Passenger Trains > Coast Starlight - Amazing Fare

Check out Amtrak\'s RailSALE offerings this week at http://tickets.amtrak.com/ . Trains 14 & 11 for July and August have a fare of just $35.60 each way between LA and Seattle! That\'s the cheapest I\'ve ever seen Coast Starlight fares. The fare isn\'t good between LA and San Luis Obispo, but the ticket to Paso Robles (next station after SLO) is just $9.80 each way, so it would be well worth it anyway if one wanted to get off at one of those stations within the Surfliner corridor. I don\'t know if the same restrictions apply within the Cascade corridor (probably not), but this is a damn good deal, folks. Of course, does it mean that summer coach ticket sales are slow? Anyone have any insight?

Am I supposed to enter a special code? Here\'s what I got;

11
Seattle Los Angeles-Union Station 08/04/02
9:45am 08/05/02
9:05pm Reserved Coach


Rail Fare: $ 108.00
Accommodations Price: $ 0.00

TOTAL FARE:
$
108.00

F40PHR231 wrote:

> Am I supposed to enter a special code?

Kind of like some of its trains, Amtrak takes you through a rather circuitous route to get to the Rail Fares.

1. On the Amtrak home page click the Rail Sale link in the lower left list of links.

2. On the Rail Sale promo page, click “Rail Sale Online Discounts” link in the third paragraph

3. The next page shows the currently posted trains, end points, and discounts. Select the train you want, and go to the bottom and click “Save My Selections".

4. The next page shows the train data for starting your reservation. Select your origin and destination stations and your desired date (only eligible ones are shown) and click “Show Schedules”.

5. The next screen will show your selected train and end points, and if any discount seats are available. If seats are available, hit “Show Fares” and you’ll get the pricing all ready for your trusty credit card.

In the case of the Coast Starlight, although the promotion runs until 8/11, it is not available for originating travel Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. That means the promotion actually ends 8/8.

Hardly anyone takes advantage of these fares, in all likelihood. They are an attempt to get additional discretionary business, much like the constantly changing on-line booking discounts.

The average train passenger still purchases tickets at much higher prices!

Somehow, giving away fares at these prices sounds more like a death rattle...

Raleigh - Charlotte $6.80

Los Angeles - Orlando $60.20

Chicago - DC $48

St Louis - Chicago $5.90

Chicago - Grand Rapids $4.30

As usual, nothing on the Northeast Corridor or short haul out of Los Angeles. Since folks on the NEC are paying $6 a mile, why should they be offered 2 cents a mile fares?

NEC fares aren\'t $6 a mile, though they may seem like it. More like $2...

At least that\'s what it says at 2:30 pm on Tuesday

"Somehow, giving away fares at these prices sounds more like a death rattle..."

I\'ve heard people complain that Amtrak charges too much and is thereby killing itself by lack of passengers. I\'ve also heard people complain that Amtrak isn\'t charging enough and is thereby killing itself by lack of revenue. Apparently, whatever fare Amtrak charges is going to be considered a "death rattle" by someone.

Tried to book the #11 fare down to L.A. for the day after 4th of July and of course found out that these great fares are for "mtwt" or MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ONLY (the crappy travel days)!!! I am trying to figure out another day to head down the coast on vacation time (MTWT!) With the starlights rollin\' by my work everyday and being on time lately (hence dropping the term "Starlate"), I gotta take the train down before long distance travel is in serious last minute deep doo doo for funds.

-Ryan aka "espeeboy"

Hi Matt,

Remember, that\'s COACH, not SLEEPER. I tried
sleeping in Coach once from LAX to PDX and
it was terrible! If its crowded, its even
worse (no empty seat next to you). I don\'t
think you can use the RailSale prices for
the rail portion and add a Sleeper. If I have
to sleep in Coach, the sale isn\'t worth it.
I\'d rather pay more and at least get a good
night\'s sleep.


Howard Dean

hmd929 wrote:

> I don\\\'t
> think you can use the RailSale prices for
> the rail portion and add a Sleeper. If I have
> to sleep in Coach, the sale isn\\\'t worth it.
> I\\\'d rather pay more and at least get a good
> night\\\'s sleep.

You may upgrade on board on a space-available basis. Usually, if there is space left (which there very well may be on these midweek trips), the conductors will be willing to give it away at drastically reduced rates.

Last summer, when I purchased a round trip from LA to Emeryville at the amtrak.com railsale, Amtrak actually called me offering an upgrade. I wound up paying $200 round trip ($50 railfare, $150 accommodation charge), which was not bad at all.

Lackawanna484 wrote:

> Somehow, giving away fares at these prices sounds more like a
> death rattle...

There are usually only a few seats per train
sold at that price. As one proceeds through
the booking, the web site shows how many
Rail Sale seats are left for the train one
selected.