Amtrak inventory (bucket) codes

[gatelouse]

On another thread the topic of inventory codes came up. These look like YD, EB, JA, and the like. Two characters, printed on both your ticket and stub. First letter is the class of service. Second letter (if one exists at all) is the fare bucket you purchased.

Here's a list of all the service types (first letter) that I'm aware of. Anything I got wrong?

Y - reserved coach

U - unreserved

J - business class, standard

K - business class, Acela

P - first class, Acela

E - Superliner roomette

V - Viewliner roomette

D - bedroom, regardless of car type

Anyone got the codes for the family and H rooms?

For the second character, I've seen the following:

F - for NEC 3-day sales, other uses? Does Rail Sale book here?

E - for NEC 14-day advance purchase;

D - standard bottom bucket sleeper & coach fare

C - doesn't exist for coach; do sleepers use C?

B - bucket above D

A - bucket above B

(nothing) - full-fare

Ive also seen codes like PK and ES, which looked to me like full-fare premium accommodations.

I have as many questions as answers. What inventory codes have you seen, especially when booking special fares?

 

[daveyb99]

Here are the Amtrak Inventory Class Codes directly from AMTRAK.com

 

[Anderson]

Those codes look a little out of date. I mean, when was the last heritage sleeper withdrawn from service?

 

[gatelouse]

Indeed; I'm hoping for a community update to the inventory codes. The official materials available online are out of date. (But there's good information about the linkage between fare basis and inventory buckets.)

To clarify, the two-letter code appears under the "Accom" field on the ticket stub.

 

[Train2104]

When Amtrak replies to my FOIL request you'll get the codes.

But in the Manual it mentions 4-digit codes like YOFC, etc.

 

[gatelouse]

YOFC and similar are fare basis codes; these are what determine the price and restrictions of the fare. The fare bases map to inventory, the two digit codes. Subtle difference between the two, which are related just as they are in the airline world.

Good luck with your FOIA but please don't go overboard! These things must take time and labor for Amtrak and any other agency subject to the Act.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

I noticed today that the Pac Surf schedule uses B for business class... didn't see it mentioned... please correct me if that is wrong

 

[trainman74]

I noticed today that the Pac Surf schedule uses B for business class... didn't see it mentioned... please correct me if that is wrong

This thread is about Amtrak's "inventory codes" that are printed on tickets, not notations that would be seen in the timetable. As far as I recall, Pacific Surfliner business class uses the "J" codes as in the document linked to by daveyb99.