In and out same day
$40.
This is one of my signs. If ya see it come by and say hi.
Posted on 09/09/2009 4:10:38 PM PDT by RBW in PA
I’ve just been on Amtrak’s website to see how much it would cost for a single day, round trip adult ticket from Metro Park, NJ (MET) to Union Station (WAS) on September 12, 2009. When I do this, the total cost is $224.00. Note that this is for the 121 Train departing at 6:20 AM and the 182 Train leaving DC at 7:20 PM. When I enter the same itinerary for one week later, September 19, 2009 and select the same trains the total round trip cost is $98.00. The dramatic price difference confuses me and I can’t explain why it exists. When the later trip is selected, there is a promotion mentioned about non-refundable tickets being purchased 14 days in advance. However, the trip on the 19th does not fall within this time frame and I see no conditions listed if I attempt to complete the booking.
Just curious if anyone else has experienced price increases in public transportation to DC for September 12th? I was under the assumption that Amtrak is regulated and their rates should not fluctuate? Are they like the airlines, the later you book the more it costs?
Title should be Rates, I know...
I have also heard some rumors regarding the DC Metro.
Word is on the street that the Metro trains will not be stopping at the point closest to where the event is taking place. Is anyone able to shed any light on this issue?
If these inconsistencies are true, then that public-transport is responding to our [possible] actions is actually quite interesting.
It could mean that we have “the powers that be” scared. :)
A greyhound barf-bus would be cheaper and more reliable.
I have a feeling they are soaking last minute passengers...the tickets for thurs 9/10 and frid 9/11 from NYC to DC are a lot more expensive than the same trains one week later...
It all depends on how soon before your trip you buy, and it’s just like the airlines. Had you bought your tickets in advance several weeks ago, you would have paid a lower price.
Could it be the government responding to supply and demand? Nah.
If they are nearly booked for that weekend, the prices are going to be higher than the following weekend when there are still remaining seats.
Also, the airlines have different price points for 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days in advance. If Amtrak does the same, your comparison point would be more than 7 days away.
Reservations booked at the last minute are usually the most expensive, unless the provider is offering heavy discounts to book unsold seats.
“Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.”
THe only website posted delays forecast are as follows:
Friday, Sept. 11, to Sunday, Sept. 13
Red Line -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Medical Center and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes to their travel time for their trips because Metro will replace drainage pump cables. Trains will share one track between these locations from 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11, to closing (midnight), on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Orange Line -- Metrorail customers traveling between the East Falls Church and Ballston-MU Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time to their trips because Metro will replace crossties, the track support structures. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11, to closing (midnight) on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Green Line -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Greenbelt and College Park-U of Md Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time to their trips because Metro will be tamping the rail tracks to ensure durability. Trains will share one track between these locations from 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11, to 6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 13.
As posted at Metro News
THe only website posted delays forecast are as follows:
Friday, Sept. 11, to Sunday, Sept. 13
Red Line -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Medical Center and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes to their travel time for their trips because Metro will replace drainage pump cables. Trains will share one track between these locations from 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11, to closing (midnight), on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Orange Line -- Metrorail customers traveling between the East Falls Church and Ballston-MU Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time to their trips because Metro will replace crossties, the track support structures. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11, to closing (midnight) on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Green Line -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Greenbelt and College Park-U of Md Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time to their trips because Metro will be tamping the rail tracks to ensure durability. Trains will share one track between these locations from 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11, to 6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 13.
As posted at Metro News
Sorry about the double post...
When I was in DC (from Seattle) in '05 testifyng before Congress, I left Washington via Amtrak to go Philadelphia to visit relatives. I took Metro between Crystal City and Union Station, and on that Saturday the subway trains were only running on one track (both directions) and on a reduced schedule.
It's how Metro does business.
Cheaper? Yes.
More reliable? No.
Amtrak's Acela service in the Northeast Corridor is exemplary. If I have reason to do business or visit people in the Washington-to-Boston corridor, I always take the train.
I haven't experienced an equipment breakdown since the Thanksgiving weekend of 1989.
Did you happen to check the prices for Sunday the 13th?
that would be the same weekend, but not TeaParty day.
Divergent prices twixt Saturday and Sunday would be more news worthy.
Amtrak operates as a private company and its fares are not regulated. Of course, it’s not a viable business model: unionized with heavy work rules, burdensome severance clauses that make layoffs impossible, underfunded defined benefit pension plan. Amtrak doesn’t own its tracks but shares it with freight trains. It can’t even abandon lines without Congressional approval. So the federal government pours hundreds of millions of dollars a year propping the whole thing up. No national passenger railroad system in the world is is self-sustaining.
Sept 19 minus sept 8 + 11 days.
With in 14 day ‘advance notice’ time frame ?
In and out same day
$40.
This is one of my signs. If ya see it come by and say hi.
After looking a little closer at available trains similar to the one I booked, I did notice some changes.
The rates for trains for friday and sunday are much higher than the rates for thur,sat, and monday.
Oh, I’m sure that Amtrak services the NE corridor really well.
Just curious if anyone else has experienced price increases in public transportation to DC for September 12th? I was under the assumption that Amtrak is regulated and their rates should not fluctuate? Are they like the airlines, the later you book the more it costs?
I can't say anything about that particular line and/or that date, but just some comments in general about Amtrak.
On the West Coast and then also running up through the Southwest and Central states, there can be three things that are "operational" with the prices. One is how far out you book (i.e., how close to travel time). But, then again, that can also be affected by how many people have booked so far on that particular date you want. So, that's one factor.
Another factor is what day of the week you're booking on. Different days can have different prices, but that may also be related to how many people are booking on those dates, too.
The third thing is that Amtrak does add more cars as more people book on a route. So, what happens is that they price out the beginning seats on a car at a lower rate, then as the car fills, the prices goes up to an intermediate rate, and then as it approaches being full, it goes to a high rate. So, as they add, car by car, as the booking continues, the pricing goes down, then up to an intermediate rate, then to a high rate, and then down again, when another car is added.
I've seen all three things in operation for booking seats on Amtrak. I've booked their private rooms on the train and it's most apparent there, too. If you book a private room on the train when a new car has just been added, you're going to get a fantastic rate. But, if you're booking the last room on a car, then you're going to get the highest rate.
I've played around with their booking system when I didn't have to travel on a particular day and get somewhere at a particular time. I've managed to save quite a bit of money that way... :-)
Who wants to take their life into their hands by taking Amtrak, anywise?
Wouldn’t the protest be near the Smithsonian or Fed Triangle stops?
I just don’t understand Metro and I live in the DC metro area. Last weekend they shut down part of the blue and yellow lines for maintenance...Labor Day weekend of all times.
I'm not seeing any signs of official interference there, although I'm not saying there couldn't be any in the offing.
Metro probably could use the revenue, anyway...
yup.....was cheaper to fly from Florida to DC.
Nothing, NOTHING surprises me anymore and I'm suspicious of anything like this!
Protesters need to plan alternate ways of reaching their destination BY FOOT and leave their hotels EARLY.
I expect many, many obstacles to be thrown up to thwart the protester’s efforts
Those aren’t the only dates for repairs and maintenance work, but that is all that is supposed to be happening this weekend. Shutdowns are set for Columbus Day weekend (a holiday). I really don’t think they want to antagonize the crowd much more...
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