Passenger Trains > AAA vs AARP discount on Amtrak

I currently use my AAA membership # to get a 10% discount when I book Amtrak trips; this discount only applies toward the coach price.
Does the AARP (American Association of Rail Passengers) discount apply in the same way, or can that discount be applied to Sleeper fares?

Any info is appreciated.
BJR

BJRubino wrote:
>
> I currently use my AAA membership # to get a 10% discount when
> I book Amtrak trips; this discount only applies toward the
> coach price.
> Does the AARP (American Association of Rail Passengers)
> discount apply in the same way, or can that discount be applied
> to Sleeper fares?
>
> Any info is appreciated.
> BJR

First of all, I think you were referring to the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP). AARP is the American Association of Retired Persons. While AARP does happen to offer many travel-related discounts, Amtrak is not included (Amtrak has 15% off for all seniors as it is).

As for NARP, the discount works exactly the same way as AAA. 10% off best available rail fare, and any accommodation charges must be paid in full. If you have both and you're not booking at amtrak.com, use AAA, since most live ticket agents have no clue how to do the NARP discount (but if you want to use it, tell them to look up G/PRO/NRP and X548).

Not one of any promotional or ongoing discounts Amtrak offers applies to accommodation charges for business class, first class, sleeping cars, etc. Just the coach fare. If you purchase a coach ticket on a long-distance train and you are very lucky, you might get a call from Amtrak offering a bedroom at a very reduced rate if your train is nowhere near being sold out. Last summer, I booked a coach ticket from LA to Emeryville and back on the Coast Starlight online at amtrak.com using the RailSALE (which is a very deep discount -- it was only $25 each way). Then Amtrak called me and offered a bedroom at $75 extra each way, which was 50% off. So I paid $200 for a trip that, in reality, should've cost about $410!

Matt,

You beat me to it!! I just realized the mistake I made (AARP vs NARP)...I did mean NARP. Thanks for the info; I use my AAA discount, but I wanted to be sure that the NARP was the same. Too bad the sleeper is not included in the discounts.

Thank you,
BJR

How long does it take for NARP to get membership materials
sent out? I mailed a check to join in December, and it
cleared 1/7/02, but I haven't seen anything yet. It's not
real urgent, but I booked two round trips in January where
I could have gotten a discount, if they would tell me what
my membership number is.

e-mail <narp@narprail.org> Jane Colgrove is Membership Director
website is www.narprail.org
phone: 202-408-8362