Minn to Orlando or Orlando to Minn

[redbug119]

I'm thinking about going to visit my daughter in Minneapolis later this month, and was automatically thinking of going to Minn on Amtrak, then fly home. I have taken the Orlando to Chicago via Wash DC several times (but never the opposite direction), so was thinking about going Orlando to NYC, then over to Chicago, then Minn. Then I thought maybe the north to south route would be different - fly to Minn, Amtrak to Orlando.

I have points to use, but not sure how many (my acct is locked for whatever reason), but I think I have enough for at least 2 coach tickets, or one sleeper. Any suggestions on the better itinerary? I have seen quite a bit of Washington DC, so having that long layover between the DC train and Chicago train isn't hat important.

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Nice trip! Id recommend flying to MSP from Florida and taking the Train back for the following reasons:

1) Northbound from Florida the Silver Meteor #98 gets into Washington @ 7:21AM and often is Early! The Cap Ltd. #29 doesnt Leave for CHI till after 4:00PM/Arrives into CHI @ 8:45AM (and most of the Good Scenery is in the Dark)so youd have most fo the Day to wait in the Club Acela! The Empire Builder#7/#27 Leaves for MSP @ 2:15PM/Arrives @ 10:30PM.

2) If you travel Soutbound from MSP-CHI on the Empire Builder#8/#28 you will Leave for CHI ( from Midway Station/the New St. Paul Union Station isnt in Service yet!) @7:50AM and Arrive in CHI @ 3:55PM. (If on Time/when the Builder runs Late Amtrak Sometimes sends MSP Pax to CHI on a Bus!) The Cap Ltd. #30 Leaves @ 6 :40PM, arrives WAS @ 12:40PM(youll see the Good Scenery in Daylight into WAS) The Silver Star #91 Leaves @ 3:00PM for Florida,(Amtrak and AGR now allow this Connection) the Silver Meteor #97 doesnt Leave until 7:30PM!

This doesnt work going EastBound on the lake Shore Ltd. #48 to New York since it arrives after dinner and you would have to spend the Night in NYC since the Flkorida Trains will have left before the LSL Arrives! It will work NorthBound if you Ride the Silver Meteor #98 to nYP(Arrives @11:06AM) and catch the LSL#49 to CHI(Leaves @ 3:45PM/Arrives CHI @ 9:45AM)

A 2 Zone Roomette Award from MSP-ORL would be 20,000 Points (19,000 if you have the AGR Master Card) and would cover 2 People and All Meals in the Diner! Coach Awards are per Person and are not a Goiod use of Points! Is there some reason your AGR Account is Frozen? You need to call and find out why and How Many Points you Have! You can also Buy up to 10,000 Points a Year for 2.75 cents per Points! (10,000=$275!!)

 

[Acela150]

I would suggest going on the Silver Meteor to New York, then hop on the Lake Shore Limited west to CHI. Me personally I would rather spend a few hours in NYC then DC. I've gone sightseeing in DC and found that it takes most of the day to see the good stuff. Capitol Hill, The Washington Monument, White House, etc. NYC while pricey has a ton of food, and you'll never run out of stuff to do.

My suggestion is book ASAP!! It's the summer and Sleeping Accommodations are hard to come by. So check train availability! 98 could have a roomette open for the taking but the Cap or LSL may not!

 

[redbug119]

Thanks to everyone. I found my last email from Amtrak GRC and I have 27,941 points. Since I have spent more time in DC than NYC, I think I'll go the Orl to NYC and then take the LS, as I've never been on either of those lines. I noticed that southbound, the NYC train did not allow for a connection.

Not sure why my account is locked out, altho I suspect its because I used the wrong email address trying to sign in. And of course the office is closed today for my "something else" choice on the phone tree.

 

[redbug119]

I also have another question. When I look on the booking site, sometimes I see the exact same trip itinerary lsited twice, same times, same trains for the same $..Also, for the Empire Builder, they have 3 trains listed, 807, 7 and 27. All have the same arrival and departure times. What is the difference?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I also have another question. When I look on the booking site, sometimes I see the exact same trip itinerary lsited twice, same times, same trains for the same $..Also, for the Empire Builder, they have 3 trains listed, 807, 7 and 27. All have the same arrival and departure times. What is the difference?

