Time to burn some points

[vagabond]

I have about 85,000 points to burn and I'm ready for a train adventure this summer!

The trip I have in mind is Flagstaff Arizona to Portland Maine but I want to go up the western coast on the Coast Starlight to Portland/Seattle then east on the Empire Builder to Chicago and beyond. This will only work if I split the trip into two or more segments and that is just fine with me. I'll be traveling solo with my touring bicycle and would love a layover in Glacier National Park Montana.

Looks like no problem booking a 1-zone AGR trip from Flagstaff, AZ to West Glacier, MT, although some dates are sold out. But I'm completely flexible on dates and routes and layovers. How would you split this trip?

Cheers,

Vagabond Jerry

 

[the_traveler]

Getting between Flagstaff and West Glacier is no problem for a 1 zone award. But to go from West Glacier to Portland would be a 3 zone award! If you were to get the award from the border city

of Wolf Point, MT, it would just be 2 zones, but an all day (and expensive) trip!

 

[vagabond]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up booking a 1-zone bedroom from Flagstaff to East Glacier Park for 20,000 points (actually 19,000 because 5% rebate using my Chase/Amtrak credit card). This trip, if booked without reward points, has a price of $2,501. The Amtrak rewards program is just amazing!

I'll spend a week riding my touring bike around the park and end up in Shelby, MO. Then coach ticket for the 4-1/2 hour trip from Shelby to Wolf Point, MO, followed by a 1-zone roomette from Wolf Point to Milwaukee, WI for 15,000 points (less 5%) on the same train.

The remainder of the trip is still to be worked out but I'll probably ride my bike into the Eastern Zone before getting back on the train. Note that I need to use stations that have Baggage Service since my bike must be boxed and checked as luggage.

I've heard of people who start their trip on a coach ticket being allowed to occupy the sleeper car early assuming the room is available. What's the procedure for doing that?

 

[RRrich]

I've heard of people who start their trip on a coach ticket being allowed to occupy the sleeper car early assuming the room is available. What's the procedure for doing that?

I've done that a few times. I thought that the Sleeping Car Attendant (SCA) was the person to ask so I did. The SCA probably asked the Conductor, but I don't know or care <_<

It seems like most amtrak employees want to keep the customers satisfied so they are willing to grant most reasonable requests. However when I asked to ride in the_traveler's penthouse suite they were NOT cooperative :angry:

 

[the_traveler]

I have done this a few times. I most times ask the SCA, who then asks and gets permission from the Conductor. (This also assumes that the room is available between those points.) Sometimes when boarding, the Conductor is also at the same door, so I ask him or her directly.

So far I haven't been turned down. But I've only tried it at or near the beginning of the trip where it is unlikely the room will be sold for the 1-2 hour trip! (MTZ-SAC and LAX-ONA) However on a route like CHI to TOL, even though the train starts in CHI, an award ticket from (say) DEN may occupy it to the border city of TOL!

However when I asked to ride in the_traveler's penthouse suite they were NOT cooperative :angry:

NOBODY rides in the penthouse suite unless I give permission - which I rarely do!