How TQPs break down on multi-train itineraries?

[Tracktwentynine]

I have a question about how Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) work on multi-train itineraries.

I've never had to worry about this before, but now I'm dangerously close to making Select status this year, and I'm trying to figure out how many TQPs I'll earn for an upcoming trip to see how close it will get me.

I've booked a 3-leg itinerary for $306.

Starting at Oakland-Jack London Sq, I'm taking the San Joaquin to Bakersfield, connecting to an AmBus to Los Angeles, and then connecting to the Sunset Limited to Tucson.

I know Amtrak breaks this up by ticket, so I should earn more than 612 TQPs (2x $306). Because I'll earn a minimum of 100 points on the San Joaquin, right? Do I earn any points on the AmBus connection?

How do I calculate the difference in fare TQPs between the SJ and the SL and the AmBus?

Thanks!

 

[SubwayNut]

You will definitely earn more than 612 TQPs. It will definitely be slightly more than 700. But to be conservative just think about it as 700 and you'll get a few points on top. It's impossible to know the exact breakdown of those sorts of tickets until the points post.

The Thruway bus will earn you 100 minimum and the San Joaquin Train another 100 (could you start trip in San Francisco on Amtrak's Throughway bus for the same price, that would earn you another 100 points). The railfare OKJ-TUS (with a sleeping for the Sunset Limited) is $97, OKJ-TUS is roughly $45 meaning your paying rougly $52 for the two segment San Joquin segment so that's 200 points costing about $55 plus 2 points per $ spent for the Sunset Limited portion of your journey. You could also (don't ride more than 3 segments before boarding the Sunset) decide to stop for a couple hours on your trip down the Valley and have lunch in lets say Fresno (booking the San Joaquin as a multi-city ticket, a free stopover in under 24 hours) and earn an extra 100 points that way.

Sometimes the breakdown though just gives you the minimum for a major segment, like this 5 segment trip (earning me 500 AGR Points, points post the day trains leave) I took home from Chicago to NYP to get more stations on the Keystone Line (paid a through fare of $92.70 for):

07/05/2013 Lancaster, PA (LNC) - Philadelphia 30th St, PA (PHL) Hide Details

Ticket: #, Coach Class Unreserved , Price: $6.00
Train #: 0654
Reservation #:
Travel Earning TQPs 100 07/05/2013 Select Plus Point Bonus Other Earning 50 07/05/2013 Elizabethtown, PA (ELT) - Lancaster, PA (LNC) Hide Details

Ticket: #, Coach Class Unreserved , Price: $2.00
Train #: 0652
Reservation #:
Travel Earning TQPs 100 07/05/2013 Select Plus Point Bonus Other Earning 50 07/05/2013 Philadelphia 30th St, PA (PHL) - New York-Penn. Station, NY (NYP) Hide Details

Ticket: #, Coach Class , Price: $25.00
Train #: 0136
Reservation #: 08FBBC
Travel Earning TQPs 100 07/05/2013 Select Plus Point Bonus Other Earning 50 07/05/2013 Pittsburgh, PA (PGH) - Elizabethtown, PA (ELT) Hide Details

Ticket: #, Coach Class , Price: $25.00
Train #: 0042
Reservation #:
Travel Earning TQPs 100 07/04/2013 Select Plus Point Bonus Other Earning 50 07/04/2013 Chicago, IL (CHI) - Pittsburgh, PA (PGH) Hide Details

Ticket: #, Coach Class , Price: $33.00
Train #: 0030
Reservation #:
Travel Earning TQPs 100

Needless to say when this posted I wasn't happy of the even breakdown for my 3 major segments all about $25.00.

Going from Chicago to New York via Washington with a regional north on a $97 ticket back in 2012 became basically a 1 point per dollar breakdown (it's from 2012, This time I wasn't that unhappy because of the extra TQPs for segments over $30):

08/07/2012 Summer Well Spent - Travel Hide Details Earn bonus Tier Qualifying Points with our program partners and Amtrak travel.
Other Earning TQPs 100 08/07/2012 Select Point Bonus Other Earning 25 08/07/2012 Washington D.C., DC (WAS) - New York-Penn. Station, NY (NYP) Hide Details Ticket: #, Coach Class , Price: $40.00
Train #: 0176
Reservation #
Travel Earning TQPs 100 08/05/2012 Summer Well Spent - Travel Show Details Other Earning TQPs 100 08/05/2012 Select Point Bonus Other Earning 25 08/05/2012 Chicago, IL (CHI) - Washington D.C., DC (WAS) Hide Details Ticket: #, Coach Class , Price: $46.00
Train #: 0030
Reservation #
Travel Earning TQPs 100

 

[Tracktwentynine]

Thanks for the information, SubwayNut. I think I will probably make Select this year, then. I have another trip I might take, which would definitely put me over the top, but that trip isn't firm yet.

I'm not taking the trans-bay Ambus because I'm staying in Oakland. This isn't a points run, I was just wondering how many points I'd get, or if there were a way to calculate it directly.

 

[BCL]

When you were buying the ticket, there's supposed to be some sort of fare breakdown for the segments. However, I tried a sample booking and couldn't find any breakdown. I tried booking segments as a multi-city trip, and for a $144 total fare got $48 for the San Joaquin from Jack London to Bakersfield, $25.97 for the bus to LAX, and $70.03 for the Texas Eagle (couldn't find the Sunset Limited for that day).

You're supposed to get a minimum of 100 TQPs per segment up to 4 minimum points per calendar day. I can get 400 points just by going from Richmond to San Francisco and back. I'm done it in less than 2-1/2 hours, which involves two train and two bus segments. It's a minimum point accrual if the fare for the segment is $50 or less.

So for the sample I've got, it would be 100 points for the San Joaquin, 100 points for the bus trip, and 140 points for the Texas Eagle. However, if your fare is higher, you'll probably get more points.

When you check your account, you'll see what the fare breakdown is. The Capitol Corridor bus to San Francisco is assigned a $1 value, although I've seen different values when I checked my AGR transaction. However, since I joined AGR I think I had only one trip (besides 10-rides) that accrued more than 100 points.

 

[gatelouse]

Easiest way to see the fare breakdown before you book is by using multi-city and manually choosing the trains and buses you intend to ride. Note that AGR always rounds down to whole dollar amounts, so a segment valued at $100.99 will post as a $100 ticket and earn 200 points.