Auto Train pricing off the charts

[Peatey]

First-time poster - Be Gentle!!

Have taken the A/T for our last 4 one-way trips. First time was South-North April 2012, when we'd first learned of it from friends and didn't know about advance booking/bucket benefits. Paid about $1250 for 2 people with bedroom. Having done our research and learned of this website and Amsnag, our next 3 trips were each booked well in advance for about $650 for the same configuration. Learned about the need to book as early as possible. Most recent trip was Nov 5 LOR-SFA, paid $682 booked almost 11 months to the day in advance. Looking now at prices for next year, looking at the month of October, every day is $1272 for 2 + car + bedroom. There's no way we're going to pay that kind of money, but my question is - does anyone have any insight into what has happened to the early-booking buckets? Is there the remotest possibility of lower pricing reappearing?

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

First-time poster - Be Gentle!!

Have taken the A/T for our last 4 one-way trips. First time was South-North April 2012, when we'd first learned of it from friends and didn't know about advance booking/bucket benefits. Paid about $1250 for 2 people with bedroom. Having done our research and learned of this website and Amsnag, our next 3 trips were each booked well in advance for about $650 for the same configuration. Learned about the need to book as early as possible. Most recent trip was Nov 5 LOR-SFA, paid $682 booked almost 11 months to the day in advance. Looking now at prices for next year, looking at the month of October, every day is $1272 for 2 + car + bedroom. There's no way we're going to pay that kind of money, but my question is - does anyone have any insight into what has happened to the early-booking buckets? Is there the remotest possibility of lower pricing reappearing?

While booking earlier certainly helps it is no promise of better prices. They have control over the pricing mechanism and if they think that they can milk the early-bookings for more money they will. Their thinking is that the people who book as soon as space becomes available are the people who absolutely need to lock in a reservation, that way the people who can't wait will be locked in at a higher price than the people who can afford to be a bit more flexible. They have a whole year to sell out that train, they aren't in a hurry right now. Wait a month or two and the prices might return to "normal", otherwise perhaps there's a reason I don't know about.

 

[the_traveler]

Even if you book earlier on the Auto Train (or any other Amtrak train for that matter), keep checking the fares later. If you find the fare is lower, you can revise your reservation to the lower fare!

 

[zepherdude]

I just ran some numbers for October, next year. The car is 179.00 + superliner bedroom for 889.00 + tickets for 2 passengers, 204.00 for a total ticket price of $1272.00 for 2 pax for one way. You may have added too many figures

Total cost of your trip for two would be $1272.00 which includes everything, room, car, tickets (2), meals, wine, continental breakfast. Hope this helps.

There is a cheaper bedroom (family bedroom) listed for 930.00. do not know the difference.

Roomette is listed for 630.00. This is the smaller of the 3 compartments.

$1,272.00 USD

• Friday, October 10, 2014
• Lorton to Sanford
  
• 4:00 pm - 9:30 am (Sat, Oct 11)
• 17 hr, 30 min
• 53 Auto Train (Amenities)
• 1 Bedroom

PREMIUM
2 Adult
$204.00
1 Bedroom
$889.00
Subtotal
$1093.00

• 1 VehicleSubtotal $179.00

Terms & Conditions
Total
$1,272.00
Fares are not guaranteed until we provide you with a reservation confirmation.

 

[Ryan]

Amtrak is working more diligently to manage revenue and won't start selling tickets at the cheaper prices if they can expect to sell the train out at higher prices.

There is a chance that the price will come down some if sales aren't what they want them to be, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope of that happening during the S/B snowbird migration.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

If one has enough AGR points, this might be a good time to use them.

 

[Ryan]

40,000 points for a $1272 trip gives you 3.2 cents/point, which is a pretty decent redemption rate (since you can buy them at 2.75 cents/point)

 

[Ben Miskin]

It is the bedroom price which way of line. I booked for my trip in February of this year in July. I paid 204.00 for coach seats and 179 for the car for 2 people each way, which is the same price for October of 2014.

