Does nobody ride amtrak because it's expensive as hell?

[mmntech]

VIA rail is crazy expensive as well. I guess it's because they have to pay the the crew, who are government employees. There's just no demand for rail because it is so slow compared to planes, and we'll never get the high speed trains like Europe and Asia have.

However, I do find the train to be a more civilized way to travel. Security is minimal, there's more leg room, the food served on board is far better and there's more variety. Flying, especially to and from the States, is just an awful experience these days.

 

[CA19100]

Southwest = 5 hours
Train = 40 hours

Sorry, IMO a room is the ONLY way to make it an equivalent product, otherwise air > train 99% of the time.

I understand what you're getting at, but coach on Southwest and coach on Amtrak aren't even remotely comparable in terms of comfort.

To add even more fun, Southwest has started installing new "slim" seats that let them shoehorn an entire extra row in the same airplane. I just rode on one of them with the new interior a couple of weeks ago from Chicago to Seattle, and it was four hours of pure torture when the guy ahead of me reclined for the entire flight, with a huge guy sitting between me and my traveling companion. I couldn't even sit up straight, let alone use my laptop.

Seat pitch on that flight was 31". Amtrak is 58-60". It makes a huge difference not being packed like a sardine.

I rarely do the train not because of the price, but because of the speed. A week of vacation isn't really going to work when it takes 8 days to get there and back! When I lived on the east coast, though, it worked well. I used the Auto Train several times, which I really liked.

 

[Ns1]

I understand what you're getting at, but coach on Southwest and coach on Amtrak aren't even remotely comparable in terms of comfort.

You're absolutely right, there is no way 40 hours in ANY seat could be as good as 6 hours in a tiny ass Southwest coach seat.

(I get your point, however).

 

[CA19100]

If only we could all afford a private jet. When is Powerball again?

 

[Lifted]

The US isn't a great example for rail travel. Regionally it works. NYC -> DC isn't bad. Round trip it's $100 regular, $180 business, $300 Acela. Round trip airfare in coach at a useful time will run $200. Acela is a zillion times better than flying, and with the additional time spent getting on a flight, it's faster and much less of a headache.

Taking a train further than 500 miles is a waste of time and money.

 

[Craig234]

I heard somewhere they're obligated to charge what the market will bear. IOW, if they're filling trains at at a high price level, the price needs to be high.

That's not that unreasonable. What is unreasonable is that Republicans want to destroy Amtrak and will do whatever they can to see them do badly IMO.

 

[Pulsar]

earplugs, eyeshade, ski hat (for warmth: they tend to keep the temperature fairly cool inside

If I saw someone putting in earplugs and pulling on a ski mask in the middle of an Amtrak train.....

Are you sure you're not just trying to get him arrested?

 

[Craig234]

I picked a couple of departure next month randomly (10/2 out, 10/8 return), and with the AAA discount, get $586.80 roundtrip for two tickets.

Two nonstop tickets on Southwest on those same dates come to $723.60.



That's not really an equivalent product, since you upgraded to the private room. It's a very nice way to travel, granted, but it's an upgrade. Similarly, you can buy two coach tickets to Dubai on Emirates on those same dates for $2548. If you want privacy in first class, they offer it -- but the price for the same trip jumps up just slightly to $52,598.

What kind of economy do we have that some people can afford that $52,598 for that?

 

[Craig234]

It was the same way in Europe too to most places. Train from Italy to France would of been $1000+. Flight? $150-200.

Train from Italy to France is worth it. Prettiest scenery in the world. But it's a lot cheaper if you get in from outside Europe with Eurail.

 

[Craig234]

You get to see the countryside pass by, and you have the dignity of not being treated like criminal when traveling.

I quit going to certain large concerts years ago because I was paying a decent chunk of money to go and get treated like shit, when I should be an honored guest. I don't need that kind of crap in life, and I'll pay extra to avoid it, or just do without. Fuck airlines, and fuck the TSA.

If you wanted to be reminded of your time in prison, you'd just do the crime again and not pay a cent.

 

[exdeath]

I need to take a long train ride some day just for fun, seeing as how fun they are in video games like Resident Evil.

 

[ultimatebob]

I really like the Acela trains. They are about the same price as a flight to DC from where I live, and it takes the about same amount of time once you include driving to the airport and going through security.

The food on the train is better, it's a hell of a lot more comfortable, and there are less security and luggage hassles.

 

[Leros]

I just flew from Austin to San Franscisco for $300 round trip. The flight was about 4 hours.

I just looked up the same trip on Amtrak. $400. 25 hours there and 50 hours back. Screw that.

 

[Craig234]

I need to take a long train ride some day just for fun, seeing as how fun they are in video games like Resident Evil.

Especially fun train rides are the train across Switzerland - that's the best - and the high speed trains.

I haven't taken the long rides across the US or Canada, but I'm sure just as train rides, they should be fun. Amtrak does seem a lot more comfortable than a plane.

I'd like to see Amtrak do better at the 'excursion' type tickets where you can get on and off for a week when you want. Currently they seem too restrictive and expensive.

 

[Jeff7]

You get to see the countryside pass by, and you have the dignity of not being treated like criminal when traveling.
...

That part of it was nice.

Though I was trying to sleep during the trip, and the company only wanted to pay for coach seats for the overnight trip.

