Amtrak long distance fares 2021-2023

[Devil's Advocate]

If it's as simple as supply and demand why is Amtrak auctioning compartments for pennies on the dollar? Something does not add up but today's shorter trains with fewer cars and a higher percentage of rooms blocked for staff might be fooling the yield management system into overpricing buckets. Or maybe Amtrak really thinks their outdated compartments are worth more than every other option on the market.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The previous fare increases noticed occurred sometime around April, 2021. Now the fares for Family Bedrooms and Bedrooms have increased again as seen during a few spot checks of the TE, SWC and CZ today.

For SWC and TE high bucket Bedrooms:
• 1 Adult fares were $2137, 2173 and 2233
• Increases were 2.6 and 2.8%

For SWC and TE low bucket Bedrooms:
• 1 Adult fares were $1013, 1029 and 1052
• Increases were 1.6 and 2.1%

For CZ high bucket Bedrooms:
• 1 Adult fares were $2108, 2202 and 2261
• Increases were 4.5 and 2.7%

For CZ low bucket Bedrooms:
• 1 Adult fares were $966, 1015 and 1039
• Increases were 5.1 and 2.4%

On the bright side, Coach and Roomette fares have remained constant through these last two increases.

Let the pissing and moaning begin!

The Roomettes Fares Buckets may have stayed steady, but they're still Unaffordable by me.( Coach Fares are still Affordable! Most Days)

Examples: Texas Eagle. AUS-CHI for 1: $786!!!( SWA $212 RT)

TexasEagle. AUS-ALP for 1: $365 ( it was $202 in May on my Trip)

Texas Eagle/Starlight. AUS-EMY for 1: $1537!!!( SWA $246 RT)

COACH Example:Normal Coach Fare is $15-$30 ( Depending on Day and When Booked ) There are currently only 2 Coaches/ 1 Sleeper and 1 CCC on this Train!!!!!

Texas Eagle-AUS- DAL 6/23
#422. $58!!! (1 Left @ this Price)
#22. SOLDOUT

They are only running a 4 Car Consist on the Eagle, even on #421/#422 Days ( CHI-LAX), and still serving Flex Flex Meals in the CCC and there is No Sightseer Lounge between CHI and SAS( 31 Hours!)

This Train has been consistently Full since May and on most Days the Sleepers ate SOLD OUT ( with no Transdorm the Crew takes up 3-4 Roomettes in the Sleeper)

Supply and Demand, Yes, but they've priced me out of LD Trips, so I'll be Flying on Southwest on any LD trips I take, including to the Gathering.( and Driving on Short Trips)

 

[Exvalley]

If it's as simple as supply and demand why is Amtrak auctioning compartments for pennies on the dollar?

Are you aware of how many bedrooms are being auctioned off at the last minute using “bid up”? For all we know it’s extremely rare.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

I still near from crew members and friends traveling, bedrooms are going out empty more often than not. As a family thats taken 2-3 cross country trips per year the past decade (GBB-LAX) they've lost our business. Family room prices for a family of 3 or 4 are insane on the SWC.

 

[daybeers]

Are you aware of how many bedrooms are being auctioned off at the last minute using “bid up”? For all we know it’s extremely rare.

Regardless, why are many rooms empty?

 

[Sidney]

I still near from crew members and friends traveling, bedrooms are going out empty more often than not. As a family thats taken 2-3 cross country trips per year the past decade (GBB-LAX) they've lost our business. Family room prices for a family of 3 or 4 are insane on the

The Roomettes Fares Buckets may have stayed steady, but they're still Unaffordable by me.( Coach Fares are still Affordable! Most Days)

Examples: Texas Eagle. AUS-CHI for 1: $786!!!( SWA $212 RT)

TexasEagle. AUS-ALP for 1: $365 ( it was $202 in May on my Trip)

Texas Eagle/Starlight. AUS-EMY for 1: $1537!!!( SWA $246 RT)

They are only running a 4 Car Consist on the Eagle, even on #421/#422 Days ( CHI-LAX), and still serving Flex Flex Meals in the CCC and there is No Sightseer Lounge between CHI and SAS( 31 Hours!)

