Passenger Trains > Amtrak fares are not cheap!

Over the last twenty or thirty years,when I travel I prefer to go via sleeper.
Two reasons,my privacy and quite for the most part.
The surcharge imposed for meals provided are so high,I could eat a week
IE,steak $25.00 as an example.Taking the diner off the "Star" might be a
good idea.Look at the price differenence.BUT,that is not my main post is about.

I want to take a round trip to San Antoino from Orlando,via DC,and Chi.I have
about 39,000 points.Under the new system I will need about twice that many
for the trip.

When (we) travel we get two points for every dollar we spend.These points are
based on full fares.With that thought in mind anyone traveling will get the same
points.Now we (and you) have already spent money for a trip.My brother has
8000 points he will "give" me.BUT once again good old Amtrak has a cavat
I can get the points (that he has payed for) by paying  for them! Why should
I have to pay for something again? Sounds like I have heard this sham before.

I know that I will have to either buy points or buy tickets.Actually the only option
is buy tickets.I have been trying every angle that I can think of to lower my cost.
Being always a day late and a dollar short,this trip did not come up before Amtrak
changed the policy.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

Under "frequent flyer" programs, the miles or points earned are considered the property of the carrier, not the traveler.  The programs can be changed or abolished at any time, with no remedy available to the traveler.  A common rule to all programs is that transfer of miles to another person is subject to a fee.  It is usually possible, however, to use the miles or points of one traveler to book a trip for another traveler, but mixing and matching of miles or points for a single trip is typically not allowed.

agree with you 100%.  why not try an off-season escape fare on via rail.  i just did a vancouver-toronto rt in a cabin for 1, with wonderful meals, domes, the park car, etc.  with the favorable u.s. dollar to canadian dollar exchange rate i got when i booked in february it cost me about $600 u.s. dollars each way.  for fun, i priced a roomette on amtrak seattle to buffalo.  via was a whole lot cheaper.  yeah, you have the problem of getting to canada.  i used my amtrak points for that

If Congress isn't going to give Amtrak enough money to run a national system with really cheap prices, someone else (maybe the customer?) has to pay for it. Travel off season, travel coach, don't travel at all, use another mode of transportation, or open your wallet.
 

tcarl Wrote:
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> If Congress isn't going to give Amtrak enough money to run a national system with really cheap
> prices, someone else (maybe the customer?) has to pay for it....

==========================================

So either the passenger pays, or the other 318 MILLION people in the USA pay
for that passenger to get a cheap ticket (either through taxation, or through denial or
limitation on other services that could benefit them, for the money to go to Amtrak)?

Grow up Poon. Your ax to grind with Amtrak precedes you and everything you write here. The Boston Harbor was dredged at a cost of over $300M. Federal funds. I live in LA, and don't gain an effing thing from that. But I'm happy to pay as it's part of supporting our nation. Just as supporting our national rail system is. Get over it.

Tcarl I think we should use other transportation like jet planes and cars. That way we can keep all our green house gas count up so they can shut down more industries. After all proven fact rails are better.

<eyeroll>
Ever lost thousands of airline "miles" before? I have.

Here's a refresher:
http://tinyurl.com/kdhsjsh



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 07:09 by tmurray.

A carbon tax would almost certainly benefit passenger railroads. It would weigh heavily on passenger vehicles and airliners.

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A carbon tax would almost certainly benefit
> passenger railroads. It would weigh heavily on
> passenger vehicles and airliners.
>
> Posted from Android

<sigh>

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A carbon tax would almost certainly benefit
> > passenger railroads. It would weigh heavily on
> > passenger vehicles and airliners.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
>

No different than offering tax incentives for people to do other things judged socially desirable. Like owning homes, having kids, buying medical coverage, using mass transit, or making charitable gifts.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A carbon tax would almost certainly benefit
> passenger railroads. It would weigh heavily on
> passenger vehicles and airliners.
>
> Posted from Android

It would weigh heavily on Appalachia.  But, then, they have a triweekly train.

misty1 Wrote:
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> Tcarl I think we should use other transportation
> like jet planes and cars. That way we can keep all
> our green house gas count up so they can shut down
> more industries. After all proven fact rails are
> better.

Not sure what you mean by your cryptic message. An increase in greenhouse gases does not necessarly translate into the closing of industries.    

How long would your dear Amtrak last the first time someone was dumb enough to try and legislate such an insane idea?


P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A carbon tax would almost certainly benefit
> > passenger railroads. It would weigh heavily on
> > passenger vehicles and airliners.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
>

Carbon tax  =  more socialist BS.             Its a wonderful world until you run out of everyone elses money.

The more Amtrak lowers its fares, the more appealing it becomes to the, shall we say, "Greyhound demographic."  

I don't know about you, but I don't really find train travel all that appealing for me and my family if all of the fellow passengers look like they've just been released from homeless shelters, mental hospitals. rehab clinics, Section 8 housing projects, tattoo parlors, dive bars and prisons.  

Ride trains 1, 2, 21, 22, 3 and 4 (especially in coach) to get a sampling of what I'm talking about.  

Yep, keep those fares high.  Better still, use trains like the Rocky Mountaineer or Rovos Rail, based on what they charge and offer, as a business model. 

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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> Carbon tax  =  more socialist
> BS.
Sure. Kinda like corporate welfare. We get to pay for big polluters to do just as they like. 

            Its a wonderful world
> until you run out of everyone elses money.

Yup. My tax dollars pay for your vision of the world.