Frustrated with car rentals at St. Paul, MN station

[taking the cars]

My wife and I have started regular trips between Dearborn, MI and St. Paul, MN. The westbound EB gets in after 10:30 p.m from Chicago. The Hertz desk at the station closes at 6 p.m. (before the train arrives). Enterprise's "we'll pick you up" doesn't work after 6 p.m. We usually end up taking a taxi to our hotel, which is a mile from an Enterprise office, and get a car in the morning. On the return we drop the car off the night before. This is somewhat limiting, but we have built it into our itinerary and budget.

The next trip will be at Thanksgiving and unfortunately we will be getting in on Wednesday night. No rental agencies are open except at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport on Thanksgiving. We solved this problem by planing to take a Metro bus to a new Metro light rail station and then the light rail to the airport. The cost is less than two bucks each and will take about an hour--a little travel adventure within our Amtrak adventure. This is a day after and day before departure process.

I find in frustrating that you cannot pre-arrange and pre-pay to have a rental car waiting at the station. Seems like Amtrak would want to encourage connections of this type for its riders. I also wonder if in the case of St. Paul, there is a small private car rental agency that would do this.

Is this a problem at other Amtrak destinations?

 

[alanh]

Unfortunately, yes. The nearest car rentals to the train stations tend to be the in-town "local edition" offices, which usually keep business hours 9-5 M-F. Some aren't open on weekends. They aren't willing to rent any more without an agent checking you in, so that pretty much requires an agent be present (and paid for his/her time). The number of rentals they get at most stations aren't huge, so unfortunately this leaves you pretty much out of luck.

 

[the_traveler]

I agree that it doesn't make sense! :blink:

I've never been inside MSP, but if Hertz has a counter in the station, why do they allow it to be closed when 50% of the trains that serve the station arrive? I could possibly understand it at (say) NYP where there may be 50+ trains a day, and the counter is closed when 1 of them arrive. But at MSP, it's closed when 1 of the 2 trains arrive (and it closes hours before that train departs)!

I'm not saying this is the case, but are you sure there is not another option available? Many years ago, I rented from Hertz in Reno. The rental location was a counter at a nearby casino - where the counter was only open until IIRC 5 PM. The reservation said the following:

We will reimburse cab fare up to $5 to (the rental counter). If you arrive after the counter closes, please proceed to the airport (to pick up the vehicle) and we will reimburse cab fare up to $10.

Perhaps MSP has a similar situation.

 

[Ispolkom]

What I find maddening is that if this Hertz desk *wasn't* there, there might be a cab refund to the airport, as there is in Providence and Savannah, for instance. But it wouldn't hurt to call the local Hertz operator and find out if there is such a cab refund after hours.

Are you familiar with the #16 bus? I wouldn't mind taking it at 10:30 p.m., but I really wouldn't recommend it to others. While I wouldn't say that taking it is unsafe, I'd call the #16 as the liveliest bus in St. Paul (cussing, drunkenness, transit police interventions). If you can afford it and are not interested in street theater, I'd suggest taking a taxi to the light rail.

Mrs. Ispolkom says that there is a sign at the Hertz desk that gives a number to call if the desk is closed. I'll stop by on the way home from work tomorrow and find out. Maybe there's a work around. I'd offer to pick you up myself, but we're going to be out of town.

 

[taking the cars]

Mrs. Ispolkom says that there is a sign at the Hertz desk that gives a number to call if the desk is closed. I'll stop by on the way home from work tomorrow and find out. Maybe there's a work around. I'd offer to pick you up myself, but we're going to be out of town.

Mr. Ispolkom,

Thank you very much. It is quite generous. I checked with the Hertz desk and the airport folks. They can't (won't) do anything and offered no real good explanation other than company policy. The cab ride to Roseville is not a great hardship and we've added the experiences to our adventure. In a pinch we have limited family options (they live too far from the station). I might add that we've met the nicest folks via Amtrak--your offer is evidence of that.

Sometime we'll have to try the #16 bus. It sounds like another interesting adventure.

I guess in return, I would be able to help anyone getting off at the Amtrak station in Royal Oak, Michigan if I am around. We travel via Dearborn as there is no good long-term parking in Royal Oak, which is ten minutes from our home. No charge in Dearborn and it right next to the police station.

