Favorite Way To Travel Along The NEC

[RTOlson]

Can anyone here explain why when you make a reservation online for the Northeast Regional, the AAA fare always comes out more expensive than the regular adult fare?

Sure, as I understand it, Amtrak coach seats are grouped in price "buckets" -- seat ticket prices start at a lower-priced bucket and then increase as a specific train sells out.

Last year, Amtrak created a new discounted ticket rate for the Northeast Regional. They later permanently made this the lowest-priced price bucket for Northeast Regional.

What Amtrak didn't do (and what it appears you ran into) is make it very clear during the reservation process that other discount offers don't apply to this new low bucket. When people try to use their discounts like AAA or NARP, the ticket system applies the discount to the lowest non-discounted rate available — which will typically be higher than the new lowest-priced bucket.

To Amtrak's credit, they have some Web pages that inform the passenger to "Just choose the Adult or Child passenger type when booking to receive the discounted fare." They also note that it's "Not combinable with any other discount offer."

I think it's confusing and Amtrak should do a better job of clearly communicating this during the reservation process. For now, if you're booking more than 14 days out and have the best fare at regular adult, book that.

 

[dlagrua]

We have taken the Acela but do not consider it worth three times the price to save 10 minutes (or less) to D.C. Yes the interior is nicer and a bit more spacious but for a 1:50 trip (Phl to WAS) the NE regional works fine. At times they even open up business class cars for coach passengers at no cost and last time I took it the engines read "Acela" on the sides. I don't really see the advantage of paying three times the fare to save little or no travel time. I also find the seats on the NE regional just as comfortable for the two hours that I'm riding it.

On LD trains we always opt for a bedroom but on the NE corridor we don't see the value in upgrading as we are not on it that long.

 

[Rail Freak]

Is the LSL the only NEC train with a sleeper?

RF

 

[railiner]

Is the LSL the only NEC train with a sleeper?

RF

The Lake Shore Limited does not travel over the Northeast Corridor, but rather part of its route is over the Empire Corridor.

The trains that travel over the NEC that have sleepers are the Crescent, the Silver Star, Silver Meteor, and the Cardinal, although none are considered NEC trains.

 

[Rail Freak]

Is the LSL the only NEC train with a sleeper?

RF

The Lake Shore Limited does not travel over the Northeast Corridor, but rather part of its route is over the Empire Corridor.

The trains that travel over the NEC that have sleepers are the Crescent, the Silver Star, Silver Meteor, and the Cardinal, although none are considered NEC trains.

Oh,wait a minute, so the NEC & NE Zone are 2 different animals????

RF