Kbyrdleroydogg
Train Attendant
I have a trip coming up in late April. I want to get a bedroom from NYC to Chicago.
Should I purchase it now or wait closer to the month next year?
Should I purchase it now or wait closer to the month next year?
Doesn’t the LSL New York section typically run with two sleepers? So unless the OP would be cool with switching sections in Albany, the Cardinal merely has half the capacity of the LSL, and not a third. I think that the main capacity limitation of the Card is that its thrice-weekly, which means higher demand on the days that it does run, and fewer options when looking for low bucket fares.It would help to know what train you're riding. I'm assuming you're riding the Lake Shore Limited, which gives you more options for a bedroom. If you're riding the Cardinal, there are only 2 bedrooms on the train at that time of year. That cuts your availability by two thirds for most of the trip.
So, if you're on the Cardinal, I'd consider booking now.
I don't want to be mean to you, but you seem to react to the posts before you digest posts. I don't know if you're just eager, which is nice since you have a genuine desire to help and participate or you some times miss the subtleties.Doesn’t the LSL New York section typically run with two sleepers? So unless the OP would be cool with switching sections in Albany, the Cardinal merely has half the capacity of the LSL, and not a third.
Using the coach NYP-ALB to a sleeper ALB-BOS is a viable option to consider when you are looking at availability and costs..particularly if you're waiting for a lower bucket to appear.That cuts your availability by two thirds for most of the trip. [/B]
Wouldn’t you lose 25% of your original fare and not just the difference?Safest option is to buy now and then, if the price drops, ask to have your original reservation modified to the lower price. You might lose 25% of the difference, but some of our members have reported that being waived.
If you have the agent MODIFY your existing reservation, all you should lose is 25% of the difference between the original fare and the new...in other words, 25% of the refund which you are due. Now if a ham-handed (or inexperienced) agent CANCELS your existing reservation, and then books a new one, then the system would charge 25% of the refund due on the cancellation...which would be 25% of your original fare. So check and make sure that the agent is doing it correctly; if you're not sure, cancel the transaction, hang up, and try again with a different agent.Wouldn’t you lose 25% of your original fare and not just the difference?
I have never seen or heard of Arrow doing anything like this. In my experience, test bookings have never had any permanent effect on price, and actual bookings have always only affected prices on that train. Has anyone else seen cases of test bookings having an actual effect on pricing or real bookings affecting other trains?Also be advised it seem Amtrak is getting very sneaky with it pricing. Test booking will cause your price bucket to go up. Buying a round trip in a sleeper seem to cause the price bucket to go on your return trip. Still testing this out but my trip in March is on hold. AmSnag is showing low buckets on the day I picked, when I went to book, I got a mid bucket on the return. The next day it was high bucket for the return, but AmSnag still showing low bucket. Will try to book from a different device at a different WiFi location to see if I can get that low bucket price.
This!I'm not sure what you mean by a "test booking." Merely making inquiries on Amtrak.com does not affect pricing in any way I have seen by checking three trains daily for the last several months.
I'll add that being flexible helps to finding the best fare. If Bedrooms are too expensive, maybe book a Roomette and hope to be able to upgrade later if the Bedroom price falls. If you can, use Amsnag to find the cheapest travel dates or just search different dates.
Bad advice, IMHO. Low bucket fares can also be found 11 months out so there's no reason not to look as early as your plans are firmed up. While they may be more commonly found at the 5 month mark that doesn't mean they can't be found 6 to 11 months out.If your plans are flexible and you want to go as cheaply as possible wait until the 5 month mark, when a lot of low bucket fares are released and grab a low bucket on dates that you can live with.
Well, first of all the OP asked about bedrooms. Of which most of the west LD trains start out (11 months) with lb+1 fares (the SEA-CHI Builder is an exception at low bucket, PDX-CHI, CHI-SEA/PDX all start at lb+2 ($947 vs $1474 for 2)). Then depending on demand, prices are dropped on the low days. Which is why I said “if your plans are flexible” and you can go with lower priced days whatever those days may be. Contrary to this, if you have a fixed schedule and you can accept the current price, then yes, I too would suggest to buy at that point, including 11 months out.Bad advice, IMHO. Low bucket fares can also be found 11 months out so there's no reason not to look as early as your plans are firmed up. While they may be more commonly found at the 5 month mark that doesn't mean they can't be found 6 to 11 months out.
How about this scenario? The accommodation you want is available during that period of 6 to 11 months hence and you don't bother to look. Then the day before you finally look (at that magical 5 month mark) the accommodation you want is sold out - and got that way the day before you looked. Either that or it was available at low (or close to low) bucket all during that period and jumped up a bucvket or two the day before you checked. While not a likely scenarios they're not impossible ones.
Anyway, press on and follow that silly 5 month rule while others look and book 6 to 11 months out and possibly drive up the fares (or snag the last one) before you even look.
As far as I'm concerned that "5 month rule" is nothing but bad advice and one of those myths that will live on forever here at AU.
And by all means, every now and then, double check the prices you paid for your room(s) to see what they are 'going for' AFTER you've paid for your ticket. I did that and got a $244 voucher when I modify-ed my ticket to another room number for an upcoming trip! The key is use the word 'modify' when calling Amtrak to change room and/or car numbers. If not, they'll do a cancel and rebook, and you may be charged cancellation fees.Well, first of all the OP asked about bedrooms. Of which most of the west LD trains start out (11 months) with lb+1 fares (the SEA-CHI Builder is an exception at low bucket, PDX-CHI, CHI-SEA/PDX all start at lb+2 ($947 vs $1474 for 2)). Then depending on demand, prices are dropped on the low days. Which is why I said “if your plans are flexible” and you can go with lower priced days whatever those days may be. Contrary to this, if you have a fixed schedule and you can accept the current price, then yes, I too would suggest to buy at that point, including 11 months out.
I don't think anyone said that you should never check more than five months out. We simply said that there are cases where prices seem to drop five months out, and so it's worth looking to see if there's anything new around that time. Stop whipping out your straw man, niemi.Just for giggles and grins, I just did a 30 day AmSnag search starting 10/14/19 (ending out at the 11 month maximum on 11/11/19) for CHI to LAX and checked Roomette fares on:
• The SWC and they were were at low bucket of $544 (for 1 adult) for 24 of the 30 days,
• The TE and they were at low bucket of $544 (for 1 adult) for 12 of the 13 days.
Anyone who thinks there's no reason to check for low bucket fares out as far as 11 months has his or her head in the sand.
The "5 month rule" is a myth, pure and simple. Break, break, I say again: The "5 month rule" is a myth, pure and simple.
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