 

[tubaia]

Luckily, my trips have been from St. Paul, going to Seattle, which arrives and leaves during business hours. However, I have noticed another problem with many of these downtown Hertz locations, and that is that they are more expensive than the airport locations. They tend to opt out of any specials that Hertz runs, so some rentals may cost as much as double what it would be if you arrived by airplane. And in many cases, the airport is much too far away in order to rent from there.

 

[Steve4031]

Car rentals and Amtrak rarely work well imho. Even in Washington, D.C. I wanted to rent a car with never lost gps last July at the Washington, Union Station location, and was told that could not be guaranteed. To be fair, I was calling from the inbound Capitol Limited, and this was at the last minute. I solved the issue by renting from Reagan.

 

[AlanB]

Luckily, my trips have been from St. Paul, going to Seattle, which arrives and leaves during business hours. However, I have noticed another problem with many of these downtown Hertz locations, and that is that they are more expensive than the airport locations. They tend to opt out of any specials that Hertz runs, so some rentals may cost as much as double what it would be if you arrived by airplane. And in many cases, the airport is much too far away in order to rent from there.

That's interesting. I've always found it to be cheaper to rent from anyplace but the airport. In large part because every airport slaps fees onto the rental car, and in most case the rental companies know that you are stuck. You either have to go to them, or cab it someplace else. I've always found the best rates off airport properties.

Granted I don't rent more than once or twice a year, if that. But still my experience has been just the opposite. And I'm a Hertz Gold Member too.

 

[taking the cars]

That's interesting. I've always found it to be cheaper to rent from anyplace but the airport. In large part because every airport slaps fees onto the rental car, and in most case the rental companies know that you are stuck. You either have to go to them, or cab it someplace else. I've always found the best rates off airport properties.

For our Thanksgiving trip, we settled on a vehicle from National--only available at the airport like all other sources on Thanksgiving Day. The price includes $50 in airport taxes!

 

[Ispolkom]

I stopped by the St. Paul Amtrak station on my way to a lunch meeting, and confirmed that there's no way to rent a car when the westbound Empire Builder arrives at 10:15 p.m. If you're arriving on the eastbound Empire Builder, you can rent a car in the morning, and there's a key drop-off so that you could leave the car at the station when you head home on the evening, west-bound Empire Builder.

This means that the Hertz hours are set up for the convenience of travelers arriving from Minot, No. Dak., rather than Chicago. You'd think that the latter group would give Hertz more business. I wonder if this Hertz office gets so much business from the neighborhood, or maybe the neighborhood offices always close so early.

 

[the_traveler]

It would seem to me that with only 2 trains a day (7:05 AM and 10:31 PM), the counter should be manned at each of those times! I've seen counters that are "closed 2-3:30 for lunch" or such. Or the counter hours could be something like "hours 6-9 AM and 9-11:30 PM"! Why eliminate 50% of the possible business? :huh:

And as said, I think there is more potential of someone needing to rent a car arriving from Chicago or MKE than someone coming from Minot or Wolf Point!

 

[tubaia]

That's interesting. I've always found it to be cheaper to rent from anyplace but the airport. In large part because every airport slaps fees onto the rental car, and in most case the rental companies know that you are stuck. You either have to go to them, or cab it someplace else. I've always found the best rates off airport properties.

For our Thanksgiving trip, we settled on a vehicle from National--only available at the airport like all other sources on Thanksgiving Day. The price includes $50 in airport taxes!

At least in Seattle, they still collect their taxes away from the airport. Also, there is more competition at the airport.

I have received decent prices in downtown Seattle from Hertz, but I was just checking prices in Denver the other day and they offered none of the usual specials that were offered at the airport. The downtown location didn't "qualify" for those specials.

 

[The Metropolitan]

You do have one other option, but it might not work for your needs or budget. There is a Zipcar parked at Minnesota State University which looks to be less than a mile from the station that could be prereserved. The rate is about $66 a day but that includes gas and insurance, so it is not too far off of an agency rental.

 

[the_traveler]

And Zipcar gives AGR points also!

 

[tp49]

I wonder if this Hertz office gets so much business from the neighborhood, or maybe the neighborhood offices always close so early.

