Amtrak Family Trip

[mtneer92]

Greetings all... I am retiring from the military after being in for 24 years and am planning a trip with my family... depends on the cost. I would like help from you in the best options... Below is what I would like to do...

Wednesday, July 13 Washington, DC to Mount Pleasant, IA

51 Cardinal (WAS-CHI)

Depart: 1100AM Wed Jul 13

Arrive: 1005AM Thu Jul 14

5 California Zephyr (CHI-MTP)

Depart: 200PM Thu Jul 14

Arrive: 559PM Thu Jul 14

Saturday, July 16 Mount Pleasant, IA to Denver, CO

5 California Zephyr (MTP-DEN)

Depart: 559PM Sat Jul 16

Arrive: 715AM Sun Jul 17

Tuesday, July 19 Denver, CO to Salt Lake City, UT

5 California Zephyr (DEN-SLC)

Depart: 805AM Tue Jul 19

Arrive: 1105PM Tue Jul 19

Thursday, July 21 Salt Lake City, UT to Emeryville, CA

5 California Zephyr (SLC-EMY)

Depart: 1130PM Thu Jul 21

Arrive: 410PM Fri Jul 22

Monday, July 25 Emeryville, CA to Phoenix, AZ

4784 Thruway Bus (EMY-SBA)

Depart: 605AM Mon Jul 25

Arrive: 145PM Mon Jul 25 Santa Barbara, CA

784 Pacific Surfliner (SBA-LAX)

Depart: 204PM Mon Jul 25

Arrive: 450PM Mon Jul 25 Los Angeles, CA

4 Southwest Chief (LAX-FLG)

Depart: 610PM Mon Jul 25

Arrive: 431AM Tue Jul 26 Flagstaff, AZ

8563 Thruway Bus (FLG-PHA)

Depart: 630AM Tue Jul 26

Arrive: 940AM Tue Jul 26 Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

Saturday, July 30 Tuscon, AZ to San Antonio, TX

2 Sunset Limited (TUS-SAS)

Depart: 815AM Sat Jul 30

Arrive: 450AM Sun Jul 31

Tuesday, August 2 San Antonio, TX to New Orleans, LA

2 Sunset Limited (SAS-NOL)

Depart: 625AM Tue Aug 2

Arrive: 940PM Tue Aug 2

Friday, August 5 New Orleans, LA to Atlanta, GA

20 Crescent (NOL-ATL)

Depart: 700AM Fri Aug 5

Arrive: 735PM Fri Aug 5

Sunday, August 7 Atlanta, GA to Washington, DC

20 Crescent (ATL-WAS)

Depart: 804PM Sun Aug 7

Arrive: 953AM Mon Aug 8

I will be using Veterans Advantage, AAA Adult (wife), student (15 year old son) and military child (11 year old son).

How does a 30 day 12 segment Rail Pass work? Does the above itinerary work, or will I have to modify? Does each time I change transportation count as a segment... if so, I may have to take out San Antonio...

I plan to get a rental car in some places (Denver, SLC, Emeryville, Phoenix, New Orleans and Atlanta) and see the National Parks and other sites.

Just curious as to what this will cost and if driving is better... I really don't want to drive, but, I also don't want to spend $10,000 on vacation... please help with some ideas... Thanks!

 

[KmH]

I think that to use all of those discounts you'll need to call Amtrak and so they can price it for you.

Your travel dates are at the peak of the high season, trains will have lots of passengers, and ticket prices will be about as high as they get with discounts.

Also as seats sell, the price of remaining un-sold seats goes up.

Book ASAP.

https://www.amtrak.com/children-discounts
Children Ages 2-12 Save 50%
Up to two children ages 2-12 are eligible to receive a 50% discount on the lowest available adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains with each fare-paying adult (age 18+)

Students 13-25 get 15% off an Adult fare.

https://www.amtrak.com/veterans-advantage-members-discount
Veteran Advantage
Passengers holding a valid VetRewards Card are eligible to receive a 15% discount on most adult rail fares on most Amtrak trains to any of our destinations.