This Train has been consistently Full since May and on most Days the Sleepers ate SOLD OUT ( with no Transdorm the Crew takes up 3-4 Roomettes in the Sleeper)

Supply and Demand, Yes, but they've priced me out of LD Trips, so I'll be Flying on Southwest on any LD trips I take, including to the Gathering.( and Driving on Short Trips)

I wish there was something between Coach and Roomette. I miss the days when you could buy a sleeper after you board. I'm booked from Chicago to Buffalo in September in Coach. A roomette for basically an overnight trip with that sorry excuse for a breakfast is $450. No way would I ever pay that.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Regardless, why are many rooms empty?

Because they are Obscenely Expensive for what you get now!

 

[Qapla]

So, apparently, the excessively high prices are NOT a result of "supply and demand" - there is some other excuse "reason"

 

[Sidney]

$350 is about what I would pay for a one overnight trip in a roomette for 24 hours which would include all three meals. I grabbed that on the Crescent in September. Only downside is flex dining.

 

[niemi24s]

Train is full but rooms are empty?

 

[pennyk]

Last time I checked, all the bedrooms in the trains I plan to take to and from the October Gathering were sold out. I was unable to book a bedroom on one of the trains when I reserved a few months ago. On a couple of the trains, all the rooms were sold out.

 

[Palmland]

I believe Amtrak has decided to minimize train consist size to reduce maintenance and labor costs, which of course also drives up prices with the reduced ‘supply’. That’s strange economics if you are trying to grow your business - but then, maybe they aren’t!

But ‘bargains’ can still be found. In early October on northbound Auto-Train, traditionally a slow time, you can get a bedroom for $642 and family room for $601. Of course your car is an additional expense. The A-T with six or seven sleepers and lower fares seems counter to the strategy for other LD trains.

The Capitol Ltd for the same time and and also an overnight trip will set you back $1092 for a bedroom.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

For those who believe today's sleepers are excessively priced the solution seems to be booking coach and then bidding up for a compartment at a fraction of the cost. If the bid fails to succeed you cancel and re-book until you "win" the auction process. My problem is that the only daily train in my area retains Flexicon dining with no observation car and the routes I want to ride most require a mix of flights and hotels to be practical. When I price sleeper tickets every date I check is the same rate, which seems to go against this idea that it's all some sort of yield management strategy.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

My main concern is something more nefarious is going on. Like not allowing coach passengers in the diner, a new dining service that exceeded our expectations but may be over the top expense wise with linen and china. The Capital and Eagle so small they are turning customers away possibly not even big enough to break even during high season. Running two full consist stub trains with sleepers and diners the CS, LAX-SMF and SEA-KFS but not allowing people to book it. Only available to previously booked customers all summer long as of now.

And back to this topic prices so high long time loyal customers aren’t traveling. Sure the website might say bedrooms are sold out but that’s not what a lot of attendants are saying onboard. The stub trains I mentioned earlier also are saying “sold out“ as well when the reality is you just can’t book them.

All the actions listed above COULD be setting up horrible loss numbers for the network trains going forward. Numbers we know members of this management have wanted to show Congress for years. Look management has a horrible track record. Maybe they have changed their tune but look at the whole picture with the long distance trains. Something doesn’t add up. I hope it’s just incompetence and not nefarious but we need to keep our eye on the ball. Labor shortage only doesn’t explain all these snafus.

 

[user 1215]

This just isn't "fare".

 

[tonys96]

What/where is this bidding process?

