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Started By
Message
Amtrak is a heavily-subsidized rail service with Russian quality at Swiss prices
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:21 am
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:21 am
quote:
Amtrak riders had a pretty rough Fourth of July weekend, at least judging by the talk of delays and outages in my Twitter feed. Vox.com's Max Fisher summed up the sentiment best: "Amtrak is a heavily-subsidized rail service with Russian quality at Swiss prices. It is the shame of the developed world." As it turns out, he was being a little too generous.
Swiss rail travel is actually affordable compared to the U.S. A weekend round trip between Geneva and Zurich costs about $189, or $0.53 per mile traveled. A weekend round-trip from D.C. to New York, on trains leaving at a reasonable hour (e.g., not in the middle of the night) will run you about twice that much, or $0.98 per mile. And if you were to take the Acela you'd be paying almost twice as much as that for the privilege of arriving 35 minutes earlier.
Never got why we don't have decent rail service.
Washington Post article
12
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:27 am to Napoleon
quote:
Never got why we don't have decent rail service.
Political board has the answers you seek.
Rail and telecom in this country are a travesty.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:31 am to junkfunky
Yeah, living in Asia and Europe, you start to realize how much this country needs a decent railway system. It's just fricking embarrassing how far behind we are in that regard compared to even 3rd world countries.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:34 am to Napoleon
quote:
Never got why we don't have decent rail service.
because it is run by the fed gov.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:38 am to Napoleon
I have always found the Northeast to have a good setup that is reasonably priced. Obviously it's more compact and feasible there.
I took Amtrak from Seattle to Portland for $20 a few years ago. Went from Chicago to NYC in 2012, that was only $150.
Their employees are scum though. Wal Mart service at Bloomingdales prices in that bar cart.
I took Amtrak from Seattle to Portland for $20 a few years ago. Went from Chicago to NYC in 2012, that was only $150.
Their employees are scum though. Wal Mart service at Bloomingdales prices in that bar cart.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:38 am to WeeWee
It's not surprising that I know very few people that use Amtrak. I remember researching prices for a trip and it was more expensive than flying, which makes no sense. If the gov't would cut them loose, they'd go out of business easily.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:45 am to Napoleon
quote:
"Amtrak is a heavily-subsidized rail service with Democratic Republic of the Congo quality at NASA prices. It would be the shame of Mongolia.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:52 am to SUB
I't actually cheaper to go from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Trans-siberian riding first class than it is to get an Amtrak ticket to go from Houston to LA.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 10:57 am to Napoleon
quote:The author has obviously never ridden on a Russian train.
with Russian quality
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:02 am to OMLandshark
Long haul commuter rail is pointless and will never be cost efficient in the US - take an airplane
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:04 am to Napoleon
There's no way I'd ever travel somewhere on a train
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:07 am to LSURussian
quote:
The author has obviously never ridden on a Russian train.
I assume he's referring to 3rd class travel. It's nice if you live out of hostels.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:08 am to yellowfin
quote:
There's no way I'd ever travel somewhere on a train
It's way more convenient than flying in the Northeast, many business travelers.
On my Chicago to NYC trek there was a lot of anti-Obama Teabaggery going on. People using rail passes to travel the nation going to far right rallies and such, lamenting the lazy poors that don't work. Great entertainment.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:12 am to The Third Leg
quote:
It's way more convenient than flying in the Northeas
or driving. fricking trying to get from Boston to NYC down I95. 95 through Conn. is a complete shite show.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:13 am to junkfunky
Japan rail service is amazing. Fast, cheap, comfortable, and ALWAYS on time.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:17 am to yellowfin
I wouldn't either. My dad said the train to Chicago was fun and you drink and party with who-dats going to the game. But I would rather fly. MSY-MDW in 2 hours and some change and usually for less than $200 each way.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:42 am to The Third Leg
quote:
I have always found the Northeast to have a good setup that is reasonably priced. Obviously it's more compact and feasible there.
"...they are grandfathered in and need not operate at a profit as do any newly established routes."
FIFY
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:46 am to WeeWee
quote:
Never got why we don't have decent rail service.
because it is run by the fed gov.
its only quasi run by the feds, its run as a for profit company.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:49 am to Hawkeye95
quote:
its only quasi run by the feds, its run as a for profit company.
Exactly, it has all of the non-competition and unreliability of a government entity paired with the cost-slashing and profit gouging of the private sector. It's the worst of both world.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 11:51 am to Napoleon
I like Amtrak
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