Originally Posted by
DCA writer
You mean buy a series of tickets for each pair of stations, and at each station hop off and then back on the same train? I hadn't thought of that... and doing a WAS-NCR-BWI-BAL-ABE run twice would take less time than going all the way to NWK and back on the Acela, in addition to costing close to $100 less. Hmm. @:-)
Except it seems like Amtrak should frown on this tactic--if you pulled that stunt to NYP and back, you could easily clock 800 points one way.
You can earn a maximum of 4 segments per day, and you need to board a different train. Segments 5+ will earn 0 points, and if you scan a second segment for the same train number you've already scanned, you'll earn 0 points for that, too.
So, the best you could do is WAS-NCR-BWI-NCR-WAS, taking four separate trains (and waiting the hour-ish between trains at each station) for 400 points. Rinse and repeat a few more times to get the points you need. It'll take you 4 days and cost you $120. Up to you if the time spent is worth it.
I agree with the others that the S+ benefits are pretty much worthless. The only reason I push for it is the UC access. Now, if AGR implemented even a small fraction of the
suggested improvements in this thread, one could make the argument that S+ is worth pushing for on its own.
