Thoughts on amtrak pricing model? (hexbear.net)

submitted 6 months ago by bleepbloopbop@hexbear.net to c/urbanism@hexbear.net

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Talking about the "bucketing" where they first sell x% of tickets at a cheap price, then the next x% at a higher price, and on and on until its expensive as shit.

This is really demoralizing as someone who'd like to be a bit more spontaneous, and be able hop on a train out of town (which is running either way and never full...), the price I get offered is like double the price if I booked 3-4+ months out.

There must be a better system.

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[-] FuckyWucky@hexbear.net 23 points 6 months ago

its cuz they forcing railways to act like a for-profit company. capitalists don't want to admit it but its just rationing based on who has money.

[-] bleepbloopbop@hexbear.net 8 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I don't think that's the only reason but maybe I'm wrong. Like airlines, they try to pack planes as full as possible, to the point of overbooking flights and betting there will always be cancellations... But amtrak rarely seems to run a full train, at least in my part of the country. Why not lower the price in the last week or few days or whatever before the trip, to fill out the empty seats and make more money? not even like, below the base price, just not the peak price bucket.

Like its not a killer amount of money, but it is like, physically painful psychologically, and makes amtrak much less compelling compared to cheaper flights and buses.

I guess the high price buckets ensure people with money can almost always get a seat, but idk why amtrak really cares, those people are taking first class flights except maybe in the NE corridor

[-] Maoo@hexbear.net 18 points 6 months ago

In other places with better passenger rail systems (China, Korea, Japan...) prices for economy seats are flat or distance-based.

You also usually don't need to do much planning because the high-stopped trains run 4-10X faster and are more frequent.

[-] YearOfTheCommieDesktop@hexbear.net 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

this is the context I love to see

I recall this about japan but cant speak with any authority since I'm not thaaat familiar. its not even that its cheap necessarily, but its operated as mass transit not boutique small scale shit, and the pricing is at least consistent/predictable.

[-] Spongebobsquarejuche@hexbear.net 16 points 6 months ago

I live near the tracks and I've always wanted to hop on to the next town and stay the night. But the prices are fucking absurd like $180-300. And they want you to book well in advance to get lower prices, like a darn airline. And I could drive to the next town in an hour and a half for maybe $10 in gas. The train takes nearly 4 hours which isn't a problem but all things.considered it's not a viable service. Also only one train a day; In the afternoon to go, and in the early morning to return. If I'm going to a place on a whim to drink and party I'll be damned if I get up early.

[-] bleepbloopbop@hexbear.net 3 points 6 months ago

damn that sucks. I also don't see much service, but going to the next town over type shit is at least pretty cheap here. going to the next major city is more, but that's pretty far, and its still not $200-300 bad

[-] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 15 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

The most expensive tickets available should be priced at about half of what the cheapest tickets currently cost. Amtrak is so fucking expensive and it really shouldn't be.

It's because the US will only subsidize private car ownership and corn.

[-] infuziSporg@hexbear.net 5 points 6 months ago

If the model requires customers to put a substantial amount of time/effort just into getting a better price, the model itself has failed.

[-] knfrmity@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 6 months ago

There are better systems. A distance or time window based fare seems like the best way, until societies have developed to the point where public transportation is free at the point of use.

Germany has done well with the €49 per month "Germany ticket", which includes all urban and regional commuter trains across the country. If you want to take a high speed long distance train there is some weird surge and/or bucket based pricing. Depending on when you book the same trip can cost anywhere from €29 to €180. In comparison neighbouring countries like Switzerland or Netherlands have flat distance based fares for most services.

Alternatively many countries offer flex tickets, in which you book a section of travel, say from one city to another, and you have the full day to make that trip however it works for you.