Effect of rising gas prices on Amtrak ridership

[Willbridge]

This occasional background look at corridor fares follows the previous thread:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/thread...es-on-amtrak-ridership-in-summer-of-22.81125/
Here's a look at PDX>SEA and PDX>SPK. This for Sunday, August 21, 2022, and then for Sunday, October 2, for Sunday, October 16, and Sunday, November 13th.

Here's the PDX to SEA line-up as of Wednesday night:
0800 FB $44>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$34>>>>>>>>>>>$54>>>>>>>>>>>$34
0820 AT SO/SO>>>>>>>>>>>>SO/SO>>>>>>>>>SO/SO>>>>>>>>>SO/SO
0950 GL $27>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$26>>>>>>>>>>>$35>>>>>>>>>>>$27
1005 FB $44>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$39>>>>>>>>>>>$44>>>>>>>>>>>$68
1200 AT SO/SO>>>>>>>>>>>>SO/SO>>>>>>>>>SO/SO>>>>>>>>>SO/SO
1230 FB $31>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$39>>>>>>>>>>>$49>>>>>>>>>>>$68
1500 FB $37>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$49>>>>>>>>>>>$44>>>>>>>>>>>$80
1556 AT SO/SO/$153>>>>>>>>SO/SO/$267>>>>>>SO/SO/$293>>>>>SO/SO/$267
1830 FB $37>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$49>>>>>>>>>>>$54>>>>>>>>>>>$80
1925 AT $35/$75>>>>>>>>>>>$66/SO>>>>>>>>>SO/SO>>>>>>>>>SO/SO
1950 GL $27>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$27>>>>>>>>>>>$37>>>>>>>>>>>$29

And here's PDX to SPK:
0800 FB $61 via Seattle>>>>>>>>>$52>>>>>>>>>$97>>>>>>>>>>>$107
0820 AT SO/SO/SO chng at Seattle>>SO/SO/SO>>>>SO/SO/SO>>>>>>>SO/SO/SO
0950 GL $69 chng at Stanfield>>>>>$72>>>>>>>>>$76>>>>>>>>>>>$71
1645 AT $58/--/$183>>>>>>>>>>>$58/--/$690>>>$58/--/$293>>>>>>$58/--/$230

AT = Amtrak Coach/Business/Sleeper, FB = Flixbus includes service charge rounded, GL = Greyhound Lines. SO = Sold Out.

Note: There is no through PDX<>VAC train as of yet. The 0820, 1200, and 1556 train departures from PDX enjoy bus connections in SEA to VAC.

Flix is using the ability to raise fares to the highest level that they've ever reached. As of Wednesday evening, most Sunday Flix trips were marked as "almost full".

Their advertising reaches out to rail passengers.

 

[Eric in East County]

In a different discussion thread, AU members compared the cost of a taking a long-distance train to driving. Since that thread first appeared, and in addition to gas, the cost for food and lodging has also increased significantly. IMHO, for someone wanting to travel between, let’s say, Los Angeles and Chicago, the option of taking the train is looking better and better, providing they can obtain the accommodations they want.

 

[Willbridge]

In a different discussion thread, AU members compared the cost of a taking a long-distance train to driving. Since that thread first appeared, and in addition to gas, the cost for food and lodging has also increased significantly. IMHO, for someone wanting to travel between, let’s say, Los Angeles and Chicago, the option of taking the train is looking better and better, providing they can obtain the accommodations they want.

I read some of that thread. There are some different features in transcontinental driving vs. corridor trips like PDX<>SEA. You can even see that in this series of statistics with the comparison of PDX<>SPK, which conveniently is double the distance of PDX<>SEA. Demand for the shorter trips skyrocketed, while the longer trips that could be put off were put off.

You're right to note the issue of accommodations. We can't know what the real demand is when trains are sold out half a week before departure. Based on past experience, someone will come along and compare ridership before and after the pandemic and "prove" that demand is declining.

Were it not for the labor shortage, the Cascades could add a night trip in each direction at lower fares and a padded schedule. There would be demand for it on the weekends.

 

[BCL]

I would say that the costs of driving solo were one of the primary considerations for using Amtrak on a recent trip I made. I don't know if it would have the sole reason, but also the hassle/expense of parking. A lot of the places I was going would have had expensive parking or I'd have to park away and then use public transportation to avoid high parking expenses.

The downside was that I didn't have a car as a storage space. On top of that, I got around mostly on LA Metro, which isn't necessarily the best option when one has a lot of stuff.

I was meeting up with some friends, and some of them were coming from San Diego. That was a little bit tricky with track repair and the bus bridge. They ended up taking a bus instead but did ride Amtrak to LA.

 

[Willbridge]

Here's a look at PDX>SEA and PDX>SPK. for Thanksgiving Eve as of the evening of Thursday, November 17th. Note that an extra Cascades trip is already sold out.

Here's the PDX to SEA line-up for November 23rd:
0700 FB $57
0820 AT SO/SO
0950 GL $55
1005 FB $94
1200 AT SO/SO
1230 FB $68
1556 AT SO/SO/$244
1745 AT SO/SO Extra Train
1830 FB $68
1900 FB $68 Extra Bus through from Eugene.
1925 AT SO/SO
1950 GL $54

And here's PDX to SPK:
0700 FB $107 via Seattle
0820 AT SO/SO/SO chng at Seattle
0950 GL $99 chng at Stanfield
1645 AT SO/--/$327

AT = Amtrak Coach/Business/Sleeper, FB = Flixbus includes service charge rounded, GL = Greyhound Lines. SO = Sold Out.

Note: There is no through PDX<>VAC train as of yet. The 0820, 1200, and 1556 train departures from PDX enjoy bus connections in SEA to VAC.

Flix is using the ability to raise fares to the highest level that they've ever reached.