jackal

Well, this is one way to reach him!
Usually, if you post a code in the 2008 discounts thread, he'll get it eventually and add it to the first post, or you can Private Message him (the fastest way). But this works, too! (Kinda hard for him to miss...)

And thanks for the code!

ByeByeDelta

It worked!

Going to merge this with the discount thread, now.

Globehopper

I didn't see this posted, but the Downeaster has a buy one at the "regular fare," get one free ticket offer.

Use fare code V645.

3 days advance purchase.

Blackout 18-27 April 2008.

Valid on NB trains 681, 683, 691 and 693 only.
Valid on SB trains 688, 694, 686 only.

Valid from 22 Feb 08 to 1 June 08.

Promotion: Boston Globe Travel Show.

RRrich

Anyone hear about this?? Buy a 10% off AAA ticket and companion flies free.

Might be a reason to join AAA

RRrich

I didn't know how to send a PM (but I have figured it out)

I am known for effectiveness - but NOT known for my subtley

fantasticgirl

Is there any code available for a trip for two from albany, ny to new york penn station? I haven't found any.

RRrich

fantasticgirl Try V646 (see first page)

guv1976

Umm, I think you mean V464.

brinycbri

HELP: any discounts for New York City to Boston? Thx!!!

gclarke

does anyone have any experience with last minute fares? how cheap are they? my friend and i are trying to go on a bike trip somewhere south (warm) on march 7th. i don't think we're too particular about where we go, so we'd (or at least i would) be fine showing up at the station and just getting a ticket to anywhere warm. do you think the savings would be significant? alternatively, any cheap tickets that are currently available to somewhere warm from indianapolis? i didn't see anything in particular from the first post, but perhaps someone with more experience would be able to point out a cheap route.

thanks!

jackal

Hi and welcome to FT!

Amtrak operates on a strict fare bucket system. Coach fares are divided up into (IIRC) five buckets. When the train is empty, the seats are sold at the lowest fare bucket. When all of the seats in that fare bucket have been sold, the system will sell you a ticket at the next fare bucket's price, and so on until the train sells out. Amtrak does not do like the airlines do and have dozens of different fares on sale for a given train, some of which are only for advanced purchase and some of which are for last-minute walk-ups or are flexible or anything like that.

So, if 95% of the seats are sold on a given train six months out, then you will be paying the highest fare bucket even if you book 5.5 months out. Conversely, if the train is practically empty an hour before departure, then even if you buy your ticket 45 minutes before the train departs, you will pay the lowest fare bucket for that train. Therefore, there is no way to predict what your last-minute, walk-up fare will be.

However, the spread between the lowest bucket and the highest bucket isn't as great as the airlines, where the last-minute full flex fare might be ten times the price of the web special being sold three months earlier. I think someone mentioned around here earlier that the highest fare bucket is roughly double the price of the lowest bucket. Given how economical train travel is, that's really not that bad.

There are three caveats to this simple system: promo codes, sleepers, and weekly specials. Promo codes require that you book at least three days in advance, but the fare buckets are still the same. (That's why you see us encouraging people to book sooner rather than later, even if they can't find a promo code, since the fares might go up more than the promo code will save.) Sleepers work on a similar system, except only on (IIRC) four buckets. (When you book a sleeper, you're really booking two things--a rail fare and an accommodation charge--and, nicely, on a sleeper ticket, you automatically pay the lowest rail fare bucket even if the train is completely sold out, although your accommodation charge would likely be through the roof on a sold-out train...)

The last caveat--weekly specials--might actually really help you with what you're looking for. They are semi-last-minute deals anywhere from 50-90% off (they post them every Tuesday, I think, for the following week). I don't know how often Amtrak files weekly specials from IND (you're a little limited by really only having one train a day through there, IIRC), but if you find a good deal out of CHI, all you'd need to do is book a (hopefully relatively cheap) ticket to CHI and then you could find yourself in New Orleans or Phoenix or Los Angeles or something for a really good price. (Alternatively, if the weekly special is out of WAS or NYP, you can ride the Cardinal directly from IND, but it only operates three days a week, and the regular fare from IND to those east coast cities probably isn't the cheapest.) Weekly specials are linked in the first post on this thread.

Assuming you don't find any weekly specials that work, there really aren't any routes that are specifically cheap. Due to the way Amtrak's fare system works, unlike the airlines, you won't find smoking deals on certain routes or to certain destinations that are significantly cheaper than other routes and other destinations (with the exception of the weekly specials mentioned above).

Hope this helps to explain how things work.

Also, FYI, you may be limited in destinations by your bike. I would assume it would be required to be checked in as baggage, so you'll only be able to detrain at staffed stations that provide checked baggage service. Most larger stations (and places that weekly specials go to) do, but check before booking (you can click on the station name in the booking screen to read details about that station).

jackal

Hi and welcome to FT!

Any and all discounts we know about are on the first page of this thread. Please check there. Post back here if you have any questions about a specific discount and/or how to apply it, but if it's not on the first page of this thread, it either doesn't exist or nobody around here knows about it.

the_traveler

Welcome to FT, brinycbri!

As jackal suggested, look at the first post of this thread. One promo code I see for Boston is V856!

the_traveler

Welcome to FT, gclarke!

jackal gave you some good info, but as far as the weekly specials, I find that for the past many weeks, they have only consisted of mainly 3xx series trains (short runs into and out of Chicago, to places like Rockford, Grand Rapids and Carbondale). There was a time when you would occasionally find weekly specials to places like LA or New Orleans or Denver, but I haven't seen them in a L O N G time. (Oh sure I see 7/27 and 8/28 from Chicago to Seattle and Portland listed every so often, but I haven't seen and other LD train on there.)

I have occasionally seen trains 850 and 851 (from CHI to IND) listed, but (as I said) no LD trains!

As jackal said, because Amtrak sells tickets on a "fare bucket" system, it is possible that the train that leaves in 15 minutes may cost less than the one that leaves next month! But you can't be sure until you check.

But even when you do check, and say you found a ticket for $150, but you hesitate and not get it then. That may have been the last ticket in that bucket. When you go back 5 minutes later, you may find the lowest price is $186 (or something) - that $150 fare is no longer available!

Also remember some discounts (such as AAA) have a 3 day advance purchase requirement.

Shanghai

I received an e-mail from AGR today with a triple point bonus from March 1 through May 31. It required registration and a promotion code. My code was 4735. This may be a targeted solicitation, but may be worthwhile if you plan to travel during these times.