Expected state of Amtrak for the summer and fall travel season (2022)

[tricia]

That's not quite the situation.

These trains normally run every day, but, claiming equipment and staffing shortages due to the pandemic, Amtrak reduced the frequency earlier this year to 5 days a week. They had promised to restore daily service in March, but said they still had shortages didn't do so.

Now they are saying they'll restore daily service on May 21, but people on this board are worrying that they'll push it back again.

So they are not selling tickets for days the train is not scheduled to run. They expect to be running daily by then. It's just that people here don't trust Amtrak to meet that expectation.

Thanks for that concise sum-up. Personally, I'm reluctant to make any Amtrak-dependent long-distance plans AT ALL for any time in 2022, until there's more clarity about what will actually be running on which days.

 

[dadonatrain]

Thanks for that concise sum-up. Personally, I'm reluctant to make any Amtrak-dependent long-distance plans AT ALL for any time in 2022, until there's more clarity about what will actually be running on which days.

Same for me, Tricia. As badly as I want to get back on a train, any train, to anywhere, I just don’t think Amtrak has its act together quite enough at the moment to take that chance. Too much uncertainty. Sob…

 

[Sidney]

Same for me, Tricia. As badly as I want to get back on a train, any train, to anywhere, I just don’t think Amtrak has its act together quite enough at the moment to take that chance. Too much uncertainty. Sob…

It's always a risk. However I did find lower priced roomettes to do a nice circle trip in August. I've never stopped riding even during the worst of the pandemic and I never had a problem outside of late trains. My problem was the outrageous price of roomettes. However an Empire Builder fare from Seattle to Chicago dropped over $400 so I could complete a circle trip. Fares go up and down every day. I check everyday.

Amtrak has a lot of negatives,including freight traffic,flex dining and expensive fares but if you can find something that you like and fits,it's worth it.

As a three decade plus rider I still say there is nothing like having a sleeper with traditional dining traveling across the country. Im 73 and get excited now as I did when I began long distance riding at 40. It never gets old.

 

[dadonatrain]

It's always a risk. However I did find lower priced roomettes to do a nice circle trip in August. I've never stopped riding even during the worst of the pandemic and I never had a problem outside of late trains. My problem was the outrageous price of roomettes.

My pblm too, Sidney, esp roomette sand rooms on the Crescent, where I need to start any trip.




As a three decade plus rider I still say there is nothing like having a sleeper with traditional dining traveling across the country. Im 73 and get excited now as I did when I began long distance riding at 40. It never gets old.

.

You got that right, Sidney! I’ve told my family for fifty years now (I’m 78) that watching the world go by out a train window is just about the most fun I can have sitting down! I’ve even told them that if I hadn’t already said I want them to cremate me, not bury me, my epitaph would be “All things considered, I’d rather be on a train”

 

[thully]

Is that per person for 2 occupants or for a single person? I’ve been looking for roomettes on the EB and most days are $1074 for a single person (which I believe is high bucket). Lowest I generally see is around $700.

It's always a risk. However I did find lower priced roomettes to do a nice circle trip in August. I've never stopped riding even during the worst of the pandemic and I never had a problem outside of late trains. My problem was the outrageous price of roomettes. However an Empire Builder fare from Seattle to Chicago dropped over $400 so I could complete a circle trip. Fares go up and down every day. I check everyday.

Amtrak has a lot of negatives,including freight traffic,flex dining and expensive fares but if you can find something that you like and fits,it's worth it.

As a three decade plus rider I still say there is nothing like having a sleeper with traditional dining traveling across the country. Im 73 and get excited now as I did when I began long distance riding at 40. It never gets old.

 

[Sidney]

Is that per person for 2 occupantsOnd or for a single person? I’ve been looking for roomettes on the EB and most days are $1074 for a single person (which I believe is high bucket). Lowest I generally see is around $700.

