Sleeper Pricing - Superliner vs. Viewliner

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Amfleet

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How come it seems when booking a Superliner it is less than a Viewliner? On the reservation system I put in BOS-CHI on a Regional to DC then the Capitol Limited (Superliner) to CHI. Then CHI to BOS on the Lake Shore Limited (Viewliner). Now that was about $1300 for three adults. When I tried the return on the Capitol Limited and a Regioinal it was $200 less at around $1100. What is the reason for this? A Superliner train in my mind is far superior to a single level train.
 
Amfleet,

There are several factors that can play into this, however as a general rule Superliner sleepers are usually cheaper than Viewliners.

First is simply the nature of the double decker car. There are more bedrooms in a Superliner than a Viewliner. So supply and demand dictates that prices for the more limited amount of bedrooms in a Viewliner would cost more. A Viewliner is easier to sell out than a Superliner, so you can charge more for the Viewliner rooms. Assuming that each train has two sleepers, then the Cap is running with 40 bedrooms, while the LSL has 27 bedrooms total.

Second is the fact that the LSL probably has a broader passenger base than does the Capital Limited. First of all there are two trains to choose from if one wants to go from DC to Chicago. Now while there are two from NY to CHI, they really serve two completely different markets. From Boston there is only one choice.

Next look at the list of cities served by the LSL by comparison to the Cap. Many of the stops on the LSL have much larger populations than do those on the Cap. This also makes it easier to sell out the train and again supply and demand says that you can therefore charge more.

The third factor is simply when are you traveling. If you priced the LSL out to CHI on a weekend, while returning on the Cap on a weekday, then that will affect prices. Also is there a holiday anywhere in there too? That will also influence the price.

Finally while there is no way for you to know what the current sell out rate for each train is, that will affect prices. If the LSL has met it's minimum sell points, then the prices go up. The Cap may not have hit it's minimum sell point.

There may even be a few other factors that I'm not aware of or thinking about at present.

Ps. IMHO while a Superliner Diner & Sightseer lounges are better than any thing in the single level fleet. However I do think that a Viewliner sleeper is far superior to a Superliner sleeper.
 
Here's a couple of other factors that I forgot in my first go around.

One has to look at the total mileage covered. The LSL from Boston covers 1,017 miles, while the Capital only covers 764 miles.

Next is the number of meals. While going to Chicago you would get the same number of meals, on the return from CHI one would get four meals on the LSL to Boston, while only three on the Cap.

Finally Amtrak gives you a discount for a continued trip over a single trip. Since you are going out of your way to go to DC, they give you a nice discount on train #95.

Just for the fun of it, I played the numbers game, with two people traveling in a standard sleeper on May 14th and no discounts. The LSL costs $375, while the Capital costs $336. However if you book train #95 separately that costs $162. The Capital then costs $306 to Chicago for a total of $468. So since you are choosing the less popular route to Chicago, Amtrak in effect is offering you a discount since they want and need your business more on the Capital route than they need you on the LSL route.
 
I just have one thing to say one this subject, it's all about the buckets. This article pretty much explains my point.
 
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