I TRAVELED from Tampa, Fla., to Manhattan over the weekend. What a pleasure! Nobody hollered at me to sit down or turn off my electronic devices. Nobody warned me to obey all instructions from crew members.
“I didn’t get treated like a terrorist,” a man sipping a beer told me en route....“We’re seeing more business travelers, usually on trips of about 500 miles but sometimes even all the way to New York,”...Before boarding, I was skeptical about this adventure, but I have to report that the trip was more civilized than air travel and worth it this one time....Early the next morning, incidentally, I was astonished when the sleeper car’s affable porter, Thomas Clemo, tapped on my door to deliver The New York Times, one in a bundle that had been picked up at a stop in North Carolina.....From a single trip on a long-haul train, I don’t know whether I’d call myself passionate, but I was certainly a happy customer, given that I was in no rush.
The column includes much layman-oriented information about rail passenger affairs and travel information regarding where and when a business traveler could consider using Amtrak.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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It's good to read a news story about Amtrak that doesn't portray all its passengers as aged, infirmed or foamers.
While I don't think we will ever see the return of the business traveler in significant numbers it's nice to think about the Crescent having a set out sleeper from NY to Charlotte as the Peach Queen used to carry. Of course open for occupancy at a civilized hour, say 9pm, for the 1:46am departure.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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But what about trains? I got a lot of enthusiastic reader reaction a couple of weeks ago, after I wrote about taking a pleasant overnight trip in a cozy sleeper compartment on Amtrak’s Silver Star from Tampa to New York City. The fare was $480.80.
Measured by time and money, that’s not remotely competitive with flying, where the best one-way fare I found for the same trip was $301, on a flight that takes about two and a half hours, airport to airport.
On the other hand, the train fare included four meals in the diner car, as well as the overnight accommodations. For business travelers like Gary Brown, a consultant, such a rail option sometimes works.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Seems to me many writers fall into the trap of false equivalence when they compare the cost of an airport-to-airport flight with that of a train trip, which is generally city center-to-city center.
In many cases taxi rides from city centers to the airports and back can add up to a hundred bucks. Suddenly that $301 ticket is really costing $401. And we haven't included the possible cost of a meal or two at the airports.
So it appears that the real cost of taking a train with a sleeper room isn't so much more than flying. (The real cost is of course in time.)
And not having to experience TSA: Priceless.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: Seems to me many writers fall into the trap of false equivalence when they compare the cost of an airport-to-airport flight with that of a train trip, which is generally city center-to-city center.
In many cases taxi rides from city centers to the airports and back can add up to a hundred bucks. Suddenly that $301 ticket is really costing $401. And we haven't included the possible cost of a meal or two at the airports.
So it appears that the real cost of taking a train with a sleeper room isn't so much more than flying. (The real cost is of course in time.)
And not having to experience TSA: Priceless.
Another factor to consider: That $301 ticket was probably non-refundable and would have cost $100 to change. The Amtrak ticket was 90% refundable in cash or 100% refundable as a voucher for future travel up to seven days before departure. And while the accommodation charge would not be refunded within seven days of travel, that traveler could have canceled and received a 100% voucher for future travel right up to the moment he was due to step on the train.
And don't even get me started on baggage fees....
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Eric, Last fall I booked a trip to Lancaster, PA from Boston; I got the dates all wrong and had to cancel the reservation and do it all over again with the right dates. Amtrak just cancelled the first transaction, in effect, giving me back all my money. Were they supposed to give me a voucher instead? TB
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Mr. Black, there is a window in which an itinerary booked on-line may be CX'd in its entirety without penalty. Amtrak is prepared to accept that people can make mistakes; to my best knowledge, airline web sites do not.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by TBlack: Eric, Last fall I booked a trip to Lancaster, PA from Boston; I got the dates all wrong and had to cancel the reservation and do it all over again with the right dates. Amtrak just cancelled the first transaction, in effect, giving me back all my money. Were they supposed to give me a voucher instead? TB
TBlack, what I quoted is the official Amtrak policy. Unofficially (but reliably), the practice is that if tickets have not yet been printed, then the passenger may cancel and receive a 100% refund in cash. Again, that's unofficial and is subject to change at Amtrak's discretion, but for now it is the standard practice.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Remember, my pleasant train trip from Tampa to New York City took 26 hours. Google Maps informs me that driving the same 1,125-mile route would take 19 and a half hours. The train is obviously more comfortable, but the fact is that the automobile goes faster, all things considered.
I don't think any single traveler would be able to drive from Tampa to NYC in 19.5 hours and not need at least 2 days of road-lag recovery time. How many times have you driven for 19.5 hours on the interstate highway system, gotten out of the car and said "My, that was a pleasant trip"? Factor in a few rest, food and fuel stops, traffic jams in urban areas and who knows what other hazards that might occur during a 1,125 mile road trip and your travel time could be quite a bit longer than the train trip.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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I agree with Henry that taxi rides to airports can add up. One example: the SEA TAC airport is about 15 miles from downtown Seattle, so a ride to and from the King St. stn. to the airport can be costly. But, in many cases, same for the cost of a taxi to a downtown Amtrak station. When I lived in San Jose, I was about 12-14 miles to the downtown Amtrak station and the cost of the taxi, plus tips, was not insignificant.
I don't mind, however, the added cost of a taxi if it means I can leave my car in the my own garage. Especially if one figures in the cost of car vandalism or car theft should that occur at an airport or Amtrak parking lot. I would never leave my car in any Amtrak parking lot for more than 24 hrs.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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