Unbelievable Southwest Chief Prices

[Devil's Advocate]

Seems like more and more Amtrak supporters are apparently being priced out of riding their preferred routes and schedules. What I want to know is who's paying fares higher than first class domestic or intercontinental coach flights for a 1970's fiberglass compartment that sometimes struggles to exceed the speed of smell.

:lol:

 

[gmushial]

Seems like more and more Amtrak supporters are apparently being priced out of riding their preferred routes and schedules. What I want to know is who's paying fares higher than first class domestic or intercontinental coach flights for a 1970's fiberglass compartment that sometimes struggles to exceed the speed of smell.
:lol:

Mindful that the inflation corrector for 1975->2013 is 4.34x (ie, $1 1975 = $4.34 2013).... and for other dates a simple but effective calculator http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

 

[gmushial]

Generally the best time to buy airfare is one to two months out, so this is reasonable. The only time you would want to book early is if there was an artificial limit on the number of spots available, such as the Portland sleeper or the Cardinal - but then you could tell how many had sold with the "Only X Rooms Left" banner.

I've noticed the X Rooms Left flag only comes up when inventory is low, say 3 or 4 accommodations left. Another trick is to test book for 8 pax and see how many Rooms come up.

I like the "trick" / approach... if the system won't give one the data one wants directly... then work it to one's advantage until it does... well done - my hat's off to you.

 

[JoeBas]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="dlagrua" data-cid="455431" data-time="1374073195"><p>

I guess that it's come down to: if you can afford the prices you buy and if not you walk.</p></blockquote>

This.

I buy well in advance to guarantee the dates I want, then every couple of weeks as part of my regular semi-monthly online bill paying check Amsnag and rebook downward as prices drop. If they stay high, I'm at least partially offset by cheaper midweek hotel rooms connecting. But they usually drop.

 

[Ispolkom]

I buy well in advance to guarantee the dates I want, then every couple of weeks as part of my regular semi-monthly online bill paying check Amsnag and rebook downward as prices drop.

You can set up amsnag to send you an alert when the price of a ticket on your train changes. Amsnag will give false alerts, since it dings you whenever any price changes on your day's train (coach, roomette, bedroom, family bedroom), but it still is pretty useful.

 

[PaulM]

You can set up amsnag to send you an alert when the price of a ticket on your train changes. Amsnag will give false alerts, since it dings you whenever any price changes on your day's train (coach, roomette, bedroom, family bedroom), but it still is pretty useful.

An alert is triggered only when a price drops or a seat or room becomes available after being sold out. Or at least I hope it works that way. You are correct that it doesn't take into consideration the type of ticket you are interested in.

 

[Bus Nut]

Why has nobody mentioned the planned route change for the SWC? Isn't this a big deal right now that some mileage is going away--possibly forever--and some people are riding now to take advantage? Wouldn't that railfanning push up short-term demand until the big reroute occurs?

Does anybody know the timeframe and if it applies?

That could be the reason for the "unbelievable" price if true, right?

 

[SarahZ]

Why has nobody mentioned the planned route change for the SWC? Isn't this a big deal right now that some mileage is going away--possibly forever--and some people are riding now to take advantage? Wouldn't that railfanning push up short-term demand until the big reroute occurs?
Does anybody know the timeframe and if it applies?

That could be the reason for the "unbelievable" price if true, right?

There have been multiple threads about the route change. I believe the decision to stay or go is due in 2014, but I'm sure one of the true foamers will correct me if I'm wrong.

Our SCA (Anna Maria) hyped that possible route change a couple times during our trip last Thanksgiving. She got on the PA, gave us some history of the areas we passed through (which I thought was nice), and mentioned, "This could be one of your last trips through this area," so I'm sure there are some people booking trips to catch the Raton Pass while they can. I'm glad I've taken multiple pictures and videos over the years. I'm going to try to get even more video on our next trip.

 

[Nathanael]

I regularly use the service, wish to see Amtrak survive and grow, but when I am already forking over 50-60% or my income ( in all the combined taxes that I pay) the least that should be expected of government, is an attempt to keep ticket prices affordable. The bigger problem is that the hatred of passenger trains in Washington runs rampant. Amtrak doesn't spend millions lobbying congress, so politicians derive no benefit from it. Its all about the money and who can support election campaigns

I understand this point of view. It looks different from where I'm sitting. I am giving less than 15% of my income in taxes to the government, and almost all of that is to the state government. This is because the federal government favors my "type" of income (unearned investment income) to a ridiculous and obscene degree. So from my point of view, I haven't paid the federal government hardly anything, and I might as well give the money to Amtrak.
If my income were taxed at the same rates as your income, perhaps there would be plenty of money from Washington to keep ticket prices affordable. There is something very wrong with a country where the working man and woman is taxed much more heavily than the guy who got lucky on the stock market.

 

[Bus Nut]

If my income were taxed at the same rates as your income, perhaps there would be plenty of money from Washington to keep ticket prices affordable. There is something very wrong with a country where the working man and woman is taxed much more heavily than the guy who got lucky on the stock market.