This is also true on the Texas Eagle #21/#421/#321#22/#422/#322 and the Lake Shore Limited #49/#449/#48/#449. They are all the Same Train but because of System Limitations in Arrow and Amtrak.com they are Listed as Different Trains for Booking/Ticketing Purposes! In the case of #7/#27/#807, Train #7 from CHI-SEA is the Seattle Section of the Empire Builder, #27 is the Portland Section and #807 is a Coach from CHI-MSP that is cut off there! The Sections are Split in Spokane with #7 going to SEA and #27 going to Portland! They May have the Same Prices, many times they are Different, it is a Case of Supply and Demand and Revenue Management and where you are going to! This is why amsnag.net (developed by one of our members, Paul M.) is such a useful tool to check Fares for up to 30 Days @ a Time! Sometimes you can save Several Hundred Dollars just by picking the Right Day of Travel and the Right Section # on your Train(s)!

 

[chakk]

I would suggest going on the Silver Meteor to New York, then hop on the Lake Shore Limited west to CHI. Me personally I would rather spend a few hours in NYC then DC. I've gone sightseeing in DC and found that it takes most of the day to see the good stuff. Capitol Hill, The Washington Monument, White House, etc. NYC while pricey has a ton of food, and you'll never run out of stuff to do.
My suggestion is book ASAP!! It's the summer and Sleeping Accommodations are hard to come by. So check train availability! 98 could have a roomette open for the taking but the Cap or LSL may not!

New York, New York, is everything they say

And no place that I'd rather be

Where else can you do a half a million things

All at a quarter to three

 

[PaulM]

I agree with the idea of taking the SM to NYP and then the LSL to CHI. When the OP mentioned "Orlando to Chicago via Wash DC several times", I interpreted that as wanting something other than the CL. In my opinion, the main reason to take the train northbound is that you are much more likely to make the connection in CHI than southbound.

 

[redbug119]

A 2 Zone Roomette Award from MSP-ORL would be 20,000 Points (19,000 if you have the AGR Master Card) and would cover 2 People and All Meals in the Diner! Coach Awards are per Person and are not a Goiod use of Points! Is there some reason your AGR Account is Frozen? You need to call and find out why and How Many Points you Have! You can also Buy up to 10,000 Points a Year for 2.75 cents per Points! (10,000=$275!!)

Got up early to book my trip today (offices were closed yesterday) so I didn't miss out on a LSL sleeper, as I could tell they were going fast as previously stated. Altho Jimhudson made the above statement, it didn't register. I read it as since the train from NYC to CHI crossed 2 Zones, that sleeper would have cost me 20K points. While on the phone, I told the agent I wanted to use points for the LSL (a $520 sleeper) and jsut pay for the other one. He said "You want to pay for the SM sleepr", and I said "Yes, I don't think I have enough points to pay for both". I knew I had 27k points, was convinced I did have enough, and just threw the question out there hoping for whatever reason there was some deal I didn't know about. He says, yeah, 2 zones, sleepers both legs, 20K points. And then he told me I even had enough left for the CHI to MSP leg, in coach. Didn't use my points for that so my trip cost went down to about $100!! Had I known that, i would have booked my original dates, but had postponed it a week later to save $ on the SM sleeper. Turns out it would have been the same either weeks. But at 6 am, I wasn't thinking about that! All's well that ends well!

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

??? Don't have access to my laptop, but Orlando to MSP should be a two zone reward, no cash need. It sounds like you pay for some of it. Did I read it wrong or did I get the zones wrong. ???

 

[AG1]

Orlando to MSP is a two zone redemption that includes all trains on the route.There is no need to purchase part of the route with cash.

 

[redbug119]

You guys totally rock! :wub: Thanks to a pm from Just-thinking-51, I checked here and saw the concensus. Just got off the phone with Amtrak Rewards, and got a different girl who agreed that there was a mistake. She went off the find out who did it, came back and said she redid my reservation and credited by credit card. Doing the happy dance.

 

[pennyk]

You guys totally rock! :wub: Thanks to a pm from Just-thinking-51, I checked here and saw the concensus. Just got off the phone with Amtrak Rewards, and got a different girl who agreed that there was a mistake. She went off the find out who did it, came back and said she redid my reservation and credited by credit card. Doing the happy dance.

It certainly "pays" to be an AU member. :lol:

 

[Janet Merkt]

And... I thought I had told her coach on Chi to Minn was OK, since it's not an overnighter, then thought I should have had told her sleepr so I could get a free dinner, but thought oh well, not calling again. Just looked at my ticket to verify dates and see she gave me a sleeper anyway!!

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

I was wonder how they would book that leg of your trip.

I would not worry, I am sure someone will be waiting in MSP for you to leave your sleep, so they can get in and get going on their trip.