I don't know per se if that location gets a lot of business from the neighborhood but generally speaking, having worked in the car rental industry the neighborhood locations generally deal with the replacement market for cars in the repair/body shop. Many of those locations also deal with corporate accounts which in St. Paul could be state agencies who don't have pool cars for travel or whatnot. They do not usually deal with the tourist type rentals and that's why generally they're only open from 7 or 7:30 to 5 or 6 at night to coincide with the hours those businesses are open. The airport is the best bet for better hours. I've also gotten numerous very good deals when booking a rental through hotwire or other such sites then from the rental company directly. It does pay to check both sites just to double check.

I would also note that if you call a local location to reserve a rental a lot of the time they make the rental figure up right off the top of their head and it's usually considerably higher then it would be if booked online.

 

[Tony]

Enterprise's "we'll pick you up" doesn't work after 6 p.m. We usually end up taking a taxi to our hotel, which is a mile from an Enterprise office, and get a car in the morning. On the return we drop the car off the night before. This is somewhat limiting, but we have built it into our itinerary and budget....

Is this a problem at other Amtrak destinations?

In other Amtrak destinations when my train arrived after 6pm, I have had Enterprise leave the car at my hotel, and they arranged for a taxi to met my train and take me to the hotel, at their expense.

Have you talked with the local Enterprise manager (not the CS reps at the "800" number)? I have found them to be pretty eager to please, resourceful, and have had previous experience working with Amtrak passengers coming in on later trains.

 

[alanh]

Re: specials, generally airline-associated coupons aren't accepted at local offices, but I can usually get AAA or Costco coupons accepted.

I'm renting from Hertz in downtown Boston using a AAA coupon for $5 off a daily rate. It's much cheaper than the airport rate with taxes, and I can still drop it at the airport. I'm staying overnight in Boston after arriving on the LSL, so the hours aren't an issue.

 

[taking the cars]

Have you talked with the local Enterprise manager (not the CS reps at the "800" number)? I have found them to be pretty eager to please, resourceful, and have had previous experience working with Amtrak passengers coming in on later trains.

Oh, yes, and he did not offer anything but the standard deal. I am a regular customer, and that didn't earn me any brownie points. Their loss is National's gain on this trip, and we get a chance to try the light rail.

 

[tp49]

Have you talked with the local Enterprise manager (not the CS reps at the "800" number)? I have found them to be pretty eager to please, resourceful, and have had previous experience working with Amtrak passengers coming in on later trains.

Oh, yes, and he did not offer anything but the standard deal. I am a regular customer, and that didn't earn me any brownie points. Their loss is National's gain on this trip, and we get a chance to try the light rail.

Ironically National is owned by Enterprise Holding Co., which also owns Enterprise and Alamo.

Next time I'd suggest doing this. If you get the "standard deal" tell the Enterprise guy that "you'll think about it and get back to him." Go onto the internet and see if the deal is better (9 times out of 10 it is much better). Book the reservation through the internet. You could also make the reservation through NATRES (the 800 number.) Call the branch the day before to confirm so that both they have the car and that they will make the appropriate arrangements for pick up at Amtrak.

The reason Enterprise employees are so eager to please (especially the managers) is because their salary bonuses are tied to something called ESQi. They want you to be nothing less then "completely satisfied" because if their ESQi score is below a certain percentage then no bonus. That's why when you return a vehicle to an Enterprise location they always ask if you were "completely satisfied." Just a little hint for the consumer to use to their advantage.

 

[saxman]

I've run into the same problem at MSP, where I had to get to airport to rent a car at 10:30 PM. However, I have seen this done at other Amtrak stations, such as Wisconsin Dells. Someone can call the local Hertz office in the area and ask to have a car dropped off at the station. I'm guessing payment was already made because when I was boarding the train in WDL, a Hertz guy came to drop off a car at the station. He left a copy of the contract and the keys with the station volunteer.

So if you haven't already, try calling a local Hertz office and ask if they can provide drop off service at the Amtrak station. Seems like many local car rental locations have different policies on this, so it may not work. But it might.

 

[stlouielady]

The last time I rented a car from St. Paul, I called Hertz, and I arranged to pick it up at the airport. Hertz reimbursed the cab fare to the airport, and I was able to drop it back off at the station. Granted, that was a few years back, and things may have changed since then, but, it was possible, at least at one time.