Kansas City could anyone outline such a trip for me to give me an idea how this would work.  I have about 40,000 points but would prefer to use only about 25,000, saving the others for a trip to Boston next spring.
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You could try Kansas City to Columbus Wi in a roomette, then pay for a coach ticket back to Kansas City.
 
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