Single person. I needed an Empire Builder in late August to work with the Texas Eagle/Sunset fare I got coming out. $1050 was the price for every day I looked at. I refuse to pay that price. Out of curiosity I checked this morning and the price on one of the days I was looking at dropped to $623. Now that's more like it!

I had reservations on Southwest to fly back to BWI from Portland. You can't cancel on SWest but you get a credit that I plan to apply to a flight to Fort Lauderdale in November to take a cruise. A win win

 

[trimetbusfan]

One thing I noticed today that's concerning - at least on the Empire Builder, the days of the week that currently have no train are now priced at the highest bucket through the end of September (departure date,) both in coach where only the Flexible fare is available, and in sleeper where it appears to be hard-set to the highest bucket. Other days seem to have standard variability based in sold seats, expected demand, etc. - it's just the days of the week that are cancelled through the end of May that are now high-bucket only through the end of September.

I imagine Amtrak would only do this if they feel that there is a decent likelihood that they'll have to cancel the train and reaccommodate people on different days - if you're planning on running the train, you'd let the standard pricing algorithm handle fare management. My guess is that while they don't know for sure yet whether the train will be cancelled, they're pricing it highly so very few people buy tickets, and thus they have fewer people to reaccommodate on a different schedule - plus, since they've paid high bucket, you don't have to worry about fare difference or potentially selling a seat too cheap for the day that it winds up being used on.

I had noticed this as well. When I went to book a trip on the Coast Starlight this summer, there were no saver or value fares available for all We/Th departures, even months in advance.

Once Amtrak announced that the CS would restore to daily service in March, those fares did go back to their fluctuating bucket price with saver fares, etc.

 

[west point]

Just cannot believe Amtrak will solve this equipment shortage thru August

 

[MARC Rider]

Thanks for that concise sum-up. Personally, I'm reluctant to make any Amtrak-dependent long-distance plans AT ALL for any time in 2022, until there's more clarity about what will actually be running on which days.

I don't think you have to go that far. Just book the trip for one of the days the train is running now. It will probably be running this summer, too. It's not like they're going to totally cancel the trains.

 

[20th Century Rider]

After a frustrating few hours attempting to book something from the West to CHI on any train between September through December 2022 I was told only highest bucket space available and only a few dates available. I was quoted lowest price EUG CHI $1200 on certain dates only 'but better grab now' plus plus ... for a roomette and much higher for an H room which I normally travel and require. I suspect that coach seating will be getting full as well with difficulty even getting a window seat which isn't guaranteed. But apparently single travelers will be 'guaranteed' seating next to a stranger. Some roomettes priced out at $4500 RT from EUG to CHI. I could fly to Europe in business class for less!

Am I missing something? Is it worth it to spend thousands for whatever roomettes are available on a crowded and expensive train? Ok! Amazon just attached a 5% surcharge to all orders and gas is $6 per gallon and going higher. It seems Amtrak is in sync with smothering inflation as it downgrades service at the same time.

So how are other AU'ers who want to ride the rails coping with this inflation nightmare???

 

[Sidney]

After a frustrating few hours attempting to book something from the West to CHI on any train between September through December 2022 I was told only highest bucket space available and only a few dates available. I was quoted lowest price EUG CHI $1200 on certain dates only 'but better grab now' plus plus ... for a roomette and much higher for an H room which I normally travel and require. I suspect that coach seating will be getting full as well with difficulty even getting a window seat which isn't guaranteed. But apparently single travelers will be 'guaranteed' seating next to a stranger. Some roomettes priced out at $4500 RT from EUG to CHI. I could fly to Europe in business class for less!

Am I missing something? Is it worth it to spend thousands for whatever roomettes are available on a crowded and expensive train? Ok! Amazon just attached a 5% surcharge to all orders and gas is $6 per gallon and going higher. It seems Amtrak is in sync with smothering inflation as it downgrades service at the same time.

So how are other AU'ers who want to ride the rails coping with this inflation nightmare???

