Worried about Missing Connection from SWC to CS

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amtraknovi

Train Attendant
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Aug 17, 2011
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Started a thread last week about our first LD trip (KCY to LAX on the SWC, pick up CS in LAX to SEA-booked on AGP points) and got a ton of great information that made the planning and booking go really well. Thanks!

Now I have started to really worry (based on some other trip reports) that the allotted time for the connection from the SWC to CS in LAX is too tight (less than 2 hours). My fear of course is the SWC is late, the CS leaves, they rebook us to the CS the next day but they are sold out of sleepers, making the trip in coach would be the only option. I think in that case we would not take the trip and would probably fly home :angry:

I got to thinking that one possible solution would be to book the next day's CS now, using points (20K) and if the original train is on time we would just be able to cancel the reservation and have the points returned, if it were not on time and we missed the connection to the CS then we would (a) be given a room on the next day's train at no cost if it were available or (b) if rooms were sold out we would be able to continue on in a sleeper with our confirmed reservation, albeit at a cost of 20K additional points. Anyone see any problems (other than the gratuitous use of points) with this approach?
 
I think there is a seven day requirement when cancelling a sleeper accommodation.

In your example, if your SWC was on schedule and you transited to the CS on the same

day, when you cancelled the next day CS, you would not get your points returned due

to the seven day requirement. You may want to call AGR to confirm.
 
Shanghai said:
I think there is a seven day requirement when cancelling a sleeper accommodation.

In your example, if your SWC was on schedule and you transited to the CS on the same

day, when you cancelled the next day CS, you would not get your points returned due

to the seven day requirement. You may want to call AGR to confirm.
Click to expand...

When I booked the original reservation the agent said that I had until the time the train pulled out of the station to cancel and get my points returned.
 
It's a guarantee connection. If your SWC is 2 hours late or more, they will make an announcement and will deboard at probably San Bernardino and bussed to Bakersfield, get on San Joaquin train and ride north to one of Bay area stations and then wait for Coast Starlight. If it's a little late, CS may hold at LAUS. You might want to ask your conductor about it.
 
When you book a sleeper with AGR points you have until the time of departure to cancel and get your points back.

If the SWC is late, Amtrak will probably put you on the San Joaquin to Emeryville to catch up with the Starlight. If you choose to take the next days train, plan on paying for a hotel on your own dime in LAX.
 
I wouldnt book the second Award either!As was said, Amtrak will get you there, no-one likes to ride a Trainsitution/Bustitution thorugh the desert, but it beats sitting in an Airport for days like has been known to happen! The SWC is usually one of the most dependable of LD Trains and seems to be improving again now that the raton situation has been resolved!

Your odds of catching the CS as booked are way High, better than Vegas or any so called "sure thing!" Save your points for another trip! :cool:
 
Not only am I ticketed for the SWC and the same day CS, I am hoping to get to Phillipe's for a lamb french dip :giggle:
 
RRrich said:
Not only am I ticketed for the SWC and the same day CS, I am hoping to get to Phillipe's for a lamb french dip :giggle:
Click to expand...
With just a 2 hour window, you may have to bring that Bad Boy back to the station and either savor it in Traxx or christen the PPC with it :)
 
printman2000 said:
Yeah. We were like 6 hours late.

http://discuss.amtra...iew__getnewpost

They took us off in San Bernardino and bused us to Bakersfield. We then took a San Joaquin to Martinez to wait for the CS. It was really a bummer. Missed the part of the trip I was most looking forward to.
Click to expand...
Aloha

Wasn't that about the time that about a third of Arizona was on fire?
 
GG-1 said:
printman2000 said:
Yeah. We were like 6 hours late.

http://discuss.amtra...iew__getnewpost

They took us off in San Bernardino and bused us to Bakersfield. We then took a San Joaquin to Martinez to wait for the CS. It was really a bummer. Missed the part of the trip I was most looking forward to.
Click to expand...
Aloha

Wasn't that about the time that about a third of Arizona was on fire?
Click to expand...
There were no fires affecting the SWC at the time. Late departure from Chicago and them locomotive issues caused it to be late.
 
I found myself in a somewhat similar boat in May when my Southwest Chief hit an elk in Arizona and we missed our connection with the Coast Starlight in LAX. My wife and I were booked CHI-LAX-SEA on a AGR reward. About 30 minutes out from LAX they announced that Coast Starlight passengers would be bused to Emeryville(!) That didn't sound like fun so I called up AGR on my cell and had them move the LAX-SEA segment of my trip to the following day. There were no problems doing so. On getting to LAX we exchanged tickets and then hooked up with friends in for the day.
 
Mackensen said:
I found myself in a somewhat similar boat in May when my Southwest Chief hit an elk in Arizona and we missed our connection with the Coast Starlight in LAX. My wife and I were booked CHI-LAX-SEA on a AGR reward. About 30 minutes out from LAX they announced that Coast Starlight passengers would be bused to Emeryville(!) That didn't sound like fun so I called up AGR on my cell and had them move the LAX-SEA segment of my trip to the following day. There were no problems doing so. On getting to LAX we exchanged tickets and then hooked up with friends in for the day.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great resolution and would be similar to what we would do (stay a night in LA on our tab) My concern though is what happens if sleepers for the next day's train are sold out? Thought it would be nice to have the insurance of having the next day's train booked ahead of time as long as points were refundable.
 
amtraknovi said:
Mackensen said:
I found myself in a somewhat similar boat in May when my Southwest Chief hit an elk in Arizona and we missed our connection with the Coast Starlight in LAX. My wife and I were booked CHI-LAX-SEA on a AGR reward. About 30 minutes out from LAX they announced that Coast Starlight passengers would be bused to Emeryville(!) That didn't sound like fun so I called up AGR on my cell and had them move the LAX-SEA segment of my trip to the following day. There were no problems doing so. On getting to LAX we exchanged tickets and then hooked up with friends in for the day.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great resolution and would be similar to what we would do (stay a night in LA on our tab) My concern though is what happens if sleepers for the next day's train are sold out? Thought it would be nice to have the insurance of having the next day's train booked ahead of time as long as points were refundable.
Click to expand...
That was a near-run thing for us too: just two roomettes left on the Starlight. I think at that point we could have gotten a partial point refund and gone in coach, or bitten the bullet and ridden the bus (I think we would have gotten a refund then too). I don't know if we could have tried moving two days out; our schedule wouldn't have borne that.
 
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