Thruway buses and AGR

[wayman]

Does travel on Amtrak Thruway buses yield AGR points? If so, do AGR modifiers (double points, Select bonus, etc) work exactly the same on bus points? Do bus points count as "Rail Points" towards gaining AGR Select status?

Does it make a difference if the bus ticket is on the same reservation number as a train ticket or if it is by itself?

(Yes, I have one of each for my upcoming trip. LVS-LAX is the first leg of a longer reservation, but LAX-LVS is a separate reservation for the same day as I arrive by train into LA, since the system wouldn't guarantee the connection.)

 

[Trogdor]

There's nothing on the AGR website (that I could find) that indicates any Thruway bus exceptions. If it's printed on Amtrak ticket stock, it should get you points. Keep in mind that the timeframe for posting may be different, though.

When I used Thruway buses to travel to Vancouver, the points would often post a month or two late (and even have the incorrect travel date on them). When I traveled on Thruway buses to/from San Francisco, the travel date was correct, but one of them posted a month late.

Bottom line, I guess, is that they should count, but if you're traveling close to the end of the year and are counting on those points to get you into Select or Select Plus, be careful because they might not post for the correct date.

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, Thruway buses give the 100 point minimum! I'm not sure if they count towards status - but I would think yes! (There's no other way to get from LAX to the SJ at BFD!)

But I have a question: How did you get the LAX-LVS or LVS-LAX segments separately? :huh: Don't they say "Book with Train"? :huh: Also, there is a bus from the SWC at KNG to LAS. (That IS a guaranteed connection.)

 

[wayman]

But I have a question: How did you get the LAX-LVS or LVS-LAX segments separately? :huh: Don't they say "Book with Train"? :huh: Also, there is a bus from the SWC at KNG to LAS. (That IS a guaranteed connection.)

For LAX-LVS, I just put that itinerary into amtrak.com and the Thruway bus showed up. It let me book it by itself... I have no idea why (but I'm glad it did)! When I put BFD-LVS in (the other California to Las Vegas bus), it won't let me book it by itself. This is all very odd. Since I am traveling into LAX by train the same day as I'm taking the bus out, I doubt I'll run into trouble, but since I'm arriving into LAX on the Sunset Limited, I can see why they don't want to guarantee that connection.

And I can't do the bus from Kingman since I'm returning via the Sunset Limited.. Yes, for taking the SWC east I could take the bus to Kingman and shave a day off my vacation by leaving a day later to arrive in St. Louis on the same date, but ... why shorten my vacation?

I'd forgotten the detail that AGR points are calculated by leg instead of total itinerary, such that if you're taking a train and a bus, and the total fare is $150 (which would give you 300 AGR) but the train is $110 and the bus is $40, you actually get 110x2+100=320 AGR. That means I get even more points (and more importantly, more "rail points", assuming I can make sure they post for the correct date).

 

[wayman]

Bottom line, I guess, is that they should count, but if you're traveling close to the end of the year and are counting on those points to get you into Select or Select Plus, be careful because they might not post for the correct date.

Great to hear--I'm actually counting on them for my "rail point" total, so I'll try to make sure they post with the correct date.

That reminds me, I have PHL-CRH/CRH-PHL and PHL-ACY/ACY-PHL trips which never posted (New Jersey Transit trains, but Amtrak ticket stock and reservation numbers that also covered PAO-PHL-PAO tickets on the same itineraries which did post). Need to find a time to call AGR, after I dig out the ticket stubs! If those post, I'm another 400 points closer to Select

 

[sechs]

I received 100 points for the thruway bus *between* the two Stockton stations. In additional to counting towards status, it got tripled under a promotion at the time.

Three hundred points for about a five minute bus ride isn't too bad....

 

[p&sr]

But I have a question: How did you get the LAX-LVS or LVS-LAX segments separately? :huh: Don't they say "Book with Train"? :huh:

You could always book the Surfliner to or from Glendale or Fullerton...

Then you DO have a Rail Segment as part of your Las Vegas trip!