Question about Amtrak prices

[crowleydj9]

I'm scheduling a trip from D.C. to Philadelphia and I found a train that gets me there for $33 and a train that gets me back for $33, so that should be $66 total. I also have a Student Advantage card that gets me 15% off, so the total price should be $56.10, but when I go to checkout it says the total price will be $74.80. Why is it so much? I thought the fees were included in the rail price? Even if they weren't, it still seems too much especially with the discount.

 

[AlanB]

The $33 fare is a special sale that Amtrak is currently running. However, one cannot use any additional discounts on that fare. So once you say that you want to use the Student Advantage discount, the computer is automatically giving up that special $33 fare in favor of the current regular fare that one can use a discount on.

My advice, book the $33 fare and forget out the SA discount for this trip. You'll save money.

One word of warning though, make very certain that you are going to take the trip. That special fare is non-refundable. You can exchange it for a future ride on Amtrak, but you cannot get a refund once you book it.

 

[Upstate]

One word of warning though, make very certain that you are going to take the trip. That special fare is non-refundable. You can exchange it for a future ride on Amtrak, but you cannot get a refund once you book it.

but there is no $150 change fee like the airlines have so even if you are not certain that you will go, if you are certain that you will ride amtrak in the future you can still get the full amount credited for a different ticket.

 

[PRR 60]

One word of warning though, make very certain that you are going to take the trip. That special fare is non-refundable. You can exchange it for a future ride on Amtrak, but you cannot get a refund once you book it.

but there is no $150 change fee like the airlines have so even if you are not certain that you will go, if you are certain that you will ride amtrak in the future you can still get the full amount credited for a different ticket.

Like most but not all airlines have. Southwest does not have a change fee for crediting a cancelled non-refundable ticket toward a future flight.

 

[crowleydj9]

If I book it, I will definitely be going so that's not a problem. Thanks for the help everyone.