NOL-MOB service

[brianpmcdonnell17]

She calls trains a 'luxury'. That's disappointing

But, not unexpected. To many, Amtrak, with its high prices is considered a luxury. It is considered a land cruise. Many do not see it as essential service or a viable transportation option.

The Amtrak identity crisis rages on.

Amtrak's coach prices seem to me very reasonable, compared to cost of driving. I've not made a comprehensive survey of every price for every section of every route, but when I've been booking travel for myself, coach prices usually seem a bargain. Sleeper prices are generally MUCH steeper.

It seems to depend a lot on the route. For example, I just took a ~700 mile trip from Tampa to Raleigh for $65. It is also possible to travel coast to coast for under $200. Meanwhile, a full trip on the CONO costs at least $134 and even the Regionals on the NEC are priced high for the distance they travel. In the Midwest, an hour and a half trip from Chicago to Milwaukee costs $25, whereas a five and a half hour trip to St. Louis costs only $2 more. However, with a few exceptions such as the Tampa-Raleigh trip I mentioned, I can almost always find a cheaper flight than an LD train ticket if booked far enough in advance, and busses tend to be significantly cheaper, especially with Megabus.

 

[tricia]

She calls trains a 'luxury'. That's disappointing

But, not unexpected. To many, Amtrak, with its high prices is considered a luxury. It is considered a land cruise. Many do not see it as essential service or a viable transportation option.

The Amtrak identity crisis rages on.

Amtrak's coach prices seem to me very reasonable, compared to cost of driving. I've not made a comprehensive survey of every price for every section of every route, but when I've been booking travel for myself, coach prices usually seem a bargain. Sleeper prices are generally MUCH steeper.

It seems to depend a lot on the route. For example, I just took a ~700 mile trip from Tampa to Raleigh for $65. It is also possible to travel coast to coast for under $200. Meanwhile, a full trip on the CONO costs at least $134 and even the Regionals on the NEC are priced high for the distance they travel. In the Midwest, an hour and a half trip from Chicago to Milwaukee costs $25, whereas a five and a half hour trip to St. Louis costs only $2 more. However, with a few exceptions such as the Tampa-Raleigh trip I mentioned, I can almost always find a cheaper flight than an LD train ticket if booked far enough in advance, and busses tend to be significantly cheaper, especially with Megabus.

Still, it seems a stretch to call any of the pricing you've cited "luxury" travel.

 

[cpotisch]

She calls trains a 'luxury'. That's disappointing

But, not unexpected. To many, Amtrak, with its high prices is considered a luxury. It is considered a land cruise. Many do not see it as essential service or a viable transportation option.

The Amtrak identity crisis rages on.

Amtrak's coach prices seem to me very reasonable, compared to cost of driving. I've not made a comprehensive survey of every price for every section of every route, but when I've been booking travel for myself, coach prices usually seem a bargain. Sleeper prices are generally MUCH steeper.

It seems to depend a lot on the route. For example, I just took a ~700 mile trip from Tampa to Raleigh for $65. It is also possible to travel coast to coast for under $200. Meanwhile, a full trip on the CONO costs at least $134 and even the Regionals on the NEC are priced high for the distance they travel. In the Midwest, an hour and a half trip from Chicago to Milwaukee costs $25, whereas a five and a half hour trip to St. Louis costs only $2 more. However, with a few exceptions such as the Tampa-Raleigh trip I mentioned, I can almost always find a cheaper flight than an LD train ticket if booked far enough in advance, and busses tend to be significantly cheaper, especially with Megabus.

Still, it seems a stretch to call any of the pricing you've cited "luxury" travel.

Sleepers are definitely sufficiently expensive to be described as luxury travel. Coach isn't particularly pricy (or luxurious), but a train with a significant amount of sleeper capacity and revenue could be described as (at least in part) a luxury train.

 

[the_traveler]

But the proposed train to Mobile would most likely be a day train - no sleepers, only coach.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Still, it seems a stretch to call any of the pricing you've cited "luxury" travel.

You are using it to describe the experience. They are using it in terms of costs. In other words, trains have fixed expenses and aren't flexible. They require a dedicated infrastructure that has to be maintained to certain standards regardless of how many trains travel the route.

When you consider that there are buses and planes that do not have the same expensive and labor intensive infrastructure and thrown in the fact the prices charged will not cover these expenses( unless the fee is outrageous), some will consider the service "a luxury" that they can not afford.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

She calls trains a 'luxury'. That's disappointing

But, not unexpected. To many, Amtrak, with its high prices is considered a luxury. It is considered a land cruise. Many do not see it as essential service or a viable transportation option.

The Amtrak identity crisis rages on.

Amtrak's coach prices seem to me very reasonable, compared to cost of driving. I've not made a comprehensive survey of every price for every section of every route, but when I've been booking travel for myself, coach prices usually seem a bargain. Sleeper prices are generally MUCH steeper.

It seems to depend a lot on the route. For example, I just took a ~700 mile trip from Tampa to Raleigh for $65. It is also possible to travel coast to coast for under $200. Meanwhile, a full trip on the CONO costs at least $134 and even the Regionals on the NEC are priced high for the distance they travel. In the Midwest, an hour and a half trip from Chicago to Milwaukee costs $25, whereas a five and a half hour trip to St. Louis costs only $2 more. However, with a few exceptions such as the Tampa-Raleigh trip I mentioned, I can almost always find a cheaper flight than an LD train ticket if booked far enough in advance, and busses tend to be significantly cheaper, especially with Megabus.

Still, it seems a stretch to call any of the pricing you've cited "luxury" travel.

I don't think of it as luxury travel, but at current funding levels the prices Amtrak charges can make it non-competitive, especially for people who are not used to Amtrak and do not understand the other benefits of riding the train. The governors of Alabama and Mississippi rejecting funding such a relatively inexpensive project only makes Amtrak service that much more sparse and inefficient, which can lead people to believe it is a luxury.

 

[jis]

The Alabama Governor is I am sure saying nothing regarding the fares or the experience of train travel. She is saying that in her budgetary situation it is a luxury to consider paying for running a train to Mobile. I don't agree with that position , but that is what she thinks and she holds the pen that needs to sign off, not me. So now please don;t crucify me. I am merely trying to clarify what she is actually saying as opposed to the clear cases of misinterpretation I see here.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Guess the good people of Alabama have returned to electing Morons,Cons and Crooks ( see Jeff Sessions)after turning down that ********* Monster Roy Moore!

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

The Alabama Governor is I am sure saying nothing regarding the fares or the experience of train travel. She is saying that in her budgetary situation it is a luxury to consider paying for running a train to Mobile. I don't agree with that position , but that is what she thinks and she holds the pen that needs to sign off, not me. So now please don;t crucify me. I am merely trying to clarify what she is actually saying as opposed to the clear cases of misinterpretation I see here.

I know. My point is that politicians like that who refuse to fund Amtrak are the reason the map is so skeletal and with such infrequent service that is not usable for most people. If the system was stronger the ridership would be high enough that Amtrak would no longer be a political luxury but a necessity.

 

[JRR]

My wife and I ride Amtrak because we enjoy the train and hate driving up I 95!

It is a luxury however as it is much more expensive than flying. There is nothing wrong with that. I presume that the sleepers provide a lot of revenue to Amtrak.

Having a “sleeper” sale raises the question of just what costs are being charged to the food and wha revenue is credited to the food service.

The discount effectively allows one passenger to travel free and receive free meals. How is that being accounted for in view of the Congressional directive?