Amtrak promoting Sleeper Upgrades

[battalion51]

After getting off 92 yesterday in Orlando I noticed a flyer inside the station (I was picking up the new National Timetable) when I noticed a small flyer. Amtrak is now promoting on board upgrades to sleepers within the State of Florida. Viewliner rooms between JAX-ORL-MIA (and all intermediate stations) are being offered for $57, whilke a Superliner Standard room between JAX-ORL is offered for $44. The ad makes a point of mentioning meals in the Dining Car during meal hours. But this would be perfect for two people travelling on the entire distance between JAX and MIA (or to South Florida) as you'll get two Dining Car meals, where the bill would far exceed $57. Sounds like an awesome deal to me!

 

[engine999]

Its a good way to squueze more revenue out of space generally empty on that portion of the run. Maybe amtrak should market to those who like to sleep during the day.

 

[GG-1]

After getting off 92 yesterday in Orlando I noticed a flyer inside the station (I was picking up the new National Timetable) when I noticed a small flyer. Amtrak is now promoting on board upgrades to sleepers within the State of Florida. Viewliner rooms between JAX-ORL-MIA (and all intermediate stations) are being offered for $57, whilke a Superliner Standard room between JAX-ORL is offered for $44. The ad makes a point of mentioning meals in the Dining Car during meal hours. But this would be perfect for two people travelling on the entire distance between JAX and MIA (or to South Florida) as you'll get two Dining Car meals, where the bill would far exceed $57. Sounds like an awesome deal to me!

Aloha

If I am correct in my memory the train left Miami at lunch time and got to Jacksonville at dinner time. As I planed an overnight visit in Jacksonville, this is the reason My first sleeper was, as when I continued to Waskington Dc the next day. The economy sleeper in the heratage cars is my favorate. sleeper.

I can't see even for two how how the cost would be less than just purchaseing the meal from the diner.

 

[battalion51]

Well let's do the math here. Let's say both of you get a $7.75 meal and $1.50 drink at lunch, that's an $18.50 bill for the two of you. Now at dinner let's say you both get a $15 entree and a $1.50 drink that's $33. That works out to $51.50. But if you pay the $57 for the sleeper you'll be able to get comp meals plus desserts (that you probably wouldn't get otherwise) and the privacy of your own room. Not a bad deal IMHO.

 

[amtrakmichigan]

I found something similiar when booking my trip from Toledo to Nyc and Metropark to Cumberland to Toledo (all in the same trip) with my friend. We have regional Business class from MET to WAS, then a std. sleeper from WAS to CUM for a 3 hour trip. The std. sleeper costed $62 and will one, give as admission to the first class lounge in WAS, and second give as free dinner on our way to Cumberland. The way I figured it was that we split the cost of our room, which makes it $31 each. Between the $20 dinner, $2 drink and $5 desert it almost pays for the dinner by itself, let alone admission to Club Acella, and sleeper to ride in for a short time.

 

[Steve4031]

I upgraded to a sleeper coming back from Minneapolis to Chicago a couple of weeks ago. Since I had paid a full coach fare, up grading to sleeper was about 45 dollars more. It was a great deal for me because I had my own room to stretch out in, listen to my scanner, etc. It defintiely recharged my batteries for work the next day.

 

[GG-1]

Well let's do the math here. Let's say both of you get a $7.75 meal and $1.50 drink at lunch, that's an $18.50 bill for the two of you.

Aloha

I checked the current schedule and the Silver service leaves 8:?? in the morning and arrives at 5:44 pm sound like the only meal is lunch.

This is the same issue I face with my trip in September. I leave on train 14 at 10:?? in the morning and arrive at 10:?? PM, if on time, My connection the next morning is 9:45am. This is why I did not add the sleeper, two meals are less than the room, and since I enjoy the company of the people I meet I have booked the Sleepers on train 6 & 59. The only amenity I miss is the pleasure of the California Pallor car, an excellent way to travel and if you like wine and cheese, the afternoon snack, is the way to see the West Coast horseshoe curve.

 

[battalion51]

Well what I was talking about was under the normal schedule. The Star normally leaves MIA at 10:35 and arrinves in JAX at 7:10, allowing for lunch leaving West Palm and dinner at the 5:00 seating. As for the Meteor it leaves at 7:00 from MIA and arrives in JAX at 3:45 allowing for Breakfast and Lunch. On the flip side the Star leaves JAX at 8:22 and arrives in MIA at 5:20 allowing for Breakfast and lunch (assuming it's on time for once). The Meteor leaves JAX at 12:42 and arrives in MIA at 9:46 allowing for Lunch and Dinner. As for the current arrangement you'll get Breakfast and Lunch going north and south. So any way you slice it you get two meals.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

This is a neat development. Amtrak is doing the right thing here. Railroads in the past used to have something called a "day rate" or something like that for sleeper travel just during the day.

It used to be helpful for people traveling on business, they could dicate memos(very old-fashioned, I know) and have privacy. Others,then as wellas now, either one person or a couple, might just want privacy, and less noise.

I have used a sleeper in day service betwen ATL and BHM several times---this was before it became at a decent price. It would give me a taste of sleeper when I could not afford a longer trip. And, yes, the mealsr included.

This should help fill up some empty day time sleeper space for Amtrak.

 

[battalion51]

I think Amtrak's philosophy with space down here in Florida is that there is a lot of space that becomes vacant in JAX SAV and the Carolinas, and even more so in the Orlando area. Rather than allowing that space to go empty why not make a concerted effort to let people know it's there and create a little more cash.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I think Amtrak's philosophy with space down here in Florida is that there is a lot of space that becomes vacant in JAX SAV and the Carolinas, and even more so in the Orlando area. Rather than allowing that space to go empty why not make a concerted effort to let people know it's there and create a little more cash.

Exactly. And that is what they have done with the Crescent. Same idea exactly. It has always had more passengers north of Atlanta, fewer south., But the same number of sleepers all the way(in the last few years, that is ). Thus, empty space south of ATL needs to be filled.

Great idea.

 

[engine999]

Maybe amtrak should market twoards business customers in the orl area heading between there and miaimi. It is a little longer then driving, but you could get work done and have a meal. With current gas prices it is more economical too. Plus railfare and accomodations comes to less then the cost of airfare. Now you just need to inform business costumers of the rail service's availability.

 

[battalion51]

999, you're forgetting one major component in rail travel, reliability. For the business folks they can't rely on Silver Service because of the poor on time performance. If the train was consistently on time or dman near clse to it you might have a market.

 

[engine999]

999, you're forgetting one major component in rail travel, reliability. For the business folks they can't rely on Silver Service because of the poor on time performance. If the train was consistently on time or dman near clse to it you might have a market.

You have to rember the silver service trains are consistently an hour to two hours late. :lol: So you can work around that tardyness, excpet on the very rare occasion the train is ontime.