 

[Anderson]

One other thing: Consider calling Amtrak directly about the reservation. There have been "issues" with amtrak.com giving out higher prices for two in a bedroom or roomette than the site should. For example:
On Train 91, 11 Dec. 2013
RVR-DLD for 1:
AAA Rail Fare: $96.30
Roomette: $270.00
Total: $366.30

On Train 91, 11 Dec. 2013
RVR-DLD for 2:
AAA Rail Fare: $96.30
Adult Rail Fare: $107.00
Roomette: $343.00
Total: $546.30

The room charge in the first case listed as $270. In the second case, it jumps to $343. Also, I checked the fare for one before and after checking the fare for two, just as insurance against the room having sold. So do a check on this with the Auto Train and then give Amtrak a call.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

You book a trip for $600 odd dollars year after year and you may naturally expect it to reach $700 or $800 as revenue management begins to push prices higher. Then you see your typical purchase rise from $600 and change to $1,200 for every day of the month you want to travel at the first booking opportunity. Naturally you're not interested in paying double the previous years rate in return for locking in early. Seems like a bad way to "manage" prices if you risk pushing away repeat buyers hoping they'll just casually drop double the previous years rate. I have no way of knowing how well this is working but I do know that Amtrak started pricing me out of revenue sleeper tickets a couple years ago.

If it wasn't for AGR I wouldn't be able to ride Amtrak without feeling like a bit of a sucker. Maybe Amtrak thinks folks like me are cheapskates for balking at their new pricing structure. That's certainly been the attitude of some regulars here on AU when someone criticizes the ticket increases. It would appear that Amtrak's reasoning is that if they can just get my cheap rear out of the seat they can sell it for double my maximum price to someone else. I've only dropped a measly $10,000 on Amtrak in recent memory. Apparently there's another customer just around the corner ready and willing to drop double that. Which I might actually believe, if only I hadn't seen so many empty sleeper compartments on the CZ during the "busiest week of the year" for Amtrak.

AGR points purchases work well if you mainly take roomettes from the center of the country like I do. However, if you need 40,000 points for a single one-way ride on the Auto Train then you're SOL on the points purchase route unless you plan way ahead. In most years you'll max out at 13,000 points per account at bonus time. Which means you'll be waiting three years to book the Auto Train with those points. There are other ways to earn AGR points which may work much better for the first few years, but which are not endlessly repeatable forever.

Which means you'd have to initiate a multi-pronged attack where you begin purchasing points for at least three separate accounts at the maximum bonus each and every year. New credit card signups could cover you for the first three years with CSP/CIB/CIP, at which point your direct purchases would have reached the required number of points. However, even this method would depend on avoiding any changes to the bonus points offers, the points transfer options, and any devaluation of points. Which I would hope we all understand is a highly unlikely scenario in this day and age. Best of luck to anyone who can figure this out, but it appears to be a bit beyond my level of expertise.

 

[chakk]

Maybe Amtrak is helping their own cash flow by getting customers to pay NOW at the highest bucket price. Even if they might have to refund some of that money if (A) prices go down for equivalent rooms at a later date AND (B) the customer recognizes that the prices have gone down and requests a refund of the higher fare amount; Amtrak still has had your money for several (many?) months and may have been able to acrue a significant amount of interest or dividends on your funds -- which they will not refund to you under any circumstances.

 

[Guest]

Have taken the A/T for our last 4 one-way trips. First time was South-North April 2012, when we'd first learned of it from friends and didn't know about advance booking/bucket benefits. Paid about $1250 for 2 people with bedroom.

You book a trip for $600 odd dollars year after year and you may naturally expect it to reach $700 or $800 as revenue management begins to push prices higher. Then you see your typical purchase rise from $600 and change to $1,200 for every day of the month you want to travel at the first booking opportunity.

I look at it differently. The "regular" fare is around $1,200. The OP actually paid that their first time. Afterward, they got lucky with hooking a discount.

Well, that free ride is over, and the OP is simply back to paying $1,200.

 

[railiner]

First-time poster - Be Gentle!!

Have taken the A/T for our last 4 one-way trips. First time was South-North April 2012, when we'd first learned of it from friends and didn't know about advance booking/bucket benefits. Paid about $1250 for 2 people with bedroom. Having done our research and learned of this website and Amsnag, our next 3 trips were each booked well in advance for about $650 for the same configuration. Learned about the need to book as early as possible. Most recent trip was Nov 5 LOR-SFA, paid $682 booked almost 11 months to the day in advance. Looking now at prices for next year, looking at the month of October, every day is $1272 for 2 + car + bedroom. There's no way we're going to pay that kind of money, but my question is - does anyone have any insight into what has happened to the early-booking buckets? Is there the remotest possibility of lower pricing reappearing?

