Amtrak.com options

[Bonser]

In the past when booking a NYP-EMY trip Amtrak .com always gave me many options. For instance, they posted a NER-CL-CZ, LSL-CZ, a CARD-CZ (if running on date), and often offered added a SWC-CS or an EB-CS one. I travel to San Francisco yearly and always was presented with a cornucopia of options. Now for the past few months I'm only seeing a LSL-CHI-CZ or a CARD-CHI-CZ choice. If I want to see how it's priced through WAS I have to either call or change my departing from NYP to NWK. Does anybody have any suggestions or ideas about this? Many thanks in advance.

 

[the_traveler]

It all depends if that specific city pair was programmed into the computer. Each has to be manually added by someone.

you also can use the “multi-city” screen to compute your fare! For example, NYP to WAS and WAS to SFC, or NYP to PDX and PDX to SFC.

 

[jiml]

The "multi-city" option can force the results you're looking for.

 

[Bonser]

I'm aware of the multi-city option but it doesn't seem to give trip cost until you've selected routes. So you can't compare price as you go along

 

[the_traveler]

Unfortunately, except for calling an Amtrak agent, who would essentially do the same thing, if that city pair is not programmed already, that is the only option.

Another advantage of using the multi-city option is that you can check the fares of the (say) 10:00, 10:46, 11:30 and the various Acelas between NYP and WAS to connect to the CL. If it were programmed, it would most likely only show one - which may not be the lowest fare because it has a 4 hour layover instead of 2 hours.

 

[PRR 60]

I did a trial for NYP>EMY on 2/12/20 and it returned lots of options including ones including the Capitol Limited, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief and Coast Starlight. Not sure why you are not seeing similar results.

ADDED: Is your destination EMY or one of the San Francisco bus stops? Adding a San Francisco bus segment seems to limit the on-line quoted selections. If that is the case, then I would search for NYP>EMY, find the option that works for you, then call Amtrak to book it including the SF bus. The bus is a simple fare add-on to the train itinerary.

 

[bratkinson]

Like the OP, I've discovered a sizeable number of city pair options have disappeared over the past 2 years or so. My biggest 'loss' is WNL-CHI on NER #141 to WAS then the Capitol Ltd to CHI, which ALWAYS saved me more than $100 for a roomette vs the Lakeshore Ltd. However, I have sometimes 'fooled' the computer by trying NHV-CHI or NYP-CHI to get the routing I want. Then I simply book it as multi-city, but it's WNL-NYP and NYP-CHI (same train from WNL, #141). Fortunately, my vacation AGR redemption for April still offered CHI-PDX on #421 to LAX to #14.

My thinking is that Amtrak has decided that some of the more exotic routings such as SWC-CS results in their not making as much money due to conjunctive fare pricing, which usually costs less than individually priced segments. Why sell CHI-LAX-EMY for $500 (made up price) when CHI-LAX + LAX-EMY as separate segments can be sold as $400 + $200 to separate passengers? Also, it's likely that other than railfans, who in their right mind would actually WANT to be on the train an extra 12+ hours and have to change trains when a direct CHI-EMY routing is available? Most passengers, myself included, prefer a single-seat ride over changing trains.

Bottom line, try 'shortcutting' the system and see what you come up with.

 

[Bonser]

I did a trial for NYP>EMY on 2/12/20 and it returned lots of options including ones including the Capitol Limited, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief and Coast Starlight. Not sure why you are not seeing similar results.

ADDED: Is your destination EMY or one of the San Francisco bus stops? Adding a San Francisco bus segment seems to limit the on-line quoted selections. If that is the case, then I would search for NYP>EMY, find the option that works for you, then call Amtrak to book it including the SF bus. The bus is a simple fare add-on to the train itinerary.

It doesn't work for my travel date. I'll definitely try booking EMR-NYP

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Maybe try NWK instead of NYP?

 

[sttom]

It wouldn't surprise me if Amtrak has put in some sort of rule on the back end as to what route pairs are chosen based on where you start. I know when I use Google maps to get somewhere it almost always defaults to the least distance no matter how inconvenient the routing is. I wouldn't put it past Amtrak to put in a rule such as "least travel time" or "most revenue per trip" into the routing guide. For someone who doesn't know about Amtrak's routes, it would make sense for Amtrak to push the more expensive route choices onto them.

 

[the_traveler]

It doesn't work for my travel date. I'll definitely try booking EMR-NYP

I hope you mean EMY (Emeryville) to NYP! I’m not sure where (if it is indeed a station code) EMR is offhand!

 

[niemi24s]

Suggestions? Try again.

I just tried booking NYP to EMY for 02/09/20 and Arrow provided 8 options. If you want more choices, get out your route map, the timetables and use multi-city. There are a total of 1033 different possible ways to go from NYP to EMY without going through the same station twice (and without going into Canada):



Only your imagination and budget can limit your choices.

 

[ScouseAndy]

Suggestions? Try again.

I just tried booking NYP to EMY for 02/09/20 and Arrow provided 8 options. If you want more choices, get out your route map, the timetables and use multi-city. There are a total of 1033 different possible ways to go from NYP to EMY without going through the same station twice (and without going into Canada):

View attachment 16383

Only your imagination and budget can limit your choices.

But how many of those 1033 involve guaranteed connections only?

If you book multicity an inexperienced traveller may book none guaranteed connections and risk being stranded in the event of delays.

 

[iplaybass]

When traveling from STL to anywhere LD, I have to use the multi-city option.

If the connection is CHI, the Eagle is often the only option given. I've been bused to Union Station enough I'd rather spend the long layover in Chicago.

If it's a connection to the SWC, the connection is in KCY. Much prefer getting on in CHI, instead of having Amcafe for dinner on the River Runner.