Due to some late-changing family plans, I will find myself in Washington DC for the Christmas holiday. I was supposed to go Rochester, NY on Amtrak (from Chicago) and now have the opportunity to travel from DC to Croton-on-Hudson to spend a night with some friends there before traveling from Croton to Rochester.
I expected that given we're two months out from Christmas, I would be certainly be paying above the low bucket fares, but I wasn't expecting to see Amtrak essentially engaging in price gouging. The lowest fare for Dec. 27 in coach is $135 (value) for a train that is 40% full. Comparable 40% full trains on non-holiday dates are priced as low as $76 (saver). I'm spending about $60 more than flying non-stop from the Washington area (BWI) to Rochester.
I don't need an explanation of supply and demand, I get it. I just find it eternally frustrating that choosing the (ostensibly) more environmentally friendly form of travel is 1) more expensive and 2) the company running that form of travel is essentially actively discouraging people from using it.
Mods, feel free to move this to a different thread if appropriate.