WASHINGTON — As Amtrak reduces frequencies in the Northeast and consults with its state partners about reductions on regional corridors, the country’s coronavirus situation is leading to atypical traffic on the Auto Train route, and having at least a temporary impact on what the company has historically charged for sleeping car space during peak travel periods.
As of midday Monday, all rooms on the northbound Auto Train from Sanford, Fla., to Lorton, Va., were sold out for a week until Monday, March 23, except for one roomette at $611 on Friday, March 20.
If demand is strong in at least one direction, the train’s consist has been expanded from seven to eight revenue sleepers (including two unique Superliners with only bedrooms on the upper level). Depending on the day of departure, prices quoted in the four coaches vary from $112 to $219. The space crush is likely caused by a combination of “snowbirds” moving their planned migration north up from later spring months and the isolation from others that roomettes, bedrooms, and family rooms afford.
With most attractions and public spaces closed in Florida, however, southbound Auto Train coach and sleeper inventory is wide open, with coach seats going for $115 and roomettes for $376 all week and during coming months.
Because few people are traveling now on Amtrak’s corridor and long-distance trains, coach fares are uniformly at their lowest price level, or bucket, on every route. The same is true for sleeping car space except where it is extremely limited, such as the New York-Washington-Chicago Cardinal.
For passengers who are willing to gamble that they will be able to take trips in traditionally busy travel periods later in the year, a TRAINS News Wire spot check of long-distance mid-summer pricing indicates that Amtrak is keeping roomette costs higher than the bargains available now but lower than historical levels on trains whose accommodations typically sell-out during peak times.
For example, Washington-Chicago adult fares on the Cardinal, which recently expanded roomette capacity by replacing the baggage car with a Viewliner II baggage dorm for crew, are often pegged at $595 throughout the summer after prices approached $900 last year. With plenty of rooms available, the roomette pricing on the Capitol Limited is on most dates is $310, the current adult roomette fare.
Other typical roomette pricing this summer:
Southwest Chief, Chicago-Los Angeles: $740 (now $604)
California Zephyr, Chicago-Emeryville, Calif.: $685 (now $547)
Empire Builder,Chicago-Seattle, $900 (now $513)
Obviously, pricing strategy is subject to change as market conditions warrant, so it is possible fares could go lower or higher. In February, Amtrak did add one significant drawback for booking an advance purchase “saver” coach fares at any time by making them non-refundable (even though the company has temporarily lifted the restriction through April 30).
But the penalty for cancelling sleeping car space at least 14 days in advance is a whopping 25%, so when plans are uncertain, fare shopping in the current environment might not be the best option.
