Travel options removed from amtrak.com?

[JSmith]

My wife and I have been tossing around the idea of a trip to Disney World, using AGR points for the train trip.

It used to be (quite recently) that if I tried to book from ORL to BUF, I would be offered the Silver Meteor from ORL to NYP and then had a choice of either the Empire Service or the Lake Shore Limited to BUF. But now, it only offers the Empire Service as the connection. (You can force the LSL by using the multi-city trip builder.)

Now if I'm going to use a one-zone roomette award for this trip, I would like to be in a roomette for the entire trip, not just the segment to NYP. There is only a 2 hour difference in departure times between the Empire Service and LSL trains.

Obviously, I can book the route I want as a multi-city trip, but if it doesn't appear as a choice in the direct departure/arrival entry screen, can I book it as an AGR trip? I will already have to go by business class on the first leg of the departure trip, but would prefer to have the roomette (and the diner car for dinner) on the return trip.

(I couldn't decide whether this should go in the AGR forum or in the main discussion forum, but I figured it's about a recent change in the main Amtrak website. Feel free to move it to the AGR forum if it's better suited there.)

 

[the_traveler]

Since it involves a connection, as we'll as a room, you MUST call AGR to redeem anyway. You can only book an AGR award online on a direct train, no connections or rooms. Ask them when you call if you can book as you want.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

If it doesn't come up as an option by default then you probably cannot book it as a single award. Since there are no written rules about this you are at the perpetual mercy of the rather indifferent staff. Good luck.

 

[Tony]

I just tried it. Using Buffalo Depew (BUF) as the desired station brings up the LSL connection.

 

[crescent2]

Everyone here has told me that officially you cannot do it as a single AGR award (if you must use multi-city to get it to come up), but you might get lucky with an AGR agent. Good luck~

 

[RRrich]

I did a test booking - ORL - BUF for 2 on a random date in Feb. SM to LSL came up no prob. It was the second routeing, but so what?

ENJOY :hi:

 

[JSmith]

Well, that is really weird. It's back now. Must have been a random glitch in either amtrak.com or in the routings in Arrow. Glad everything's back to normal now.

What a relief! It's a great one zone reward (worth about 6 cents per AGR point).

 

[Railroad Bill]

Yes, we have always had the option to ride the Silver Meteor to NYP and LSL to Cleveland as a 1 zone AGR trip.

But you are correct that when I tried it a few days ago the only option was to take the CL out of WAS to CLE. I first thought that because of the delays caused by the Sunrail construction that Amtrak was afraid of not getting into NYP in time??

But seems it may have been the computer strutting its stuff to prove it can drive we humans crazy once in a while