Amtrak credit card.

I go on and off with it. I just cancelled it again. There's no "menu" for redemptions because its gone the way of the airlines to demand priced awards. Book far in advance and on an off day and you can cash in points for decent rates. In peak seasons, forget it for cheap. 

The NEC used to be 4500 for regional and 8000 for acela each way, A 1 zone roomette was 15K, bedroom was 20 or 25. Auto train bedroom with a car was 40 each way. 

Now its that at a minimum. 

For 3-5 trips a year, just pay for it on an amex travel card or something like chase sapphire and use the points for whatever else you want. 

I use one, and have been able to travel free sometimes.  There is an annual upgrade which can get you a bedroom for the price of a roomette.

I have an Amtrak pass because I was already employed by Santa fe when Amtrak took over the passenger trains in 1971.  I get 12 free home road trips per year, and half fare on routes not on Santa Fe.  My wife gets half fare period.  The catch is that I have to wait until 24 hours before departure time to get a ticket with the pass.  So, for the Chief, I just get early reservations and pay (and earn points) if traveling with my wife.  I can take the chance on having to change the date or ride in a chair car if it's just me, in order to ride free.  But a long trip in a chair car is sometimes quite an experience these days.  The pass is helpful in short-haul corridors like the NEC, San Diegans, Internationals, Illini, etc., as they are rarely sold out.

Number 90 posted:

 The pass is helpful in short-haul corridors like the NEC, 

We do a fair number of Philadelphia to Boston runs. 

I'm not sure of the exact rewards (the card is in my wife's name), but I can tell you that we travel via Amtrak twice a year... for free.  Living in Pittsburgh, the trip between here and Chicago and here and DC, we get a roomette.  We use that card.... a lot.

mjrodg3n88 posted:

I'm not sure of the exact rewards (the card is in my wife's name), but I can tell you that we travel via Amtrak twice a year... for free.  Living in Pittsburgh, the trip between here and Chicago and here and DC, we get a roomette.  We use that card.... a lot.

That is encouraging. When you first sign up, you get 20,000 bonus points if you charge at least $1,000. within the first 3 months. I joked to my wife that those probably would be good for a free ride from Philadelphia to Wilmington, Delaware.

I've got one and use the points mainly for trips from Newark to Williamsburg to see the grandkids. Usually covers about three free trips a year. Depends on how much you charge. You get double points on Amtrak purchases on the card inclluding a cup of coffee in the cafe car. My last trip the card reader went down, it certainly put a crimp in sales, speaks about today's culture when everyone whips out a card for a dollar purchase.

I have a Bank of America Amtrak card. I like it. I have received some big discounts. I am also a Amtrak select member.