Hacker News Reader

Comment by paxys | Hacker News Reader

They don't on the east coast. For example depending on the timing you can do NYC - DC or NYC - Boston for like $15 one way on Amtrak. There are 50+ trains a day, and they all go full. SF - LA is only slightly longer, and there's no reason for it to cost hundreds.

View on HN

No way. I've taken that route many times over the last decade and never paid less than $35. It also usually takes 4.5 hours unless you take the Acela which I've never seen for less than $80.

It's cheaper, and I take it because it's a better experience in a lot of ways, but it's also regularly not full. I've had entire train cars to myself before.

Amtrak has 20 trains a day from NYP -> BOS; not 50.

I commute on along the North East Corridor, and if you want a train that'll get you into NY by around 9am or leaves around 5-6pm, you're definitely not getting that for $15 on a weekday.

There is, actually. There are 5 major cities between Boston and DC, so a direct rail line between the two can serve 10 different major routes. There are only 2 major cities between SF and LA, namely SF and LA themselves, which leaves you with one major route.

I just priced an Amtrak ticket from LA to Seattle. Its was $250 round trip in coach. Thats the same price for a regularly priced airplane ticket for coach.

> NYC - Boston for like $15 one way

Bullshit.

I went to school in Boston. To get a one way like that I'd have to book weeks in advanced and it would be in the middle of the night.

I'm on the Amtrak website right now and if I book a one way trip from South Station (boston) to Penn Station (NYC) for today, it is $250 (tbf, it would be a last minute booking). If I book one for weeks in advance, it's still at $40-100.

NYP-BOS

May 7, 7:50pm-12:15am

$20

    [X] Weeks in advance
    [ ] Middle of the night

Why would I commute from NYC to Boston at 8pm on a Tuesday? The fact that this is one of the few counters you could find only proves my point.

Ride is already too long to use as a commute

Hmm, maybe it's middle age catching up with me, but a train pulling in South St at quarter after midnight feels like the middle of the night to me.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com