I'm after any advice from members of this forum on a trip to America next year. I retired earlier this as a safeguarded member and will be going from New York down to Miami via various cities on stop offs. I requested some assistance from Rstl prior to retiring who advised me to apply no earlier than 3 months in advance of travel. Now i took retirement after this correspondence and see that only safeguarded can apply for 1/2 fare travel, on the website it also says that retired staff who haven't used international coupons for this year can use them upto a certain time after retirement. Does anyone have any experience in dealing of this type of situation? If it means paying normal rate that's not a problem and i don't want to jeopardise losing my travel passes.
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Retired staff and Amtrak
- Thread starter Trisha
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Don't know about Amtrak, I'm afraid, but as far as your international coupons are concerned, in the year of your retirement, you are entitled to your full active staff allocation - less any you might have taken in the months before you retired. In the 45 months following your retirement date, you may also request one coupon per administration. Note that this is one coupon for the whole 45-month period, not one per year! In addition, there are a few administrations (SNCB, NS, CFL, FS and OeBB from memory) who continue to grant coupons to retired staff.
Zerothebrake!
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Those Amtrak vouchers can only be used for the highest available fare - and there are usually much cheaper alternatives online.. so they're pretty much useless now!
306024
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Retired staff also get a FIP coupon in Greece, Northern and Southern Ireland.
I did once use an Amtrak reduced rate staff card when active staff. Great fun. Only one member of staff (at NY Penn) had ever seen one, and one booking took half an hour to complete while the booking clerk phoned three different people to work out what to do. Never bothered again as on line bookings were easier and cheap bargains could be found if you were flexible.
I did once use an Amtrak reduced rate staff card when active staff. Great fun. Only one member of staff (at NY Penn) had ever seen one, and one booking took half an hour to complete while the booking clerk phoned three different people to work out what to do. Never bothered again as on line bookings were easier and cheap bargains could be found if you were flexible.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
The "confusion" of Amtrak booking staff on being presented with an UK rail staff discount card (at Washington DC) , confirms my recollections (it took 3 people to work out ow to issue a series of tickets to NYC. I guess they see very few of them.
Also retired , and there are no concessions once that happens. One assumes there are reciprocal arrangements , but I have never come across any of their staff on an UK train. As opposed to European staff - and who are often (in their own countries) , keen to glean information and hints on UK trains and routes.
Thanks for the replies, i have looked at other ways of travelling my proposed journey and it would seem to be more hassle especially trying to book seats at the time rather than in advance.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
We did NYC - Boston as part of a pre-arranged trip a few months ago - and the cost was rolled into a total holiday package.
We were told there were no reservations , and frankly the train was a bit of a free for all in getting seats , but then early Sunday afternoon is obviously a busy time. Amazing that the Amfleet stock is still in service from my very first trip in 1984 , but to be fair they are in good condition.
My experiences reflect those above. It’s not really worth the effort of applying for the rail staff discount. Caused confusion, and I the case of the agent selling to me at NY Penn, embarrassment when the fare they came up with was a single dollar less than the public rate that day to travel on the Cardinal. They were most apologetic. If you know your travel dates it’ll be much better value to book ahead on Amtrak website. Make sure the Conductor knows you are brethren though. I’ve had free coffee and great conversation through that in the past!
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Absolutely - still have an Amtrak tie pin gifted by a conductor on "Amtrak 7" - we had a long and useful chat, enlivened by listening to the dispatchers radio , working out where trains were and what the regulating moves were. One community.
306024
Established Member
Yes some of the Amtrak staff are real characters. It's the same in Canada, casually let it be known you are 'one of the family' and a whole world opens up.
ChiefPlanner
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Dare I say it - also on the NY Subway - a chance conversation with a conductor heading into work for the late shift , was superb in that he was a real fan on London rail , and we had a most enjoyable conversation regarding Thameslink and Crossrail. Both of which I have worked on / for. An earnest invitation to the crew room for a coffee followed ,which I was unable to do as I had a meet up with good friends. Gutted. (I did have a look at his diagram though , which was pretty productive for an 8 hour turn !)
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