(The train also left the station 2hrs late, and the trip took 1hr longer than expected. I don't know how they can get so behind-schedule on a train. It's not as though there are problems with landing in bad weather.)

I will say this though, coach seats on a train are outright luxurious compared to seats on a jet. Two 120V outlets, plenty of legroom, and you can recline without crushing the person behind you.
But, it was also like riding on a turbulent jet most of the way, and I don't sleep well with other people around.



But, agreed, you're not treated like a criminal.
Show ticket (printed at home out of Internet browser) to person near train.
Person scans ticket, and glances at bags.
"Have a nice trip, please board and head to the car on the left."
Get on, stow luggage in the ample overhead space, and have a seat.

I'm considering a vacation trip to the American Museum of Natural History sometime in the next few months, and I'd actually consider the train again to make the trip - in a private room this time, partly to avoid any chance of having to drive near that city, and partly just to try out the room on the train.

Especially fun train rides are the train across Switzerland - that's the best - and the high speed trains.

I haven't taken the long rides across the US or Canada, but I'm sure just as train rides, they should be fun. Amtrak does seem a lot more comfortable than a plane.

I'd like to see Amtrak do better at the 'excursion' type tickets where you can get on and off for a week when you want. Currently they seem too restrictive and expensive.

And Amtrak's search tools don't seem to be too good. I can't say, "I want to only search available dates where rooms are still available." It's just trial and error.
Search by rates - also not available.
Thus far, I've found that it gets more expensive the farther ahead I look...which seems odd.

 

[BoomerD]

I took Amtrak from Seattle to Modesto (about 850 miles) last December to pick up one of our cars that we had left behind when we moved. IIRC, $99 for the trip. IMO, the worst part was the 24 hour ride...but driving was at least 14 hours plus gas/food/pee stops...and maybe a bit of sleep.
It wasn't the most comfortable trip...but the price was reasonable.

 

[Red Storm]

I took Amtrak from Seattle to Modesto (about 850 miles) last December to pick up one of our cars that we had left behind when we moved. IIRC, $99 for the trip. IMO, the worst part was the 24 hour ride...but driving was at least 14 hours plus gas/food/pee stops...and maybe a bit of sleep.
It wasn't the most comfortable trip...but the price was reasonable.

24 hours? Ouch, a plane ride would have been what, a few hours? Don't you value your time, in this case an entire day, over ~$100-$200?

 

[IAteYourMother]

You can take Southwest Airlines for like $120 each way. I don't understand why anyone wold take trains since they cost more and take longer.

Trains will take you between city centers, and you don't have longer security, which cuts out a lot of wasted time bookending the actual travel time.

It makes no sense for long distances, but along say the Northeast corridor, it makes a lot of sense.

 

[IAteYourMother]

24 hours? Ouch, a plane ride would have been what, a few hours? Don't you value your time, in this case an entire day, over ~$100-$200?

When you get old like Boomer, 24 hours is more like 4 hours

 

[darkewaffle]

I used to take Amtrak from Harrisburg to Philly quite often, was like $20. I never felt it was expensive and it's way better than driving. Never been on a train for any trip that I would actually consider flight for however.

 

[Brainonska511]

I used it from Philly to NYC a few months ago. $40 for a coach seat and only a 1.5 hour ride. More expensive than the BoltBus, but much better seating and a little faster.
---
Trains make a lot of sense for intermediate travel: Northeast corridor, connecting some California cities, Chicago to other Midwest cities, etc... Long distance (eg: NYC to Chicago) is pretty useless, but I don't think anyone is really pushing for such service.

 

[K1052]

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog/2013/08/july-amtrak-ridership-breaks-record.html

Yes, people ride Amtrak...and more every year

 

[Scarpozzi]

Much cheaper to pay a freight company and rent a train car from them for the trip.

There have been some coupon codes floating around for Amtrak in the past for 25% off or free companion fares. I don't know which ones work or are active. They had a promo come up 3-4 years ago that I wanted to do, but never pulled the trigger and it expired.

I enjoyed riding the trains in Europe. I really wish Amtrak would start looking more at regional high-speed travel and develop some new lines. I think they could get people interested in rail travel again if they had the money to throw down some new rails.

 

[K1052]

I enjoyed riding the trains in Europe. I really wish Amtrak would start looking more at regional high-speed travel and develop some new lines. I think they could get people interested in rail travel again if they had the money to throw down some new rails.

Some regional routes are being upgraded to 110 mph operation and increasing frequency. With ridership rising these improvements should be well received and further grow the constituency thus laying the ground for more expensive projects that would not have been supported otherwise.

 

[OutHouse]

No seriously WTF?! I probably posted this a few years back but IDGAF


Roundtrip from Los Angeles -> New Orleans, 45 hours each way

2 seats which transform into 1 room = $1,500 roundtrip not including taxes. WITH AAA DISCOUNT.

holy shit man, that's the same price as 2 people on a cruiseship for a week.

Guess I'm never gonna take that Amtrak cross country trip. Any AT pros got suggestions for travelling with Amtrak on the cheap, short of NOT buying a room? Sorry, I aint sitting in a coach sized seat for 45 hours.

yea its super expensive. I can see the train from Denver to Chicago every night from my back porch and i would love to just take it one day for the adventure but not at the price they want.