$.90 CHI-IND Fares!

[Anderson]

Iowa Pacific is offering fares as low as $.90 between Chicago and Indianapolis. I contacted Ed Ellis and I've confirmed that this is not, in fact, an error fare (which was my first instinct): They've begun offering a (very) limited number of $1 fares (which drop to $.90 with a NARP/AAA/other discount) on their new Chicago-Indianapolis route as a "bus buster" fare.

 

[Ryan]

If only Congress would allow Amtrak the attitude to do things like this.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Congress needs to be told by Amtrak to take look @ this, especially on the routes where the Discount Buses are taking away business! Their silly, short sided Mica Managing prevents such innovative ideas from being tried!

Sounds like a good way to build business and attract new riders! Ed Ellis is not a fool, he's already proved lots of folks wrong including many here on AU!!

A ride in a Dome Car for a Buck! If I lived in Indy or CHI I'd jump on this one!

 

[PRR 60]

Iowa Pacific is offering fares as low as $.90 between Chicago and Indianapolis. I contacted Ed Ellis and I've confirmed that this is not, in fact, an error fare (which was my first instinct): They've begun offering a (very) limited number of $1 fares (which drop to $.90 with a NARP/AAA/other discount) on their new Chicago-Indianapolis route as a "bus buster" fare.

Two $1 fares are offered per trip. Those are discounted to 90 cents for AAA or NARP, and 85 cents for senior. Iowa Pacific calls them bus-buster fares.

 

[west point]

So does EE have additional cars he could use or god forbid lease one from Amtrak ?

 

[afigg]

If only Congress would allow Amtrak the attitude to do things like this.

Amtrak can do this on the state supported corridor routes, provided, of course, that the state DOT is willing to agree to an aggressive price scheme. And the state politicians & legislatures don't get up in arms about the subsidy for a $1 lowball ticket.

Where Congress blocks Amtrak from bus-buster or airfare-buster pricing strategies are the NEC and LD trains, I think it would be interesting to see what Amtrak could do with a selection of really low ball fares on the NEC for the off-off peak trains and low ridership segments of NEC trips running at odd hours. Extend all the NE Regionals to 9 to 10 cars (if there are enough Amfleets available) and try out an aggressive price strategy to fill the seats with the goal of a net increase in total revenue, Don't have to drop to $1 seats, but why not some $20 WAS to NYP tickets for a 3 or 4:30 AM departures from WAS? OTOH, this could get politically complicated if Amtrak were to sell lowball price seats on some short segments at a price below the competing commuter trains.

 

[Anderson]

If only Congress would allow Amtrak the attitude to do things like this.

Amtrak can do this on the state supported corridor routes, provided, of course, that the state DOT is willing to agree to an aggressive price scheme. And the state politicians & legislatures don't get up in arms about the subsidy for a $1 lowball ticket.

Where Congress blocks Amtrak from bus-buster or airfare-buster pricing strategies are the NEC and LD trains, I think it would be interesting to see what Amtrak could do with a selection of really low ball fares on the NEC for the off-off peak trains and low ridership segments of NEC trips running at odd hours. Extend all the NE Regionals to 9 to 10 cars (if there are enough Amfleets available) and try out an aggressive price strategy to fill the seats with the goal of a net increase in total revenue, Don't have to drop to $1 seats, but why not some $20 WAS to NYP tickets for a 3 or 4:30 AM departures from WAS? OTOH, this could get politically complicated if Amtrak were to sell lowball price seats on some short segments at a price below the competing commuter trains.

Well, that depends on whether there's a commuter train at the hour in question. For example, the 0315 departure from WAS doesn't have a "competing" MARC departure...and of course, WAS-PHL is a large city pair with no competing commuter rail.

 

[SubwayNut]

Amtraks most recent 3 day flash sale in late July had $20 NYP-NHV tickets which is cheaper than Metro-North's from Grand Centrals $21.75 peak fare (off-peak it's only $16.25)

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

Mica Managing

Micromanagement " MicaManagement " :giggle:

 

[west point]

Affig: Agree to add cars to regionals but you do have the problem that BOS has many platform tracks that at present can only hold 9 car trains.

 

[Karl1459]

Congress needs to be told by Amtrak to take look @ this, especially on the routes where the Discount Buses are taking away business! Their silly, short sided Mica Managing prevents such innovative ideas from being tried!

Sounds like a good way to build business and attract new riders! Ed Ellis is not a fool, he's already proved lots of folks wrong including many here on AU!!

A ride in a Dome Car for a Buck! If I lived in Indy or CHI I'd jump on this one!

So what is he going to do next... Have wi-fi that actually works?

 

[Engine58]

Where does one find info on these tickets? I cannot find a website.

 

[MrFSS]

Where does one find info on these tickets? I cannot find a website.

They are on Amtrak's web site. Look for dates out in the future, as per the attached.



Once they sell out, there are no more for that date.

 

[NorthShore]

So you do earn 100 points for the trip, yes?