WHY is the Cardinal so costly???

[Dave Van]

I am looking around at trains for my annual trip from WV to SoCal. Using a site to compare costs on different days I noted the Cardinal is always more than any other trains all things considered. I know the 3 days a week means they can charge more but if less than a full day on the Cardinal is about the same cost as 3 days on the SWC sounds like the Cardinal needs to go daily.......or is there some other reason for the high cost??? thx

 

[niemi24s]

As seen on this chart, the fare bucket structure for the Cardinal is the same as the Lake Shore Limited...



...and one explanation for why its fares were so much higher than the others is the demand is either higher and/or the supply is more limited than the other trains. In other words, maybe a coach seat on the Cardinal is pegged at $205 but is only $179 or $139 on the SWC or TE.

 

[west point]

East of Mississippi higher fares than west of MS per mile:

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

East of Mississippi higher fares than west of MS per mile:

Because Superliners hold more than Viewliners?

 

[oregon pioneer]

I believe it is because the card always runs pretty full, so it's more likely at one of the higher buckets, while it's quite possible to get low bucket on the LSL and Cap Ltd.

 

[niemi24s]

East of Mississippi higher fares than west of MS per mile:

This pretty much sums it up based some recent work:

• Western LD train low bucket coach fare/mile range is 6.4 to 8.7¢/mile

• Eastern LD train low bucket coach fare/mile range is 9.3 to 14.9¢/mile

 

[amtkstn]

Until a few years a go the Cardinal only had one sleeper in the consit. Half the rooms were taken up by the one board staff. During the last couple years the train had two sleepers during the busy season.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

Feb. 1, 2017, PHL-CHI:

Coach:

Cardinal: $83

NE Regional/Capitol Limited: $101

NE Regional/Lake Shore Limited: $125

Pennsylvanian/Capitol Limited: $129

Roommettes:

CL, PGH-CHI: $121

CL, WAS-CHI: 168

NL, NYP-CHI: $227

Card, PHL-CHI: $514!

On Feb. 3, 2017, the Pennsylvanian/CL coach was $103 while the NE Regional/LSL coach was $141. All of the roommette prices and the remaining coach prices were the same.

So the Cardinal is the cheapest coach fare both days but insanely large roommette fares. With only one sleeper on the Cardinal that makes sense.

 

[Dave Van]

Feb. 1, 2017, PHL-CHI:

Coach:

Cardinal: $83

NE Regional/Capitol Limited: $101

NE Regional/Lake Shore Limited: $125

Pennsylvanian/Capitol Limited: $129

Roommettes:

CL, PGH-CHI: $121

CL, WAS-CHI: 168

NL, NYP-CHI: $227

Card, PHL-CHI: $514!

On Feb. 3, 2017, the Pennsylvanian/CL coach was $103 while the NE Regional/LSL coach was $141. All of the roommette prices and the remaining coach prices were the same.

So the Cardinal is the cheapest coach fare both days but insanely large roommette fares. With only one sleeper on the Cardinal that makes sense.

The Cardinal Roomette prices are what I was talking about....should have said that. I stopped riding coach after two trips in a row had long stops that required police intervention!!! If I plan right the cost of my roomette on SWC can be about the same as Cardinal.

BTW... every trip the past 5-6 years I have taken on the Cardinal has had two sleeper cars. And a number are empty from WSS to CHI often.

 

[niemi24s]

... every trip the past 5-6 years I have taken on the Cardinal has had two sleeper cars. And a number are empty from WSS to CHI often.

Is WSS the stop for that real swanky resort hotel - the Greenbriar? If so, maybe the rich clientele drives up the Roomette and Bedroom prices - which are currently both at high bucket levels until 24 May.

 

[Dave Van]

... every trip the past 5-6 years I have taken on the Cardinal has had two sleeper cars. And a number are empty from WSS to CHI often.

Is WSS the stop for that real swanky resort hotel - the Greenbriar? If so, maybe the rich clientele drives up the Roomette and Bedroom prices - which are currently both at high bucket levels until 24 May.

The Station is part of the Greenbrier resort which C&O built. It was also the site of the secret White House for many years.

 

[afigg]

Until a few years a go the Cardinal only had one sleeper in the consit. Half the rooms were taken up by the one board staff. During the last couple years the train had two sleepers during the busy season.

The Cardinal still operates with a single sleeper car most of the year. They have added a second sleeper for the peak summer and IIRC for parts of the busier Fall and Holiday periods. As you note, with a single sleeper car, there are not many roomettes available after the OBS use. Even if the Cardinal were not to get a second sleeper car year round, a bag-dorm car would make a significant difference in the number of roomettes available whenever CAF finally delivers them.