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[quote user="schlimm"] [quote user="Railway Man"] As for the $160 fare, really?  For business travel?  I couldn't seem to buy any ticket last year for under $350, and many of my trips are busting the $1,000 barrier now.  I can buy all the advance tickets in the world to get it a cheap fare, but it's a waste of money because I will inevitably have to change the flights and pay a change fee.  Last year I spent something like $50,000 on air fare.  A walk-up fare of $300 for business class-rail for a Chicago-St. Louis round-trip would be very attractive to me.  RWM [/quote]  Exactly!  I too was wondering where sam1 was getting those numbers.  I found that flying to St. Louis for a 2-day business trip over the next few weeks would be (round trip) $250 coach; $940 first class. for an hour 15 minute flight.  Both Chicago and St. Louis have mass transit, as well as cabs and limos for transfer once there if the target isn't downtown.  Four hours via train for $300 vs 2 1/2 to 4 1/2  hours (larger figure includes transfer downtown) via air sounds very competitive.[/quote] I spent 41 years working for a Fortune 250 corporation.  I was a manager for 35 of those years.  Amongst other duties I oversaw numerous consulting contracts.  We made it crystal clear that the consultants would plan their travel far enough in advance to take advantage of lower fares, as well as car rental and hotel deals.  In fact, in most instances we bought the tickets for them.  If they would not plan in advance, we found ones who could.  On occasion, emergencies dictated that our employees and business partners pay the walk-up fares.  But these occasions, thanks to good planning, were few and far between. I traveled extensively whilst working.  I was expected to plan ahead so as to be able to take advantage of low cost travel opportunities.  Included in my assignments was a five year stint in Australia.  I made 22 trips between the U.S. and Australia.  I know how to get a good deal on air fares, but it requires planning ahead.      Airfares can change daily.  The $160.00 fare was for travel from Chicago to St. Louis on a Tuesday and return on a Thursday in mid February.  This morning the fare for mid February travel is $171.  If one wants to go next week, the fare would be $299.  The fares are shown on Travelocity.  There is no doubt about it.  Failure to plan ahead is costly.  And it will likely be so for any high speed rail system.
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