MILWAUKEE — Amtrak is reinstating monthly passes on the Milwaukee-Chicago Hiawatha service as of January.
The monthly pass option had been eliminated when variable pricing was introduced on the route in November, as part of Amtrak’s nationwide move to a two-tiered pricing system [see “Variable pricing begins …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 1, 2023]. Commuters complained the remaining multi-trip option, a 10-ride pass, more than doubled their travel costs.
But the company announced Monday that “after carefully reviewing ridership data, Amtrak and its partners are reinstating” the monthly pass at a cost of $650 a month for the full route, which it says offers “significant savings” compared to the 10-ride pass.
Shock reveal, commuting is not a variable service Monday through Friday. Do they price commuting on the NEC the same way? I sure hope not.
Commuting on the NEC is handled by regional transit agencies, not Amtrak: MBTA, SLE, CDOT, MNR, NJT, SEPTA, MARC. Each has its own fare scheme.