Comment by jaclaz | Hacker News Reader

Comment by jaclaz | Hacker News Reader

AFAIK it is not just Germany trains that are a mess (regarding fares), it is the same all over the world.

What I really hate is that every time I take a train (in Italy) I can be sure that:

1) the lady in front of me payed 30% less than me (OK, she is elderly and some discount may be fine)

2) the guy on my right payed 25% less than me (OK, he is a student, and has one of those cards)

3) the girl on my left has payed 45% less than me (OK, she has a special discount as a woman and booked the ticket in large advance)

4) the guy in businessman suit on the seat on the other side of the aisle has paid anyething between 50%, 80% or 100% less than me (OK, because he is an employee of the railway or of the government)

5) etc.

Simplified, I am the only one that is paying the full fare.

> OK, she is elderly and some discount may be fine

And who reimburses the rail company for those discounts?

> the girl on my left has payed 45% less than me (OK, she has a special discount as a woman and booked the ticket in large advance)

"she has a special discount as a woman" - What? I call BS.

"booked the ticket in large advance" - better. And what's stopping you from doing the same?

> (OK, because he is an employee of the railway or of the government)

And how many of those there are?

> Simplified, I am the only one that is paying the full fare.

Simplified, you are someone who exaggerates to use as an excuse for whinging about non existent unfairness.

Thank you for responding. The parent comment has to be one of the worst HN comments I have ever read.

It is important that people who exaggerate and lie are held accountable for their words.

I am obviously (and intentionally) exaggerating it, but the general idea stands.

At least the routes on Amtrak that I take in the US don't seem to have huge variances based on booking ahead. Fares do vary and the prime slots for business travel tend to be pricier. (And the Acela carries a significant premium.)

But it doesn't seem to be like what I've both observed and been told is the case in the UK where last minute/flexible/etc. fares can easily be triple what they are if you book a month or even a couple of weeks ahead of time.

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