Discount Limitations
Cardholder, immediate family members, spouses and dependents (up to seven persons total) are eligible to receive the 15% discount on most Amtrak rail fares.
The Veterans Advantage discount is not valid with Saver Fares.
The Veterans Advantage discount is not valid on weekday Acela Express trains.
The Veterans Advantage does not apply to Business class, First class or sleeping accommodation. These upgrades are permitted upon payment of the full accommodation charges. Note: The discount does apply to Business class rail fare on weekend Acela Express trains.
The Veterans Advantage is not valid for travel on certain Amtrak Thruway connecting services.
The Veterans Advantage is not valid on the Canadian portion of services operated jointly between Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada.
The Veterans Advantage may not be combinable with other discount offers; refer to the terms and conditions for each offer.
Additional restrictions may apply.

AAA members only get 10% off.

So you, your wife, and your student all get 15% off the Adult fare under Veteran Advantage, but only off the coach fare.

You'll pay full price for a roomette, but will get 15% of the coach fare every roomette passenger has to pay.

Many trains in July no longer have all the roomettes booked, so you would have to hope for a cancellation and get it book before someone else waiting for a cancellation..
Your 11 year old gets a smidgen more off as a military child then the normal child discount of 50% off an adult fare.

So an easy way to figure the price for each segment is to call it 3 - 62+ Seniors and 1 child that is 2-12.

Your first leg - WAS to MTP as a Value fare (15% off for you, your wife, the student, and military child for your 11 year old) and the applicable discounts is $606 on the Cardinal/CZ but only $447 on the Capitol Limited/CZ.

Sorry, you or someone else will have to price the rest of your proposed itinerary.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

How does a 30 day 12 segment Rail Pass work? Does the above itinerary work, or will I have to modify? Does each time I change transportation count as a segment... if so, I may have to take out San Antonio...

I plan to get a rental car in some places (Denver, SLC, Emeryville, Phoenix, New Orleans and Atlanta) and see the National Parks and other sites.

Just curious as to what this will cost and if driving is better... I really don't want to drive, but, I also don't want to spend $10,000 on vacation... please help with some ideas... Thanks!

I used the 30-12 Rail Pass last summer but only coach. You had mentioned roomette so they will clearly be accommodations upgrades to the advertised price.

Unfortunately I was unable to book on Amtrak.com. I had to call 1-800-USA-RAIL and book with them. Some of the ticket agents at stations told me I had to call them when changing reservations (I think LAX and CHI were able to make changes). Unless things changed, you also can't use e-tickets and have to use paper tickets which was a big problem when I missed my connection and had to wait in a long line to rebook. It was a hassle but you can't beat the price.

As for your question about segments, yes if you get off a train and get back on the same one it counts as two segments (I did that, getting off the CZ in SLC). Thruway buses also count as segments (I did Thruway from San Jose to Santa Barbara, then Pacific Surfliner). So your trip would require 13 segments.

If it's strictly coach seats, you should be fine with booking any trains and not worry about costs (and I booked relatively close to departure dates and chose four popular LD lines: LSL, CZ, SWC, CL) although with sleepers they could make you pay extra for one route over another (I would have no experience to answer if that is true or not).

 

[the_traveler]

To clarify about segments, anytime you get off a train or bus to connect to another train or bus, it is considered another segment. If you get off at a "fresh air (smoke) stop" to walk the platform but get on the same train, it is not another segment.

Your trip from EMY to SBA is considered 1 segment, and then you connect to the train to LAX. That is another segment. On your trip from TUS to SAS you get off the train at ELP to walk the platform during the stop but reboarded the same train before it departs, it is only 1 segment from TUS to SAS.

The pass only allows a certain amount of segments in total.

Compare the cost of the pass vs the cost of each individual trip, and see which costs less. Remember to include any discounts. As mentioned above, the others may qualify under the VA discount. 15% (VA) is higher than 10% (AAA).

 

[chakk]

I would substitute emeryville to la via a San Joaquin and a bus from Bakersfield to LA to connect with the SWC.

Shorter travel time and more comfortable ride than 6 hours on a bus from Emeryville to Santa Barbara

 

[B757Guy]

Thank you for your service