posted
I might attend a conference in San Antonio in October. So I priced a trip from Modesto to San Antonio - two options came up: 1) MOD to BFD, bus to LA, Sunset Ltd to SAS (roomette), roughly $320; 2) Same to LAX, but Texas Eagle to SAS (roomette), roughly $640. Same proportional difference if no roomette ($150 vs. $300). Am I missing something? isn't it the same train to SAS? Why the huge price delta?
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Supply and demand of each car line; so far as Amtrak's reservation system is concerned, #2 and #22 are separate trains.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Before Amtrak did "bucket pricing", I don't think these anomalies would show up like this. But whenever you book a train that is actually two in one (such as the Empire Builder), if your travel is between two places that the entire train goes to (such as, say, Spokane, WA to Chicago, IL) it definitely pays to check the fare on #28 and #8 because it's entirely possibly that the exact same train will have completely different pricing because in the 28 sleeper, maybe there is only one room left, while in the 8 sleeper, maybe there are 5 rooms left. I know it seems strange, but that's how their computer is setup to give fares.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I sampled fares for a 'quickie' ride later this week on the Texas Eagle between Alton, IL and St. Louis. The better fare came back for train #321 which is the one additional coach carried on the rear between Chicago and St. Louis.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
All uderstandable, I guess, but I booked on the Sunset Ltd. (duh). Excited about finally taking another trip, and on a train I've not ridden.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
