Recessions bring heaps of bad news, especially for people who lose their jobs. But they also bring some wonderful travel bargains. And for train buffs Amtrak has some good fares.
More than 30 year ago my spouse and I rode the train from Denver to Salt Lake City. At the time, if I remember correctly, it was operated by the Denver, Rio Grande, and Western, which had refused to join Amtrak, and it was called the Rio Grande Zephyr. The trip was fantastic; it is one that I have wanted to repeat for years.
Last summer, when I checked out taking the California Zephyr from Denver to San Francisco, the cost with a roomette was nearly $600. But today I checked for a trip near the end of January, and found the cost had dropped to $266. I booked it.
Equally pleasing, my airfare from Austin to Denver is $69, whilst the fare home from San Francisco is $100. These fares are 40 per cent less than quotes that I received for the fall. And the hotel in San Francisco, where I usually stay, will cost me $71 per night plus taxes compared to $135 per night plus taxes last March and June.
Amtrak also has some other great fares, i.e. $50 for a coach ticket from Memphis to New Orleans; $52 Los Angeles to Oakland, $24 Dallas to Austin, etc.
Admittedly, some of the lower pricing can be attributed to seasonal changes, but a significant amount of it, I think, can be laid at the feet of the recession. So if you are a train buff with flex time and a few coins in your pocket, now is the time to take that train trip that you have wanted to take for years.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.