 

[City of Miami]

And at the same time our NER (171&176) is cheap. And not just in VA either. My trip cvs-was Friday is $21 right now, not even 2 weeks advance. I checked for cvs-nyp a week later, $43. The lowest saver fare before 3/2020 was $74.
The Cardinal continues to go by here with 2 coaches, 1 sleeper, 0 business class. The app frequently says sold out. Recent summers have seen 3 & 4 coaches, 2 sleepers and business class. Sad.

 

[Ryan]

Regardless, why are many rooms empty?

Objection, assumes facts not in evidence.

What/where is this bidding process?

https://www.amtrak.com/bidup

 

[jis]

And at the same time our NER (171&176) is cheap. And not just in VA either. My trip cvs-was Friday is $21 right now, not even 2 weeks advance. I checked for cvs-nyp a week later, $43. The lowest saver fare before 3/2020 was $74.

Few things...

1. NER fares on corridor is very high is in general a myth. Acela fares are high because the lowest class is BC and the fare usually is close to NER BC. NER fares not so much, though specific runs may get high.

2. CVS to WAS is a Virginia run.

3. NER fares in Coach are generally lower than the Coach fares charged on LD trains on the NER

I suppose as more capacity has come on line fares have been bumped down to fill them and maximize yield at the same time.

 

[jruff001]

But ‘bargains’ can still be found. In early October on northbound Auto-Train, traditionally a slow time, you can get a bedroom for $642 and family room for $601. Of course your car is an additional expense. The A-T with six or seven sleepers and lower fares seems counter to the strategy for other LD trains.

That's because the AT does not have the same strategy as other LD trains.

Traffic on the AT is very imbalanced going south in the fall and north in the spring (roughly). It carries the consist and crew for the peak high-traffic, high-fare direction but then has to haul the same consist back in the slow direction to do it all over again. So there are always good deals to be had going against the flow, which includes NB in the fall as the snowbirds start their migration southward.

Other LD trains don't really have seasonal peaks in only one direction and are (roughly) busy in the summer and slow in the winter in both directions, so they can just have a shorter consist round trip both ways during the slow periods.

 

[TracyH]

I’ve been eyeing the prices for roomettes on the Empire Builder from Glacier National Park to Chicago and last week the price for two adults and two children was under $1300 (for 2 roomettes), 11 months out. Just a couple of days ago I checked and the price increased to $2300, also 11 months out. I can’t even buy my tickets yet because we’re planning this for mid summer of next year. I’ve been reading all about the need to book as soon as possible, and discussions about buckets. Any insights on why the sudden increase? (In two days, I should finally be able to buy tickets based on the dates of travel.) Thanks!

 

[Cal]

Some people have already bought roomettes and another fare bucket increase? Gosh, amtrak is going to put price everyone!

 

[TracyH]

So when I see a price 11 months out, is that the low bucket fair that is not going to drop? Most people have said that you should book with Amtrak as far in advance as possible, although I’ve seen other threads in this forum saying that the price may fluctuate, like airline tickets do.

 

[zephyr17]

So when I see a price 11 months out, is that the low bucket fair that is not going to drop? Most people have said that you should book with Amtrak as far in advance as possible, although I’ve seen other threads in this forum saying that the price may fluctuate, like airline tickets do.

They do. Amtrak has gotten more sophisticated in their yield management and no longer routinely releases inventory in the lowest bucket 11 months out as they used to. They introduce inventory based on historic demand for that period and somewhat optimistic forecasts and then will reallocate inventory among the buckets as actual demand develops or doesn't develop as anticipated. My own experience is the sweet spot is generally 4-6 months out, more like 6 for high demand periods. This isn't a scientific measurement, merely my own pre-pandemic experience. I'll also note that coming off of triweekly frequencies, shortened consists, and post-pandemic travel demand have skewed things and the old rules may not apply, or not apply for some time until things settle down.

 

[TracyH]

Ok thanks. That’s really helpful! I was hoping that if I was on top of things well in advance I’d get the lowest price, but now I’ll rethink that.