While booking earlier certainly helps it is no promise of better prices. They have control over the pricing mechanism and if they think that they can milk the early-bookings for more money they will. Their thinking is that the people who book as soon as space becomes available are the people who absolutely need to lock in a reservation, that way the people who can't wait will be locked in at a higher price than the people who can afford to be a bit more flexible. They have a whole year to sell out that train, they aren't in a hurry right now. Wait a month or two and the prices might return to "normal", otherwise perhaps there's a reason I don't know about.

Even if you book earlier on the Auto Train (or any other Amtrak train for that matter), keep checking the fares later. If you find the fare is lower, you can revise your reservation to the lower fare!

Amtrak is working more diligently to manage revenue and won't start selling tickets at the cheaper prices if they can expect to sell the train out at higher prices.

There is a chance that the price will come down some if sales aren't what they want them to be, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope of that happening during the S/B snowbird migration.

I am not that familiar with Amtrak fare regulations.....is there a "final payment date" catch (like on cruiselines), where you may no longer get a full refund, or get back the difference between what you have paid, and what their yield management now charges for new bookings?

 

[the_traveler]

There is a specific "buy by date" on Amtrak (when booking online it is when you make your reservation but it may be days later is booking by phone). The big difference between Amtrak and the airlines is there is NO penalty to revise your reservation later!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I look at it differently. The "regular" fare is around $1,200. The OP actually paid that their first time. Afterward, they got lucky with hooking a discount. Well, that free ride is over, and the OP is simply back to paying $1,200.

According to the OP...

The 1st trip was booked late at the full ~ $1,200 fare the first year.

The 2nd trip was booked early at the advance purchase rate of ~ $600

The 3rd trip was booked early at the advance purchase rate of ~ $600

The 4th trip was booked early at the advance purchase rate of ~ $600

Being able to intentionally replicate the desired outcome nullifies the concept of luck.

The 5th trip wasn't booked because the early rate is already the full fare.

At this point Amtrak appears to be charging full fare no matter how early you book.

Which is counterintuitive to many price conscious travelers.

And makes it much more difficult for then to find a fare they're comfortable with.

On routes like the Auto Train and the Texas Eagle maybe that's not a problem.

However, on the CZ I rode a few days ago nearly half of my sleeper appeared to be empty.

On the busiest week of the year.

Which would imply to me that something isn't quite in balance yet.

Riding the rails is fun, but it's not an elastic purchase for me.

If the cost of a sleeper compartment becomes too high to match the inherent value then I will cease to purchase revenue sleeper tickets.

Naturally my experience is just one datapoint, but if you add them up with the growing number of datapoints expressing similar conclusions this does not appear to be an isolated position.

Amtrak appears to be doing fine on some routes, despite the lack of variation in fares, so maybe those routes should remain high bucket unless and until ridership decreases.

However, on routes were Amtrak cannot fill the sleeper compartments on their busiest week of the year I would suggest they resume offering early booking discounts like most other transportation service have done for as long as I can remember.

 

[the_traveler]

Did it occur to you that some people booked the CZ on (say) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because they were not sure if they can get off from work on a certain day or because they were concerned about the bad weather in the area (and making connections) and left a day or 2 early? Thus, the rooms on your train were empty!

 

[Guest]

I look at it differently. The "regular" fare is around $1,200. The OP actually paid that their first time. Afterward, they got lucky with hooking a discount. Well, that free ride is over, and the OP is simply back to paying $1,200.

According to the OP...

The 1st trip was booked late at the full ~ $1,200 fare the first year.

The 2nd trip was booked early at the advance purchase rate of ~ $600

The 3rd trip was booked early at the advance purchase rate of ~ $600

The 4th trip was booked early at the advance purchase rate of ~ $600

Being able to intentionally replicate the desired outcome nullifies the concept of luck.

The 5th trip wasn't booked because the early rate is already the full fare.

That's the definition of being lucky. Catching a discount while it was going offered. But such is now over. All good things must come to an end (quoting Q). And the OP is simply back to the same fare they paid the first time. No harm. No foul.

One should be thankful for the times they caught a break, rather than being upset that its over.

 

[Nathanael]

At this point Amtrak appears to be charging full fare no matter how early you book.

