Guaranteed Connection between Texas Eagle and Heartland Flyer?

Oklahoma is one of the last two of our States I have yet to visit. I would like to do so using the services of the Texas Eagle and the Heartland Flyer, neither of whose itineraries I have traveled.

The connection at Fort Worth is my concern. Better to try the Texas Eagle Northbound or Southbound in order to be sure I can transfer from one train to the other on the same day?

If the connection does not work in either direction on my day of travel, are Amtrak's "guaranteed connection" amenities available? If so, at Fort Worth, what would those amenities be, if any?

Any information that I can learn is surely appreciated!

If it's booked as one connecting ticket, the connection is guaranteed. If it's a multi-city tickets or just two separate reservations, it is not guaranteed.

cpotisch said:

If it's booked as one connecting ticket, the connection is guaranteed. If it's a multi-city tickets or just two separate reservations, it is not guaranteed.

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Thanks for the reply. I am thinking that it would be a better plan to fly to Oklahoma City, taking the Heartland Flyer to Fort Worth, and making the Texas Eagle connection there. To do the opposite. I may find myself "biting my nails" if the Texas Eagle is running significantly late into Fort Worth, having to use the "guaranteed connection" amenities at Fort Worth if I miss the Heartland Flyer. That would have a negative impact upon my reservations in Oklahoma City as well on-going air reservations.

Opinions?

I did a Heartland Flyer to Fort Worth connection three weeks ago--also because Oklahoma was one of two states I had yet to visit--and made the connection with the northbound Eagle with no trouble even though the Flyer was an hour late. There is normally about a two hour window there and the Eagle was late into Fort Worth. For the record, Michigan was the other state I hadn't visited and, after taking the Eagle to Chicago connected with the Wolverine and went as far as Dearborn MI. You should have no trouble making your connection regardless of direction.

When I have traveled thru Ft Worth in the past, usually both of the Eagles are at the platform. The inbound HF had arrived before either Eagle has arrived. The outbound HF departs after the Eagles leave.

With the delays of late, I am not sure of the procedure. However, it is a guaranteed connection.

On one trip the HF was late enough getting in FTW to not make the connection to the Eagle. The passengers going south were taken all the way to Temple to catch the Eagle. Me and a few other passengers were taken off the HF at Gainesville and taken by taxi to Dallas to make the northbound connection.

Guaranteed connection amenities...you mean the nearest bus charter?

Devil's Advocate said:

Guaranteed connection amenities...you mean the nearest bus charter?

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Yeah, the word "amenities" seems a bit generous...

Right this very moment the #21 at San Marcos is almost 6 hrs late and the #22 at Marshall is almost 4 hours late, so anything can happen at any time!

It is a very guaranteed connection. I have missed it twice. The first time pax we were put in a taxi van and shot north. I actually was stepping into my car at Norman just as the Flyer was pulling in! The second time was a very early morning ride in a black Suburban limo and the driver was kind enough to drop me right at the house! Hats off to Amtrak for protecting connections!

I believe the TE and the Flyer is a guaranteed connection. Like you,I have yet to set foot in Oklahoma. Alaska is my last holdout. Ill be doing an Amtrak trip in November. Ill be taking a roundabout trip from Chicago to LA via the TE to Fort Worth,The Flyer to Oklahoma City,a thruway bus to Newton KS to connect with the WB SW Chief then on to LA. Little out of the way but I can ride the Heartland Flyer one of my last holdouts and travel through Oklahoma.

cpotisch said:

Devil's Advocate said:

Guaranteed connection amenities...you mean the nearest bus charter?

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Yeah, the word "amenities" seems a bit generous...

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Don't disagree. I just could not think of any better word to type at the time.

Dakota 400 said:

cpotisch said:

Devil's Advocate said:

Guaranteed connection amenities...you mean the nearest bus charter?

Click to expand...

Yeah, the word "amenities" seems a bit generous...

Click to expand...

Don't disagree. I just could not think of any better word to type at the time.

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Fair enough.

Just out of curiosity; if the guaranteed connection is missed in Fort Worth and it is too late to transport by bus or limo, what hotel or hotels does Amtrak use?

Don't know, but I expect they'd have an arrangement with the same hotel(s) they use for crew layovers.

BuffaloBoy said:

Just out of curiosity; if the guaranteed connection is missed in Fort Worth and it is too late to transport by bus or limo, what hotel or hotels does Amtrak use?

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They will run a vehicle no matter what the time is; my last missed connection had me arriving Dallas at 1 am where the Suburban limo was standing by.

cpotisch said:

If it's booked as one connecting ticket, the connection is guaranteed. If it's a multi-city tickets or just two separate reservations, it is not guaranteed.

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This is interesting information. What is the source? Did you find this on Amtrak's website? If so, could you please guide me to the right page?

Woodcut60 said:

cpotisch said:

If it's booked as one connecting ticket, the connection is guaranteed. If it's a multi-city tickets or just two separate reservations, it is not guaranteed.

Click to expand...

This is interesting information. What is the source? Did you find this on Amtrak's website? If so, could you please guide me to the right page?

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This is a well known fact. If you book it on one reservation, Amtrak has to take care of you if you miss the connection. For two separate reservations, Amtrak does not have to do so, since they did not guarantee or allow that connection. And it says at the top of the page if you're booking a multi-city that the connections are not guaranteed.

cpotisch said:

Woodcut60 said:

cpotisch said:

If it's booked as one connecting ticket, the connection is guaranteed. If it's a multi-city tickets or just two separate reservations, it is not guaranteed.

Click to expand...

This is interesting information. What is the source? Did you find this on Amtrak's website? If so, could you please guide me to the right page?

Click to expand...

This is a well known fact. If you book it on one reservation, Amtrak has to take care of you if you miss the connection. For two separate reservations, Amtrak does not have to do so, since they did not guarantee or allow that connection. And it says at the top of the page if you're booking a multi-city that the connections are not guaranteed.

Click to expand...

If it's a well known fact then it should be easy to provide evidence of such. I've heard this claimed both ways but I've never seen anything in writing that confirms the actual policy in either direction.

Devil's Advocate said:

cpotisch said:

Woodcut60 said:

cpotisch said:

If it's booked as one connecting ticket, the connection is guaranteed. If it's a multi-city tickets or just two separate reservations, it is not guaranteed.

Click to expand...

This is interesting information. What is the source? Did you find this on Amtrak's website? If so, could you please guide me to the right page?

Click to expand...

This is a well known fact. If you book it on one reservation, Amtrak has to take care of you if you miss the connection. For two separate reservations, Amtrak does not have to do so, since they did not guarantee or allow that connection. And it says at the top of the page if you're booking a multi-city that the connections are not guaranteed.

Click to expand...

If it's a well known fact then it should be easy to provide evidence of such. I've heard this claimed both ways but I've never seen anything in writing that confirms the actual policy in either direction.

Click to expand...

From the multi-city booking page:

Making multi-city reservations on Amtrak.com is different than making one-way/round-trip reservations with the travel options that can be booked, allowing you to build a more complex trip with up to four different travel segments. Connections are not guaranteed. and you will be responsible for ensuring that you book trains that give you enough time to make connections. Missed connections are the passenger's responsibility.

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