Free parking could help sway me - especially for a long airline trip!

Something much better than typical Amtrak service, I'd hope??

A very long time. Looking back, the first itinerary I have with the CO bus was in May 2001. A bus makes perfect sense for this route.

I am a huge fan of the ABE-EWR bus. First and most importantly, it always runs on time. Since it frequently takes 4-hours to fly ORF-EWR on a Q-400, the last thing I would want is to make connecting EWR flights from ABE via the air. Ground is just much more reliable, especially when connecting to evening international flights which tend to be immune from the standard EWR evening delays that create havoc with the Express flights. Also, for a longer trip, parking at ABE is safer and $12 less per day than airport parking at EWR. My only gripe is that I no longer earn EQM's for this bus-based flight:(

Prices from ABE through CLE or EWR are frequently less expensive than direct from EWR. Upgrades are also more widely available from CLE to the west coast than from EWR direct. I wish CO would consider an ABE-IAH route, at least once a day. Since changes in the ops schedule this fall, you can no longer connect from ABE to some west coast locations like SNA with a change in CLE & IAH. You now can only connect through EWR, which limits options and often seat availablility especially on the popular and frequently overpriced EWR-SNA route.

Since I fly from ABE frequently, I notice the tremendous delays for both USAirways and United to their hubs ABE-PHL and ABE-IAD respectively. I am just glad that I do not have to make those connections regularly. The bus works very well. I am sure there are other destinations like ABE-PHL that could benfit from a similar bus based flight approach, but I certainly hope the ABE-EWR route sticks for awhile.

This might be a good point for COInsider to weigh in on. I used to utilize the ZFV connection on a very regular basis and having it not be available on the website kinda stinks. When the people you spoke to said they were 'trying' to fix it, I wonder if they were talking about an internal problem with the booking software or if they meant Continental is deciding whether to keep this codeshare once they're part of *A.

ssm949---- I agree with everything you have said about the bus service but.....Why are you not recieving EQMs for this "bus flight". I just took it on the 29th and recieved EQMs. Maybe something to do with the fare class, but I would look into it further if I were you.

I couldn't decide if I should create a new thread or just add on to an existing one. I hope piggy-backing here is within FlyerTalk ettiquette.

I have a question about using the bus service. I see that if you arrive at EWR connect to an Amtrak train, you have to claim your own bags - which means that you can benefit from a lower fare to ZVF say, but actually end your trip at EWR.

My question is this: if you have a CO bus connection to ABE for example, do you claim your own bags or are they whisked onto the bus, thus preventing you from dropping your last segment?

If you book to ABE, your bags will be transferred to the bus automatically -- the bus "gate" is at C71 -- the same "gate" where the bus to the A terminal leaves from.

Thanks mht.

So can anyone confirm that having an Amtrak connection will allow you to collect you own bags at EWR and not oblige you to take your last segment?

Yes...that's true. There's no way to interline baggage from plane train or vice-versa. You could skip your last segment to ZFV however make sure you DON'T skip the Amtrak segment if it's in the beginning or middle of your itenerary.....well....let me clarify....you don't have to take the train but make sure you pick up your ticket or else the rest of your itenerary is subject to cancellation.

Thanks Steve, thanks everyone. It makes a huge difference knowing I can do this. The lowest fare I can find on a o/w non-stop PDX-EWR is $624. It drops to $181 for a PDX-EWR-ZVF. So guess which one I'm doing?

You're flying PDX-EWR and getting on that train?

A simple thread search would have shown that we (speaking for myself and at least a few FTers on this thread) don't advocate the publication of the ZVF trick, and most FTers don't condone (since it is a violation of the CoC) of your missing the last leg of your flight. I'm surprised that steve GadFly, being on FT longer than I have, noted such a scenario.

aacharya, you're absolutely correct and beat me to the punch.....when I saw the OP's reply, I was about to add an addendum stating how cheap and easy it is to park at any Amtrak station compared to the airport. If you look at my FM, I have taken EWR-ZFV at least 38 times (tied for my most traveled route) and I have used that train ticket every time (the only exception being when I land at EWR too late to pick it up and Amtrak cancels the reservation).

I didn't mean to make it sound like I was encouraging drop-out ticketing....I was only answering the OP's question that it's possible just like any other route.

Thanks for your comments and apologies if I unintentionally opened a can of worms. I can understand not wanting to publicize this particular fare discrepancy, though how you make it known that you don't want something talked about with talking about it is a little bit of a conundrum.:D

Would you like me to edit out all of my postings on this subject?

I do have another question in more general terms (and again if this should be spun off into its own thread, I'm happy to do that). My question is this: is there actual disapproval for taking advantage of this type of situation ("most FTers don't condone...missing the last leg" says aacharya)? When I found this fare on Orbitz, I thought it was more akin to stumbling onto a great miles run, a limited fare offer, a free hotel night or other similar deals. Isn't that the case? Or, is it, but it's simply not talked about?

Sorry if my question is a little naive, but I freely admit that I am willing to take advantage of great fares, knowing full well that I'll discard the return trip or last leg. Am I alone in thinking that this is a reasonable way around otherwise prohibitive fares?

I have a "flight" booked from ZFV on Oct 5th, and it ticketed as Amtrack to EWR and then EWR to SAT. I wonder if they are discontinuing it but I got in on one of the last services?

I sure hope they don't reticket me and make me fly from PHL. that would be a royal pain.