Which is counterintuitive to many price conscious travelers.

And makes it much more difficult for then to find a fare they're comfortable with.

On routes like the Auto Train and the Texas Eagle maybe that's not a problem.

However, on the CZ I rode a few days ago nearly half of my sleeper appeared to be empty.

On the busiest week of the year.

Which would imply to me that something isn't quite in balance yet.

Certainly.
I have to ask which part of the CZ you rode on, because I have a theory about the CZ: I think that east-of-Denver performs *much* better than west-of-Denver.

If you were riding from Denver to Chicago, then I would have to say that Amtrak has certainly miscalibrated the prices. If you were riding west of Denver, the pricing problem is harder for Amtrak and although Amtrak has still probably miscalibrated the prices, Amtrak may not be able to entirely fix them.

However, on routes were Amtrak cannot fill the sleeper compartments on their busiest week of the year I would suggest they resume offering early booking discounts like most other transportation service have done for as long as I can remember.

 

[benale]

I've been riding Amtrak for almost 25 years and have taken every long distance train,,some multiple times,but I have never taken the Auto Train. I know the train is popular, but if I'm going to Florida I find it a lot cheaper to drive and stay overnight. You have to get to Lorton, 25 miles South of DC and the traffic is always unbearable. If you live in New England, that's quite a drive to catch the Auto Train. For two people the cost is quite high, but enough people will pay to keep the service profitable.

 

[user 1215]

Hi Peatey,

We are all lamenting the higher prices commanded over the entire system - particularly in sleeping accommodations. Heck, I got a roomette from St Louis to Mineola for $35. In 2000. Albuquerque to LA for $100 in 2006. So now I ride coach whenever I can, buy points whenever I can, and let the points pay for my sleeper. Never been in anything larger than a roomette, though.

Your previously accustomed to rate can be found on 9/25. A family bedroom which spans the width of the car allowing views out both sides is about $150 less. But you lose the upper floor view and private shower and restroom.

There is little doubt that much could be improved on the Auto Train - especially if they are breaking even or better AND able to command higher prices.

But folks here just keep saying if it ain't broke dont fix it. If they are able to get double what you have been paying for five years, I'd love to see a hot breakfast and or faster arrive-load-depart efficiencies.

And I still believe that it should be an all sleeper train, as ALL passengers are spending the night and no one is getting on or off in between end points. Not saying all have to be roomettes bedrooms or family rooms but all should get a horizontal sleep.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The presence of coach seats and lack of hot breakfast on a surprisingly pricy train where absolutely everyone spends the night are confusing contradictions to me as well. But since there are no Auto Trains within a thousand miles of where I live I guess this isn't meant to appeal to me anyway.

 

[SANSR]

There is another variable that can rear it's ugly head with AT price configurations. Consider if you will a pre-planned reservation, months in advance, commanding 2 ensuited bedrooms, 4 adults, and 1 vehicle. Now, consider if you will, that same reservation, having been on the books for those previously mentioned 'several months' all of a sudden being cancelled 3 weeks before the planned trip. All of a sudden there is open space that is unlikely to be filled in exactly the same manner as the original reservation (1 way, northbound). I have no idea what that monkey wrench can do to pricing configurations but I expect there could be considerable efforts on both the traveling public as well as Amtrak's effort to fill those suddenly available vacancies. I speak from experience and believe me, come hell or high water, in the future, it will take alot more than some quibbling between the 4 adults to ultimately force me to cancel a train trip!

 

[Cheryl]

I would like to know why the auto train tickets increased about 300.00 dollars more from nov. 2013 to nov 2014. I can't seem to get a logical answer. It was always if you booked 11 months ahead the fare was more reasonable. Can someone tell me?

 

[Ispolkom]

I would like to know why the auto train tickets increased about 300.00 dollars more from nov. 2013 to nov 2014. I can't seem to get a logical answer. It was always if you booked 11 months ahead the fare was more reasonable. Can someone tell me?

To quote RyanS in posting #5 of this thread:

"Amtrak is working more diligently to manage revenue and won't start selling tickets at the cheaper prices if they can expect to sell the train out at higher prices."

The initial price is now higher than it was because Amtrak thinks the demand is there at that price point. If it isn't the price might come down.

 

[Ryan]

People are willing to pay those prices. Why would Amtrak charge less?