Fares ("none left")?

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Joined
Jul 5, 2019
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I've noticed that Amtrak is often saying "none left" for Coach fares on the eastbound Zephyr during the month of June when booking to Newark or NYP from SF or EMY(coaches cannot be sold out now). They sometimes reappear when booking a segment. Somedays all fares are displayed, other days only sleeper ones. Is this an attempt to drive away potential PAX? Are they simply trying to steer people into sleepers? There seems to be no consistency in what choices they offer.
 
They actually could be sold out, or it could be a “computer error’”.

One other possibility is that there are no reservations left from endpoint to endpoint (say EMY to CHI) but there are midpoint to midpoint (say SLC to DEN). You’ll see this a lot with sleepers, there may be none just from EMY to CHI, but there my be one EMY-SLC, SLC-OMA and OMA-CHI!
 
They actually could be sold out, or it could be a “computer error’”.

One other possibility is that there are no reservations left from endpoint to endpoint (say EMY to CHI) but there are midpoint to midpoint (say SLC to DEN). You’ll see this a lot with sleepers, there may be none just from EMY to CHI, but there my be one EMY-SLC, SLC-OMA and OMA-CHI!
Find it hard to believe coach is sold out 5 months in advance. And when a train is sold out that's what it says - SOLD OUT. I've tried different days and still got the none left. I wonder if it's because I'm a senior and there aren't any senior fares being offered? Either way, Amtrak should redirect me to adult fares instead of having someone look for other transportation options.
 
It might have something to do with the fact that Amtrak will be adding coaches to 5/6 between EMY & DEN for the summer. They’re probably updating the computer to handle this and may be temporarily blocking out tickets.
 
I have heard of trains showing "Sold Out" when no senior fares were available. Did you try looking for regular fares on those dates?

Someone on another forum recently had the same problem. Whether it's a new 'feature' of the booking system or a glitch, I don't know. The problem stems from the fact that the senior fare is discounted from the Value fare. As well known, as more tickets are sold, the fares increase. First, the Saver fare is gone. At some point...maybe 60-70% sold (I'm guessing), the Value fare is no longer available (and Senior discount), forcing prices to the next higher level. It's the same methodology Amtrak uses for sleeper accomodations and its various fare buckets.

It's quite likely there's a significant group of passengers traveling coach on the day(s) in question. Maybe a tour group or even a large group of gamblers heading for Reno. Although there's many coach seats on the train, if they're all or mostly sold out, even from Emeryville to Sacramento, for example, then there's little if any seats available EMY->CHI. Given that possibility, check if any Senior-priced tickets are quoted Reno->CHI and (DEN->CHI if none from Reno). If Reno shows Senior fares still available, then book two separate tickets...EMY->Reno at adult fare, then Senior fare Reno->CHI. There's absolutely no way CHI->NYP/NWK can be sold out. So book that as the 2nd part of a 'Multi-city' ticket (at senior rate).

Oh...and if you do the EMY-Reno(or DEN)-CHI booking, tell the conductor when boarding you're headed to Chicago (show him both tickets) so they direct you to the correct car. That way, you won't have to get off or change seats in Reno.

Although remote, it could also be possible that the computer hasn't been 'loaded' with the extended consists used during the summer, resulting in only 2 coaches, rather than 4 on the train, etc. Perhaps checking back in a week or so would give a better result.

Alternatively, if your travel dates are flexible, traveling on another date would likely have more seats available. Or, using the split at Reno as an example, book EMY-Reno the day before, spend a night in Reno, then travel to CHI from there on your desired day.
 
Someone on another forum recently had the same problem. Whether it's a new 'feature' of the booking system or a glitch, I don't know. The problem stems from the fact that the senior fare is discounted from the Value fare. As well known, as more tickets are sold, the fares increase. First, the Saver fare is gone. At some point...maybe 60-70% sold (I'm guessing), the Value fare is no longer available (and Senior discount), forcing prices to the next higher level. It's the same methodology Amtrak uses for sleeper accomodations and its various fare buckets.

