Amtrak Guest Rewards - New MET <-> PHL daily commuter

Hi experts,

I'm getting a new position in Philadelphia that requires me to travel from the Metropark area about 4 times per week. I've considered several options but would appreciate some help in sorting things out.

Option 1: Drive. Cheapest, but that's about 3 hours lost every day.
Option 2: Rent a room in Philly for a few nights per week. Probably most expensive with strain on the family life.
Option 3: NJ Transit from MET to SEPTA in Trenton to PHL. Cheap, but 2-hour commute each way as far as I can tell.
Option 4a: Monthly Amtrak pass. $1,116 per month but I get points. Don't have to worry about scheduling trips.
Option 4b: Advance purchase Amtrak tickets. About same price ($64/day), but rack up even more points. Have to hassle with purchasing individual tickets and there's no flexibility in which train I wind up taking.

Am I missing any other options??

I'm leaning towards option 4a. I take a bit of a risk if it turns out that I can spend less time in the office, but I hate to have to track all those advanced purchase tickets. I know I can't take the Acela, but are there other restrictions I have to worry about? Is there a way to get a monthly ticket discount?

I'll likely be purchasing my tickets with a payroll deduction through my new employer's commuter program, unless I can really save with the Amtrak credit card. Has anyone don e the calculation?

Any comments or thoughts on how I should approach this are greatly appreciated. It looks like I'll soon be a S+ member.

Thanks!!

4b is not a bad option either, if you will be able to use the rail points. It is not true that you have no flexibility on trains--all you have to do is refrain from printing out your tickets before you get to the station, and you have the option to change them up until the train leaves (via phone, mobile app, or internet). Yes, you will likely have to pay more than the advance fare if you make a last-minute change, but hopefully, you'll get familiar enough with your work/travel patterns that this won't happen too often.

The one real PITA for you is that there just aren't that many trains that stop at MET--one per hour, max, if you cannot take Acela. Based on that alone, I'd pick option 4b, because if you're on a normal office schedule you'll probably be damn sure to catch the train you're booked on so that you don't have to wait another hour for the next one.

Hi experts,

I'm getting a new position in Philadelphia that requires me to travel from the Metropark area about 4 times per week. I've considered several options but would appreciate some help in sorting things out.

Option 1: Drive. Cheapest, but that's about 3 hours lost every day.
Option 2: Rent a room in Philly for a few nights per week. Probably most expensive with strain on the family life.
Option 3: NJ Transit from MET to SEPTA in Trenton to PHL. Cheap, but 2-hour commute each way as far as I can tell.
Option 4a: Monthly Amtrak pass. $1,116 per month but I get points. Don't have to worry about scheduling trips.
Option 4b: Advance purchase Amtrak tickets. About same price ($64/day), but rack up even more points. Have to hassle with purchasing individual tickets and there's no flexibility in which train I wind up taking.

Am I missing any other options??

I'm leaning towards option 4a. I take a bit of a risk if it turns out that I can spend less time in the office, but I hate to have to track all those advanced purchase tickets. I know I can't take the Acela, but are there other restrictions I have to worry about? Is there a way to get a monthly ticket discount?

I'll likely be purchasing my tickets with a payroll deduction through my new employer's commuter program, unless I can really save with the Amtrak credit card. Has anyone don e the calculation?

Any comments or thoughts on how I should approach this are greatly appreciated. It looks like I'll soon be a S+ member.

Thanks!!

I do the commute from MET-WIL everyday (almost everyday unless I work from home). I have been doing it for 5 years! Now my take:

Option 1: Almost Impossible. Eventually you will stop on the NJTP and rip your hair and your clothes out :mad: if you do it everyday. It can be done occasionally especially when you have a very important meeting that you need to attend or miss a train. Invariably Amtrak breaks down on those important days (at least for me). Can't trust it!

Option 2: Plan on your spouse leaving you soon and kids forget you as a parent. Not doable for me!

Option 3: If you think Option 1 is bad then Option 3 is badder (lol). You will eventually break down and they will find you lying on the NJT station platform one day, unable to even get up! Forget about it. This option is for college kids who don't have anything better going on in their life so they text their way through this horrible experience.

Option 4a: Best option if money is no object especially since you are saving some with transit checks. You can use the monthly on almost all NERs except a few 2 digit long distance ones that usually end in Virginia etc. No sweat here since these are usually scheduled later in the day or midday. Can be a PITA if you have an morning doc appt or leave work early. Again there are other trains during those times. Cannot do Acelas.

Option 4b: Great option to save money, rack up additional points especially on AGR promotions that exclude monthlies. Requires a lot of co-ordination but very doable. For days when your schedule changes last minute you can always carry a 10-trip in your pocket which is valid for 45 days but somewhat expensive per trip. Again requires a lot of organization and stamina which comes with everyday travel experience.

