Will full service dining ever return to the Western trains?

[niemi24s]

If you want to dazzle 'em with bodacious numbers, poke around on Arrow a few hours until you find a travel date over the whole route of the Silvers when the Saver Coach fare of $130 is offered and Bedrooms are at high bucket of $1591. You can then proudly proclaim $1461 for a one night trip with flex dining makes the previous $356 look like the bargain of the millennium!

 

[Qapla]

That is true ... I just used the "normal" ticket price and chose different days for travel so I could see if the Star and the Meteor had the same price (they did) to get an idea of the "everyday" cost of such a trip

At current COVID conditions - I am not planning such a trip!

 

[tgstubbs1]

The $623 from Chicago to LA is two nights,three if taking the Eagle and several meals. With the current flex dining it is a bit high. It was the same price with full service dining...You can get to Florida from Baltimore for example on Southwest for under $100.Flying to LA,a little more,but I take the train for the journey.

Let's see. If you have dinner on departure from CHI, then two full days, then breakfast on arrival in LA the SWC would have 8 meals included. Is that right?

 

[railiner]

Let's see. If you have dinner on departure from CHI, then two full days, then breakfast on arrival in LA the SWC would have 8 meals included. Is that right?

One day too many....
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/...imetables/Southwest-Chief-Schedule-030820.pdf

 

[amtkstn]

Five Dinner first day, Second day breakfast, lunch, dinner and a early morning breakfast on the way into LA.

 

[jiml]

Let's see. If you have dinner on departure from CHI, then two full days, then breakfast on arrival in LA the SWC would have 8 meals included. Is that right?

One day too many....
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/...imetables/Southwest-Chief-Schedule-030820.pdf

Would be accurate for Texas Eagle westbound though.

 

[niemi24s]

This shows the most recent whole-route fares (with as many of the buckets as could be found) for all the LD trains:

It was also just posted here: Long Distance Train Coach & Sleeper Fares (Buckets) The earliest such chart on file elsewhere is dated 26 Oct 2015.

 

[Barb Stout]

One day too many....
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/...imetables/Southwest-Chief-Schedule-030820.pdf

No, it's 2 days. One day will get you to ABQ (actually 25 hours), then about 2/3rds of another day/night to get to LA. I have to admit that I'm not looking at the timetables, just relying on my memory of both east bound and west bound trips from ABQ. But it's only 4-5 meals, not 8, because of the 2 nights of travel.

 

[niemi24s]

All the timetables not blown out of the water by Covid-19 can be found here: Train Schedules & Timetables | Amtrak The pre-Covid ones not shown can be found in the archives or a much-cherished copy of the last paper System Timetables book.

 

[Asher]

Sounds like it all boils down to Amtrak thinking, if Coach riders can travel without having to use a dinning car, Sleeper Pax can do the same.

 

[Steve4031]

I am planning a trip to Europe to ride trains for next summer. One of the train trips is an 8 hour ride on the railjet from Vienna to Zurich. I looked at their menu and was amazed at the variety.

https://www.oebb.at/dam/jcr:683fcaea-3968-40e9-9cd0-adc413508f03/folder-don-menu.pdf

 

[drdumont]

The prices make less sense out west especially with flex dining. October 1 sees a $623 price for a roomette from Chicago to LA vs. $343 for first class, non-stop on the same day via united.

Problem here is you would have to fly on United. And deal with TSA and the rest of the tsouris of airports.

I believe most Amtrak riders are those who either cannot fly, don't want to fly, or ride Amtrak for the sheer pleasure of the ride (or at least what is left of the pleasure). Greyhound isn't all that cheap any more, and ven if it is, the worst ride on a train is better than the best ride on a bus, IMHO.

 

[Sidney]

I will only fly if I have to be somewhere quick or when I m low on Amtrak points and I can't find a low bucket fare. Comparing flying to rail travel is apples to oranges. Of course it is cheaper to fly cross country. Last rates I checked for travel in October was $129 BWI to LAX on Southwest and $900 for a roomette and $250 for Coachon Amtrak. If cost is the factor there is no comparison. When I was younger I did three overnights in Coach quite often. Maybe one night if I both seats to myself. That is guaranteed now,but when the pedemic passes that will not be the case.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Problem here is you would have to fly on United. And deal with TSA and the rest of the tsouris of airports.

I believe most Amtrak riders are those who either cannot fly, don't want to fly, or ride Amtrak for the sheer pleasure of the ride (or at least what is left of the pleasure). Greyhound isn't all that cheap any more, and ven if it is, the worst ride on a train is better than the best ride on a bus, IMHO.

You're suggesting United customer service is worse than Amtrak? I don't love the TSA but I've never been questioned by TSA as I have by Amtrak police for having a "suspicious" itinerary. (A one-way ticket in a roomette to Salt Lake City).

I've had bus rides that were better than my worst experiences on Amtrak, but for truly long-distance overnight trips I agree. The biggest problem with bus travel in the USA is the constant transfers.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Comparing flying to rail travel is apples to oranges.

Apples and Oranges are both fruits. Rail and Air are both public transit options. What would you suggest I use to compare Amtrak prices with?

 

[Sidney]

Just an expression

 

[tonys96]

Apples and Oranges are both fruits. Rail and Air are both public transit options. What would you suggest I use to compare Amtrak prices with?

Best is Megabus, or The old Gray Dog, but can also compare with:

Driving, hitch hiking, and walking. All are terra firma based transport alternatives, like Amtrak.

 

[hlcteacher]

All the timetables not blown out of the water by Covid-19 can be found here: Train Schedules & Timetables | Amtrak The pre-Covid ones not shown can be found in the archives or a much-cherished copy of the last paper System Timetables book.

i do love my last paper system timetable and refer to it often in planning

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Driving, hitch hiking, and walking. All are terra firma based transport alternatives, like Amtrak.

Those are not public transit options though.

Greyhound is, but since they don’t offer a first-class product it’s difficult to compare any greyhound prices to Amtrak sleeping cars IMHO.

I suppose I just see things the way I see them. When I plan a trip I compare first-class air with roomette prices. Those are the two options I consider. I use bus services to get places that air and rail won't take me. Before I got used to flying, I would use Mega Bus more often.

 

[Exvalley]

When I plan a trip I compare first-class air with roomette prices.

As a business traveler, I can assure you that I do too.

 

[railiner]

While perusing the old timetables, I ran across this blurb, and just in the "eat your heart out" spirit, thought I'd share it here...
http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19860427&item=0046

 

[Qapla]

 

[me_little_me]

While perusing the old timetables, I ran across this blurb, and just in the "eat your heart out" spirit, thought I'd share it here...
http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19860427&item=0046

You're not being fair! The current menus may well be "Moving Feasts" - just not for humans. I'm sure pigs, vultures, insects, bacteria and Amtrak management might consider it a feast.

 

[Qapla]

Amtrak management might consider it a feast.

Not if they have to eat it ...

 

[jimdex]

I am not at all certain that the current management will ever get serious about running the long-distance trains. Do you think that they'll shape up when they get direction from Congress? Or do we need a new management team?

/ Virtually every Amtrak management team over the past 50 years has been accused of failing to support the long-distance trains, and of allegedly "cooking the books" to make long-distance trains look bad. financially Changing managers has not had any substantial effect in the past, and it's unlikely to have any substantial effect in the future. All Amtrak managements are constrained by the fact that yes, the long-distance trains do lose money, and the political will to increase the subsidy for those operations is limited.