spidersfan351
Train Attendant
I am taking #2 east from San Antonio to New Orleans on Sept 1st - 2nd. When I purchased the tickets, I was buying all the way from SAS to Culpeper, VA (Crescent) and was paying $70 for coach from SAS to NOL, and then $132 plus $188 for a roomette NOL-CLP. At the time, I opted not to upgrade to roomette the one night on the Sunset, since I would have a full day in SAS (connecting from #21) and figured I could just tough it out in coach and save the $182 it was quoting me.
Now, I've checked and discovered that the actual "low bucket" price is $95 for a roomette SAS to Lafayette (two stops west of NOL) and $107 SAS-NOL. My understanding has been that if you want to upgrade on board, you automatically pay the low bucket fare, which in my case would be $107.
Two questions. One, is this assumption about low-bucket costs correct? Second, are you allowed to upgrade just to a point short of your destination, like Lafayette here for me, which is around ten in the morning and by then I'll be in the SSL and in no need of a sleeper. Maybe it seems too cheap, but there is something to me about getting a roomette for under $100 that is really attractive. Again, since I won't be in it after 8am anyhow, will they let you only upgrade for a portion of the run "on board"? I could see why they would, but also why they would not. With Amtrak, these things seem terribly arbitrary.
Now, I've checked and discovered that the actual "low bucket" price is $95 for a roomette SAS to Lafayette (two stops west of NOL) and $107 SAS-NOL. My understanding has been that if you want to upgrade on board, you automatically pay the low bucket fare, which in my case would be $107.
Two questions. One, is this assumption about low-bucket costs correct? Second, are you allowed to upgrade just to a point short of your destination, like Lafayette here for me, which is around ten in the morning and by then I'll be in the SSL and in no need of a sleeper. Maybe it seems too cheap, but there is something to me about getting a roomette for under $100 that is really attractive. Again, since I won't be in it after 8am anyhow, will they let you only upgrade for a portion of the run "on board"? I could see why they would, but also why they would not. With Amtrak, these things seem terribly arbitrary.
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