I don't have the commuter program through my employer so everything goes on my AGR credit card. I rack up more points than I can use. You can even use these points for last minute trips when your schedule changes when you don't have a ten trip in your pocket.

Other points to consider:

1. In my case I will never do rail travel outside of the NE corridor. It is too damn easy and cheap to fly than to take a long distance train. AGR used to be able to let you transfer points to CO but that has stopped with UA so I have been using my points for last minute NER travel. Great bang for your buck especially on Fri afternoons.

2. You will be S+ member soon so you will be able to use the Amtrak lounge in PHL which has direct access to the track so you don't have to stand in the long lines in PHL with mere mortals. Plus you get chips & non-alcoholic beverages ;).

3. Wifi on the NER absolutely sucks :td:(read non existent) so get a 4G hotsopt on your phone.

4. Be prepared for equipment breakdown and people jumping in front of trains that cause considerable delays. As I said before if you have an important meeting that may cost you a promotion or job then just DRIVE on that day. No second thoughts!

5. The morning train schedule is pretty good from MET. It is the afternoon/evening schedule that is screwed due to most trains not stopping at MET. There is NER 148 at ~ 5:02pm and then a Keystone at ~ 5:17pm. Miss those and then the next train is at ~7pm (I think. Please double check)

Overall the trip can be a either okay or a miserable one and there will be days (many) when you wonder life's real purpose etc.:(

Good luck!

I know several people who commute daily or almost between NYC and PHL. Asked how they do it and get the uniform response:

1. Schedule 1 night mid-week when you stay over.

2. Keep an overnight bag at the office. When things pop up, weather and other bad stuff stalls Amtrak, spend the night. Happens 3-4 x / year , but the stress relief associated with knowing that you've got a backup plan is significant.

Thank you all for the great info. I've got family in Philly for the occasional overnight. My youngest is off to college in a year and my spouse works near the MET station. So, it might be fun to get a place in Philly and commute in the other direction. Which brings up another question: how wrong/hard is it to share a monthly?

Thank you all for the great info. I've got family in Philly for the occasional overnight. My youngest is off to college in a year and my spouse works near the MET station. So, it might be fun to get a place in Philly and commute in the other direction. Which brings up another question: how wrong/hard is it to share a monthly?
Well it is definitely against the rules, so it is unethical IMO.

That being said, if you were to try it, if you were a same sex couple or had a gender specific name I think you might be fine (at first) and be able to do it without getting caught.

But if you a woman and trying to use a ticket with the name of John on it (or other very common male name), you might be asked for ID. Vice versa, if you are a man and using a ticket for Sally, you might be asked for ID. If the ID doesn't match the ticket, the ticket can be confiscated and you will be booted from the train.:td:

of course the other thing to consider is that many of the conductors start to know the regular commuters, at least on some parts of the corridor. My H commutes PVD - BOS and he is a on a first name basis with the conductors on the 66. I don't know if it is like that farther south.

I agree with amamba that many of the conductors come to know you since you are a regular. I wouldn't cheat as it is not worth it.

Isn't there a limit on TransitCheks (or whatever pre-tax deduction program you can use to pay for Amtrak and other mass transit)-- well below $1100 per month?

Isn't there a limit on TransitCheks (or whatever pre-tax deduction program you can use to pay for Amtrak and other mass transit)-- well below $1100 per month?

The maximum pre-tax deduction amount for transit is currently $125 monthly (versus $230 for parking expenses). Thank your Congressperson for that disparity. :td:

Isn't there a limit on TransitCheks (or whatever pre-tax deduction program you can use to pay for Amtrak and other mass transit)-- well below $1100 per month?

Well only $125 is tax free, but my H has a program through work where the full amount of his amtrak monthly pass is deducted from his paycheck and loaded onto a visa type card. He then buys the monthly with the card at the QT machine.

I figured sharing the monthly was vaguely evil. However, since we'll be commuting in different directions (each of us work at opposite ends of the line) then it's likely each of us will see a different set of conductors.

I guess this falls into the realm of buying tickets for friends and family to rack up the points or making reservations you're not likely to use just to lock in a cheaper bucket in case you will. The monthly will be used no more than a standard commuter traveling five days per week.

By the way, does a sold-out train affect your monthly pass?

No, sorry, sharing a monthly pass does not fall into that realm. Amtrak conductors routinely check ID. If the name does not match the name on the pass, it may be confiscated. Just don't do it.

By the way, does a sold-out train affect your monthly pass?
Nope, monthly pass holders are allowed to ride on sold-out regional trains. However, if the train is truly sold out, it would be kind to give up your seat and stand or sit in the cafe car since you don't have a reservation.