I hear ya. Fares are outrageous,but I managed to book a Circle trip for late August on the Eagle/Sunset,Coast Starlight and Empire Builder. Low bucket on ths TE/Sunset,and second tier on the EB. Only holdout was the CS. At $700 plus from LAX-PDX I opted for Business Class with the hope I can have both seats. It takes a lot of planning and time and manually going through every date that you are interested in.

I keep thinking I'll never find low buckets on roomettes but they occasionally pop up. In an earlier post I wrote I was going to fly home from Portland being I kept seeing $1050 roomettes. Then one of those days the fare dropped to $623. Grabbed it immediately.

Out of curiosity I checked some October and November roomette fares on the Southwest Chief and Sunset/Eagle from LAX to CHI and there are a several low buckets available. Is Eugene your origination? To get to LA in a roomette is quite high.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Out of curiosity I checked some October and November roomette fares on the Southwest Chief and Sunset/Eagle from LAX to CHI and there are a several low buckets available. Is Eugene your origination? To get to LA in a roomette is quite high.

Good info... and will check again today... and hoping for a better agent!

 

[glensfallsse]

Quick question, there used to be a tool to check prices over a 30-day period ... Amsnag or something like that. Is that still available?

 

[Sidney]

Quick question, there used to be a tool to check prices over a 30-day period ... Amsnag or something like that. Is that still available?

Amsnag is gone. You have to punch in each date manually. It would be nice to get at least a week's views of prices,but we're talking Amtrak which won't even print timetables.

 

[Railspike]

Once Amtrak is adequately staffed again (if ever) and there are plenty of cars available to create a full consist for each train, what are the chances that fares will reach pre-COVID levels again? Or, are the high fares here to stay? Anybody's guess.

 

[west point]

Too early to even guess equipment, T&E, and OBS availability.

 

[Willbridge]

While reading this, MS Edge popped up a flag telling me to hurry and apply for the "27 openings" that Amtrak has in Denver. That may include some other locations in the region.

 

[fengshui]

I think equipment shortages are going to be an issue for the foreseeable future. I was watching a Youtube video of a #5 CZ run from March, and the #6 they passed going East had the TS, one sleeper, and no Dining Car! At least they got a Sightseer Lounge, but no dining car would definitely detract from the experience.

 

[John Bredin]

Equipment shortages aren't done, but March isn't necessarily a fair measure a couple of months later. YouTube also has live railcams, and I've recently seen five coaches on the Lake Shore Limited and three coaches on the Capitol Limited when both stopped at Elkhart IN.

 

[jis]

Equipment shortages aren't done, but March isn't necessarily a fair measure a couple of months later. YouTube also has live railcams, and I've recently seen five coaches on the Lake Shore Limited and three coaches on the Capitol Limited when both stopped at Elkhart IN.

Yes. March is way out of date. There have been at least two sets of additions to the deployed equipment since then.

 

[Cal]

I think equipment shortages are going to be an issue for the foreseeable future. I was watching a Youtube video of a #5 CZ run from March, and the #6 they passed going East had the TS, one sleeper, and no Dining Car! At least they got a Sightseer Lounge, but no dining car would definitely detract from the experience.

Could you please send the video? I don’t know if Amtrak could get away with sending out a CZ without a diner.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Could you please send the video? I don’t know if Amtrak could get away with sending out a CZ without a diner.

I think they are talking about this video (will link below). See at about 34 mins in. Not really sure why the consist is missing 2 cars on this day, but I’m almost certain it’s a one off.

 

[Eric in East County]

Revisiting this thread (which was started on March 30), it is interesting to compare the comments that were made back then with how things are at present.

 

[Eric in East County]

To answer the question of the original poster: daily service is likely by summer, but "having their act together" by summer? No chance.

This response is from April 1st. At that time, we already had confirmed bedroom reservations on the SWC for June 28th which we assumed were rock solid. Boy, did we get a surprise!