Well said. What you are talking about is part of the reason I kind of got out of actively investing (even though it cost me financially). It was an emotional (even moral) trip and I hated myself. I know the government is trying to encourage savings and investment but it really burned me that the sweat of my brow was taxed so heavily as compared to short term cap gains from basically "playing", doing nothing productive but basically gambling on the direction of the economy.

I think I transaction tax would strike a fair balance and put the focus back on long term investment rather than short-term churn (which often gives corporate boards the wrong incentives for the long-term health of our economy anyway).

If they would have indexed long term cap gains to inflation years ago they would have protected little-guy savers. Instead they chose to drastically cut cap gains across the board, with all the negative consequences we've seen.

 

[SarahZ]

I would be happier if I could pick and choose where my taxes go, or at least move the percentages in certain "required categories" up and down. That would be kind of cool.

 

[Ryan]

That would be really fascinating to see how things got funded when people are allowed to vote with their dollars. It'd be the free market at work!

 

[Rail Freak]

That would be really fascinating to see how things got funded when people are allowed to vote with their dollars. It'd be the free market at work!

Actually, I believe that's what's happening now. It's just not possible for the individual to compete against the corporations & government entities that have their own agendas.I live in Florida & am quite familiar with "Hanging Chads"!!!!!

 

[chakk]

I seriously doubt that anybody -- including died-in-the-wool-FLIMS (FLIM = "Foamer LIving with Mother") -- are booking up sleepers on the SWC many, many months in advance with hopes of catching a final ride over Raton Pass. Enjoy the alternate route with dreams of riding the San Francisco Chief.

 

[nem]

Just checked and the price on the roomette on SWC has gone up since I booked in June for travel Sept.10th this year.Price for our ticket from FLG.-CHI and CHI-WAS. was $934.60 the price right now is $1149. Doesn't look like it is coming down. Price for Roomette is $421. FLG-CHI and $292. CHI-WAS via of Capitol Limited

 

[Rail Freak]

Just checked and the price on the roomette on SWC has gone up since I booked in June for travel Sept.10th this year.Price for our ticket from FLG.-CHI and CHI-WAS. was $934.60 the price right now is $1149. Doesn't look like it is coming down. Price for Roomette is $421. FLG-CHI and $292. CHI-WAS via of Capitol Limited

A lot of time left, keep tracking AMSNAG!!!

 

[The Trainman]

We just bought a BEDROOM from LAX-CHI for $653. Got Bedroom E on Car 430. Three weeks from now. It would appear that this was the first bedroom sold on a train that far out . . . .

The numbers showed a Roomette being $679 . . . and the bedroom was $653 - rarely I see a bedroom for less than a roomette. . . .

 

[rainyday6]

Still have not gotten the call to get to Baltimore, but when I first started looking at prices, they were about 1400. one way and last night I checked several dates in the next 2 weeks and they're down around 900, with about every other day being available for H room.

Also confused about when the CZ starts, in terms of sleepers. I heard Emeryville and then Seattle? If I have to, I would go to EMY on the CCorridor and board there to ensure a room.

 

[NW cannonball]

Still have not gotten the call to get to Baltimore, but when I first started looking at prices, they were about 1400. one way and last night I checked several dates in the next 2 weeks and they're down around 900, with about every other day being available for H room.
Also confused about when the CZ starts, in terms of sleepers. I heard Emeryville and then Seattle? If I have to, I would go to EMY on the CCorridor and board there to ensure a room.

The CZ California Zephyr originates at EMY - there are no through sleepers from anywhere. There are connections (meaning other sleeper cars but you have to change trains) at EMY from the Coast Starlight that runs from Seattle to Los Angeles. EMY to Baltimore is a long long ride and you have to change trains in Chicago at least.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Printman, read between the lines. It's not faith so much as logic.
"If they weren't selling any rooms at those high prices early on, then revenue management would stop doing it. However, the simple fact that they haven't stopped indicates that they are selling at least some rooms."

If Amtrak weren't selling any rooms at that price, they'd stop, but they haven't. Therefore, it's easy to assume they ARE selling rooms for that price.

A = B

It's a basic business model. If nobody bought rooms at that price, they'd lower the prices. The fact that they open at that price year after year shows at least a few people purchase them for that price. Otherwise, Amtrak would skip straight to the lower price.

Again, that would assume there were people doing their jobs well. I have no reason to believe that because prices are high, they must be selling rooms. Like I said, maybe it was set that way a year ago and they have never really looked at it again.

Maybe it is. I just have nothing from my experience to prove that other than what Alan says. While I do trust Alan and what he knows, I am just trying to clarify what he knows.

Having worked in Price Analysis for a large retail company, even the smallest item matters. Therefore if we were not making sure that every single item was priced accurately, we would hear from the higher ups when they looked at the bottom line for each department. Same thing goes for Amtrak, but probably easier to see. If the price is at high bucket for 3 months and there is NO revenue for the route, it would raise huge red flags and someone would have to answer for it, this I am sure of,