Amtrak Guest Rewards - National Train Day VIP Line For AGR Mastercard Holders

I mentioned this in another thread, but I thought I'd repost in its own thread...

Looks like they have done away with the free ticketing system they used at previous National Train Day events and moved to a first-come, first-served system. However AGR Masercard holders can bypass the lines altogether. Just hope mine arrives in time :) . Hopefully this will apply to anyone accompanying you as well.

http://www.nationaltrainday.com/events/chicago/

There will be no ticketing system this year, so be sure to arrive early! Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Exhibits open at 11:00 a.m. on May 12.

Are you an Amtrak Guest Rewards MasterCard cardholder? If so, follow the Fast-Track signs to skip the line and avoid the wait.

Looks like the same offer applies in NYC, LAX and PHL.

I'm going with friends and I wonder if I'll be able to get them in the same line with me. I spoke with chase and they are going to rush ship a card to me so it shoud arrive some time this week.

The priority line at LAX was fantastic. During my break from volunteering at a table, I observed the regular line stretching far into the passenger tunnel, past the sign indicating a 60-minute wait.

After having credentials checked downstairs from the platform, CC holders were able to walk directly up to the platform, where they could merge into the original line (which led to the private cars), or step right onto the Amtrak or Metrolink cars with no wait, or check out the other equipment on display.

There was literally no wait at all, while I'd imagine that wasn't the case at NEC stations.

There was literally no wait at all, while I'd imagine that wasn't the case at NEC stations.

I can't speak for NYG (although a couple of videos indicated longer lines), which is to say Grand Central Terminal in NY City, but down in Philly I don't think that the regular line every got much past the 15 minute mark. I know that the 30 minute signs & the 60 minutes signs never got put out at all.

And for those with the AGR Mastercard it was walk to the head of the line and go down the stairs. Occasionally they'd hold up a few people in the AGR line to let a few general people to go, but I rather doubt that any AGR member ever waited more than 2 or 3 minutes in line, prior to hitting the stairs down to the exhibits.

Once in the exhibits it was a different matter, one pretty much walked straight through the Acela consist which was first (especially if one rides regularly like I do), but then upon exiting things slowed down for the rest of the cars. Took about 10 minutes to walk between the Acela and the first open car in the next consist.

Ps. I'm sure that if indeed the wait was much worse in NYG, that part of the problem there was the same issue that plagued DC last year, that being the 40th Anniversary train's presence.

There is simply so much to see and look at, plus a few hands on exhibits within the Anniv train that it just slows movement of the line to a crawl.

Another benefit for mythical S++ tier: front of the line access to the NTD exhibits, in line with what AGR MC holders get.

I'm telling you guys, S++ would be a very good tier indeed! :D

Another benefit for mythical S++ tier: front of the line access to the NTD exhibits, in line with what AGR MC holders get.

I'm telling you guys, S++ would be a very good tier indeed! :D

Frankly they could have already offered the benefit to S/S+ with likely minimal incremental impact. There are probably some S/S+ corporate clients who don't have the CC and could have hypothetically felt slighted by being excluded. But that would have muddled the marketing message: The VIP line was all about driving new client acquisitions for Chase, not for AGR to reward loyalty. It's unfortunate, but loyalty programs heavily depend on banks for revenue through their huge point purchases.

In short, Chase was in the engineer's seat here, not AGR.

In short, Chase was in the engineer's seat here, not AGR.

Terribly sad, but makes sense. :(

The priority line at LAX was fantastic. During my break from volunteering at a table, I observed the regular line stretching far into the passenger tunnel, past the sign indicating a 60-minute wait.

After having credentials checked downstairs from the platform, CC holders were able to walk directly up to the platform, where they could merge into the original line (which led to the private cars), or step right onto the Amtrak or Metrolink cars with no wait, or check out the other equipment on display.

Ah, I didn't realize this -- the signage wasn't entirely clear, such that it looked to me that credit card holders were only able to join the regular line somewhere in the middle between the "30 minutes" and "45 minutes" signs (because that's where the sign mentioning the priority line was -- didn't see anything closer to the head of the line).

Did you see a fair amount of CC holders who did manage to figure it out (or ask someone, which I did not manage to do)?

Oh, well, at least I know for next year if they do the same promotion.

I did go to one of the cooking demonstrations that were held in the old restaurant area, and of course spent much of that time thinking, "This would be an awesome spot for a Metropolitan Lounge!"

Chicago's Chase AGR line was pretty convenient, but I doubt I would have known about the shorter line had I not read about it on the train day website. As far as I could see there was just the one sign at the front of the line, so if you were at the end of the regular line you might not even see it until you got all the way to the front anyway. The AGR line had no wait, the regular line looked like it was typically running anywhere from 15-45 minutes.

The Chase AGR line only applied to the Amtrak equipment and the private rail cars that were in the same area.

The other side of Chicago Union Station had a freight display and exhibit cars right by where the excursion train boarded. That side had no Chase AGR line and had a 15-30 minute wait pretty reliably throughout the day. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the freight display because my excursion train was leaving and I wanted to get a good seat.

When I have time I might post some other thoughts on train day, but for the most part it seemed pretty well received.