Holiday Travel

[Jameslovestravel]

Hi All,

Hope you are all having a good Holiday ( if yours has started yet) I was just wondering... what day do you think will be the buisest day to travel and what services do you think will be the busiest ? I always love it when people travel home for Christmas.. please tell me your home for the holidays amtrak experiences!! Have a great weekend and happy holidays to you all.

James

 

[Acela150]

Hard to tell.. Christmas is on a Wednesday this year. Which messes things up a bunch.

 

[Angela1117]

I guess I can answer this next week as we're heading from Orlando to Boston tomorrow to spend Christmas with our son. I'm looking forward to seeing decorations along the way and hoping everyone is in a good mood with Christmas spirit.

 

[guest]

I have a couple business trips in the days following Christmas that I was really hoping to use Amtrak on instead of flying. Everything that I've looked at is either completely sold out in sleepers, or only 1-2 bedrooms available (Only $1300 or so for a bedroom CHI-NYP!!) Can't justify something like that when I can fly for 1/4 the price.

But judging by what I've seen, it would seem Amtrak is pretty full with the holiday crowd.

 

[SarahZ]

We're on a packed SWC right now, heading to ABQ. The roomettes sold out, so we're in coach. We have a room on the way home, though.

The coaches are completely full.

 

[Jameslovestravel]

Have a safe journey Sara! Let me know when you get there!

 

[afigg]

Hard to tell.. Christmas is on a Wednesday this year. Which messes things up a bunch.

Yes, travel patterns are likely to be rather spread out with Christmas and New Years Day in the middle of the week. I see that Amtrak is running lighter schedules in the number of trains between WAS and NYP on December 24, 25, 26, which is not a surprise. When Christmas falls on a Sunday or Monday, then the day after Christmas is a busy travel day in my experience.

I made a short trip WAS - BAL on Saturday to take MARC weekend service one way and back to WAS on Amtrak to use up remaining about to expire eVoucher funds. DC Union Station was rather quiet mid-morning on Saturday. Not empty by any means, but noticeably less busy than it is normally is at that time of day on Saturday. The 2 lines I saw for Amtrak trains were modest compared to typical Saturday AM lines. The MARC train to BAL had around 100-150 on it. Returned WAS to BAL on a Regional (with 2 toasters on it) mid-afternoon and both BAL and WAS were much busier than they were mid-morning, which is not the usual pattern in my experience. The mid-week day for Christmas might have changed the travel pattern from Saturday morning trips for the weekend to taking Saturday afternoon and Sunday trains for week long trips .

 

[Bob Dylan]

I just dropped my GF off @ the Austin Airport for a Flight to Cleveland via DFW! The Highways are jammed with Traffic In and Out of Austin,The Austin Airport Parking Garage and Lots are All Full, the Traffic was Terrible on the Way to the Airport, what Usually is a 10 minute Process to use the Upper Level Departure Drop Off Took 1 Hour due to the Heavy Traffic @ the Airport ! MY GF is on a Full AA Flight to DFW and from DFW to Cleveland Hopkins! She has a Rental Car Rez with Hertz and when she Called to Reconfirm was Told they are out of Cars until After Christmas, NO Upgrades, No Modifications!!

As was Mentioned on Another Thread, All the Buses Leaving Austin in Both Directions are Wall to Wall with People and the 14 Hour Late Texas Eagle #21 that Left Austin this Morning was Sold Out as is Today's Northbound #22 which will be Late since the Above Mentioned #21 has to be Turned in SAS When It Finally Gets There! This Evenings #21, which is Running Only an Hour Late in East Texas, is also Sold Out!!!

I'm sure with the Winter Weather Most Places It Will Be a Zoo the Next Few Days No Matter How One Travels!!

 

[jis]

Winter weather? What is that? Says he sitting in balmy Florida

 

[afigg]

Winter weather? What is that? Says he sitting in balmy Florida

Or 71 degrees F this morning in northern VA. A cold front is coming through, but the last 2 days have been rather unusual for weather in the east.

 

[PRR 60]

You can't beat the northeast with our delightful seasonal variations!

I had a statistics professor in college once say that a statistician is someone who would have a hand in fire and feet in ice water and say, "On average, I feel pretty good." On average, our weather here in the northeast is "pretty good."

 

[Rail Freak]

I've always assumed that the AGR Black Out Dates are the busiest days for travel??? :hi:

 

[Acela150]

I've always assumed that the AGR Black Out Dates are the busiest days for travel??? :hi:

While this is partially true, which would you rather have if your in Amtrak's spot? Someone use points or pay top dollar?? This is especially the case for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I've found that New Year is hit and miss.