Hidden City Fares on NEC?

[Bex]

I've been riding weekly for six years and I don't think I have ever seen NYP/WAS cheaper than NYP to/from BAL, BWI, or NCR.  The Saver fares used to be $49 for any of these and still are for the former. But the latter three are now $54. Why would that be? Just curious, really, although one is tempted to buy NYP to WAS when headed to one of the others so as to save $5.

 

[Acela150]

Can you please clarify some things here? I'm confused as could be. Are you saying that it's cheaper to go from NYP-WAS then BAL-WAS? 

 

[OnlyMe]

No he is saying the saver fare from NYP-WAS is only $49,

but that the saver fare from NYP-BAL or NYP-BWI is $54.

It is a bit odd because you would think a shorter trip would be less expensive, but I guess not? Maybe it is based on city pairs now like how the airlines do it.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I think there’s a city pair sale going in right now.

 

[pennyk]

I think there’s a city pair sale going in right now.

https://view.exacttarget.com/?qs=0558d2db7b2fffa76a54f00673888fb05cfa2a04cd1a8018b735cea6971d9ffcbc40354cd09968de53f4ca554a32291e562300871b9def9180099150655ef5261e687f2743849f56b26bc63dc96ecd2e20b85e82ecabff3c

 

[PRR 60]

There is nothing to stop you from getting from buying NYP-WAS and getting off at any prior stop. Coming back could be a little trickier with the possibility that your WAS-NYP reservation could be canceled when your ticket is not scanned coming out of WAS. There used to have a two hour grace period to account for missed scans before the reservation was canceled, but I don't know if they still do or how long it is now.

 

[bratkinson]

I've been riding weekly for six years and I don't think I have ever seen NYP/WAS cheaper than NYP to/from BAL, BWI, or NCR.  The Saver fares used to be $49 for any of these and still are for the former. But the latter three are now $54. Why would that be? Just curious, really, although one is tempted to buy NYP to WAS when headed to one of the others so as to save $5.

It's been my experience that sometime in February, give or take, Amtrak does their once per year fare hike.  Perhaps that's what you're seeing.  Perhaps, too, that Anderson is cranking up the fares more  than usual to help 'profitabillity', aka, reduced losses.

 

[cpotisch]

It's been my experience that sometime in February, give or take, Amtrak does their once per year fare hike.  Perhaps that's what you're seeing.  Perhaps, too, that Anderson is cranking up the fares more  than usual to help 'profitabillity', aka, reduced losses.

That doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that NYP-WIL is $5 more expensive than NYP-WAS, though...

 

[Bex]

Yes, the "sale" is where I noticed the difference. But it's not a sale. Those are the normal Saver fares for all those city pairs. Amtrak sends that out pretty regularly to remind you Saver fares exist and making it appear as a sale. It's like when I get suckered in the supermarket by an "everyday low price" sign made to look like a sale one... but I digress.

And yes, there is often an annual price hike, but the NYP to Baltimore through Washington stations rise in lock step. I have never seen every ride get a hike but WAS effectively making it cheaper to go further.

There is nothing to stop you from getting from buying NYP-WAS and getting off at any prior stop. Coming back could be a little trickier with the possibility that your WAS-NYP reservation could be canceled when your ticket is not scanned coming out of WAS. There used to have a two hour grace period to account for missed scans before the reservation was canceled, but I don't know if they still do or how long it is now.

This was my thinking as well. I'm going to buy all my NYP-BAL trips as NYP-WAS but for $5 a week I'm going to play it safe and just buy BAL-NYP.