Business class cheaper than coach?

[user 13416]

This has been a thing on the Norfolk trains for more than a year now. The NER itself shows Coach considerably cheaper than Business, but when I add any connection to the search suddenly the Coach price jumps way up while the Business class price drops. Right now NFK-PHL-LNC for a Friday in February shows $121 for Coach, and only $98 in Business. Thing is, I want to sit in the Quiet Car, not the Biz Car. My trip last week, I paid the extra $23 so I could sit in the QC. Prices for the return trip show the same $121 for Coach but $144 for Business, so the cheap Biz rate seems to just be a northbound thing.

Has anyone else bought a Business Class ticket but sat in the Quiet Car instead? Do they allow that?

 

[OBS]

You can sit anywhere you want with a BC ticket on the regional trains...

 

[daybeers]

In the past, I've seen conductors move passengers from coach to BC if they had a BC ticket.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I don’t understand your “adding a connection” comment. Are you trying to go from NFK to LNC? If so, why are you adding PHL?

Can you show us screenshots of your comparisons?

 

[OBS]

In the past, I've seen conductors move passengers from coach to BC if they had a BC ticket.

Usually because they bought a BC ticket and had no idea where to sit. And since they paid extra, the Conductor usually will explain that they paid more to ride in a certain car....but force them? I have never seen it....

 

[MARC Rider]

In the past, I've seen conductors move passengers from coach to BC if they had a BC ticket.

And I've seen business class passengers move to coach because they couldn't sit together. This was done with the approval of the conductor.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I can see moving in certain circumstances. For example, if you are traveling solo and are stuck in BC next to someone “working” (speaking nonstop meaningless drivel on the speakerphone in a loud voice to someone replying with meaningless drivel).

It’s easier to move to the Quiet Car than to make a fuss or start an argument or bother a busy conductor about it.

Also, if it’s a fairly empty train, I don’t see a problem in general.

However, if it’s a full train, and there aren’t many seats available, I don’t think it’s fair to take up a seat in the Quiet Car while someone who has paid for coach can’t find a seat.

 

[Mailliw]

Coach fares come in Saver, Value, and Flexible options. Saver is non-refundable and has a change fee, Value doesn't have a change fee and you can get partial refunds. Flexible gives full refunds prior to boarding and no change fee. Business Class has the same flexibility as Flexible coach, but literally every time I've priced tickets it's been cheaper. I think anytime you're planning ahead you might as well go with Business Class. It'll be less crowded and depending on tge route you get free soft drinks and seat selection.

 

[bratkinson]

Although I have I haven't ridden in the past few months, on numerous occasions I have found acela business class cheaper than regional train business class. Knowing that occasionally happens, and my travel dates are flexible, I'll check a few days either way to see if I can get the cheaper acela. From NHV to/from WAS, I've saved $20-30 more than a few times. I have also successfully used upgrade coupons to ride 1st class!

Remember, all seats on acela are reserved. As i recall, the quiet car is car #2. the seating chart also shows 'quiet car' on the screen.

 

[user 13416]

I don’t understand your “adding a connection” comment. Are you trying to go from NFK to LNC? If so, why are you adding PHL?

Can you show us screenshots of your comparisons?

NFK-LNC requires a connection in PHL. There is no one-train option. My point was that any single-train itinerary I look at from NFK (for example, NFK-WAS or NFK-PHL or NFK-NYP) has coach a lot cheaper than business class. But when I look at any connecting itinerary (for example, my usual NFK-PHL-LNC) that's when the coach price shoots up higher than the business class price.

 

[user 13416]

Coach fares come in Saver, Value, and Flexible options. Saver is non-refundable and has a change fee, Value doesn't have a change fee and you can get partial refunds. Flexible gives full refunds prior to boarding and no change fee. Business Class has the same flexibility as Flexible coach, but literally every time I've priced tickets it's been cheaper. I think anytime you're planning ahead you might as well go with Business Class. It'll be less crowded and depending on tge route you get free soft drinks and seat selection.

None of this applies to the matter at hand. And anyway that that's not actually how it works in real life, it's just what their stated policies are on the website. I'm not given any choices for Saver/Value/Flexible on the website, and I haven't been given those options since the website redesign. The website only gives you the option for the lowest fare available. I get one coach price and one business price (if available). That's it. There's only ever one option displayed in the "Select Coach Option" window.



As for the Business Class perks, yeah not really. I've taken the cheaper Business ticket a couple of times, and the experience was very stressful. Show your BC ticket to get a free bottle of water from the cafe car and the attendant acts like you're stealing from him personally. And the Business Class car was the most crowded and noisiest car on the train because there's only one Business car and anywhere from 6-8 Coach cars. With Business fares on certain itineraries out of NFK lower than Coach, a lot of people board in Biz at NFK. Last week I just paid the extra $25 to sit in coach and the experience was much less stressful. Which makes no sense, but that's my experience over the last two years on the Virginia NER trains. Come to think of it, maybe this is why Business Class is cheaper.