It's quite likely there's a significant group of passengers traveling coach on the day(s) in question. Maybe a tour group or even a large group of gamblers heading for Reno. Although there's many coach seats on the train, if they're all or mostly sold out, even from Emeryville to Sacramento, for example, then there's little if any seats available EMY->CHI. Given that possibility, check if any Senior-priced tickets are quoted Reno->CHI and (DEN->CHI if none from Reno). If Reno shows Senior fares still available, then book two separate tickets...EMY->Reno at adult fare, then Senior fare Reno->CHI. There's absolutely no way CHI->NYP/NWK can be sold out. So book that as the 2nd part of a 'Multi-city' ticket (at senior rate).

Oh...and if you do the EMY-Reno(or DEN)-CHI booking, tell the conductor when boarding you're headed to Chicago (show him both tickets) so they direct you to the correct car. That way, you won't have to get off or change seats in Reno.

Although remote, it could also be possible that the computer hasn't been 'loaded' with the extended consists used during the summer, resulting in only 2 coaches, rather than 4 on the train, etc. Perhaps checking back in a week or so would give a better result.

Alternatively, if your travel dates are flexible, traveling on another date would likely have more seats available. Or, using the split at Reno as an example, book EMY-Reno the day before, spend a night in Reno, then travel to CHI from there on your desired day.

Thanks for your input. Probably the senior fare messed up availability. My point is that Amtrak should offer other available options other than "none left".
 
AmSnag presently shows Saver Coach fares ($141) available each and every day of June, 2020 on train 6 from EMY to CHI for 1 Adult.

When entering 1 Senior in Arrow, it shows the same but without the customary 10% discount, but if the Value fare ($176) is selected, the 10% Senior discount is applied for a fare of $158.40.
 
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AmSnag presently shows Saver Coach fares ($141) available each and every day of June, 2020 on train 6 from EMY to CHI for 1 Adult.

When entering 1 Senior in Arrow, it shows the same but without the customary 10% discount, but if the Value fare ($176) is selected, the 10% Senior discount is applied for a fare of $158.40.
I know that now. Again, my point was merely that Amtrak may be losing customers by saying on their website "none left".
 
In reality they do need to show that other options are available or discount not available on this day. Especially with the senior discount because speaking about my parents. I doubt they would know to look elsewhere as they aren’t the most tech savvy people in the world. And I’m sure that’s true of that demographic more broadly as well.
 
In reality they do need to show that other options are available or discount not available on this day. Especially with the senior discount because speaking about my parents. I doubt they would know to look elsewhere as they aren’t the most tech savvy people in the world. And I’m sure that’s true of that demographic more broadly as well.
I recently attempted to make a senior reservation in BC on the Downeaster and it was available one way and not the other; however, using the RPA discount, I was able to get a discount both ways. I thought that was odd.
 
Amtrak's underlying reservations system is ancient, creaky, and not fit for purpose. (It's called ARROW and is written in mainframe computer machine code from the 1960s/1970s.) This is the basic problem. The project of transitioning it to a new system has been ongoing, very slowly. Until the expensive transition is complete there will probably be horrible ticket-option-visibility glitches like this.
 
Amtrak's underlying reservations system is ancient, creaky, and not fit for purpose. (It's called ARROW and is written in mainframe computer machine code from the 1960s/1970s.) This is the basic problem. The project of transitioning it to a new system has been ongoing, very slowly. Until the expensive transition is complete there will probably be horrible ticket-option-visibility glitches like this.

Thank you. This explains the head scratching that I do when I'm looking for multiple options.
 
Arrow was also originally designed by American Airlines.

They are used to flying (and giving fares) from JFK-LAX and maybe JFK-ORD-LAX. I doubt there was not much found (without much searching) for JFK-ORD-PDX-LAX or JFK-DCA-ORD-SMF-Bakersfield-LAX or JFK-BOS-ORD-SAT-LAX either.
 
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