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It appears "Dr. Hale the Other" is roundly of my long standing "more positives than negatives" persuasion.
Train Granny Member # 30118
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I guess so, GBN! I think it will grow on him. Next time, a bedroom rather than a roomette will help! (I think several of you tried to tell me that... didn't you?)
notelvis Member # 3071
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And getting the bedroom is a reason for accumulating and saving those AGR points!!!!!
Can't wait to hear about your next trip. Out of curiousity, are you also taking the train to Washington from Savannah or are you making that portion of the trip on I-95?
Train Granny Member # 30118
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: Out of curiousity, are you also taking the train to Washington from Savannah or are you making that portion of the trip on I-95? [/QB]
David, That portion of my trip is courtesy of Delta airlines Skymiles. I have used the Delta credit card for years. Now, I'm thinking of switching to Amtrak GR card!!
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Dr. Hale, I would have figured you would have already held the Amtrak Guest Rewards (AGR) Master Card issued by Chase as I was all set to bring cash for my side of our Monday's check at Miller's.
Seems like everyone other than me has such. I have American Express that accumulates reward points only if I wish to pay more than the Senior Citizen annual fee ($55) and Capital One Visa that does accumulate airline mileage points. However, last year I gave them to the Red Cross for a Charitable Contribution tax deduction.
I'm simply not in the "point chasing" business. Funny, but I run into people away from here that are; it appears that on my return from Atlanta, I tied up at a Holiday Inn Express in Marion IL, but this property is getting kicked out because there is another property being built within Marion that Intercontinental powers that be have deemed will give them more "yield' than this one. So they are to become a Best Western. I told the Manager, I'll continue to stay here "unless you go to pot" (BW is a very "loose" franchise; I normally stay away from them because in the past I found them to be quite "inconsistent").
I neither know nor care if BW has a rewards plan; I figure after having a three night stay at a "higher end" ICH property in Dunwoody on the trip just ended, I just might get a freebie from them this year in addition to the one I already got from Marriott.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Concur with Best Western - I have stayed in some really nice ones but then have also been in some 'rather sketchy' ones. They are not my chain of choice and are used only when no other place is available ...... or if the other available place is a Days Inn!
As for point chasing - I was not one of those until the AGR card came out. Once I realized that by using that card for things I'm normally consuming anyway that I could take more overnight train trips...... well..... at that point my point chasing skills began to improve. Riding the Carolinian for 34 miles simply to purchase a sandwich in the cafe with my card comes to mind.
Train Granny Member # 30118
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I've been an airline points chaser forever! I hardly ever pay for a flight because I use that card to pay my bills!! (I even pay my mom's assisted living monthly rent with it, so it adds up fast!) I'm thinking I must change to the AGR card, although the flights are really nice too since it's such a long way from Savannah to anywhere else that trains depart from!!
notelvis Member # 3071
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I agree that it's long ride from Savannah just to get to Washington where you can start connecting to other trains. At the time my wife and I were married in 1998 I had ridden on many of the Amtrak trains but had never gotten further west than Denver or San Antonio. (take that back.....I had been to Seattle on the Empire Builder....) My wife asked me why this was the case and I answered "Because it takes three days to get there from North Carolina." She responded with "Well why don't you just fly to Denver or Salt Lake City or Albuquerque and catch the train on from there?" I had never considered that before but have taken advantage of her suggestion many times since!
Some people here swear by Southwest Airlines, others swear at them, as a means of saving some money with airfare. I use them but will compare other options.
I would suggest that if you do switch over to the AGR card, you look into Southwest in and out of Charleston. There are probably non-stop (and thus less expensive) SWA flights from Charleston to both the BWI airport and to Chicago Midway.
From Chicago, the orange line 'el' trains take you downtown to the loop within a couple of blocks of Union Station.
At BWI, there is a free shuttle bus over to the BWI rail station where either Amtrak or MARC commuter trains can get you in to Washington Union Station within 30 minutes. Or you could take the light rail from BWI downtown to Baltimore Penn Station. Easy interface with Amtrak from the airport in both cities.
I've been itching to try St. Louis where the light rail from the airport goes right to the Amtrak station as well but haven't had the time or compelling reason to work St. Louis in since the new Amtrak station was completed there.
I'll add that Albuquerque is an 'easy get' from the airport to the train station as well. A city bus departs the airport about every 30 minutes and it's an interesting 15-20 minute ride downtown to the Alvarado Transit Center..... the city bus hub..... which is located next door to the station Amtrak shares with Greyhound.
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(I think several of you tried to tell me that... didn't you?)