Good Friday

[BLOND37]

From your experiences do trains usually sell out on good Friday?

 

[KmH]

I checked many trains departing Chicago and NY on April 3, 2015. None were sold out.

So I would say. No. Trains don't usually sell out on Good Friday

 

[jebr]

The Easter weekend is always pretty busy for travel. If you can, I'd book your seat now just to be on the safe side, as there's always the chance that the train will sell out closer to the date (and more likely to sell out than the average Friday.)

 

[amamba]

Friday afternoon trains are generally busy/full heading south from New England to NYP and beyond.

 

[Guest]

If you have a need to begin travel on Good Friday, you have nothing to lose by buying a ticket as soon as you know with some certainty. If the fare goes up after your purchase - your fare is not affected. If the fare goes down - you can call and have your ticket modified for the lower fare. Whatever you do, don't delay ticket purchase hoping for a lower fare. There's no advantage and two disadvantages:

• Your desired accommodation could possibly be sold out

• The fare may increase prior to purchase and not decrease later on - and IMHO there is absolutely no way to predict how or if a fare might change in the future.

 

[niemi24s]

. . .and IMHO there is absolutely no way to predict how or if a fare might change in the future.

And here's a splendid, albeit extreme, example of what I meant when saying the above (posted when not logged in). The following are fares quoted during the 18 Jan through 12 Mar 2015 period for two seniors in a superliner bedroom on the Empire Builder from CHI to SEA on 8 Apr 2015 - rounded to the nearest 100 US dollars:

• 18 Jan $1300

• 27 Jan $1300

• 3 Feb $2000

• 10 Feb $1700

• 13 Feb $1300

• 25 Feb $1700

• 28 Feb $2000

• 12 Mar $1700

The only input variable was the date the fare was quoted. However, this is the extreme of fare fluctuations I've noted. For most travel dates, the fare stayed the same. Moral: if possible, pick a travel date early; buy ticket as soon as travel date is firmed up; keep checking every few days to see if the fare goes down; if you see it lower than what you paid, call and have your ticket modified (not cancelled) for the lower fare.

 

[abcnews]

As I recall, Good Friday is usually a blackout date for Amtrak Guest Rewards (to use a free ticket).