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Amtrak Inches Closer to On-Track WiFi in Northern California

May 28, 2009 at 9:17 AM | 1 Comment

While the airline race to be the first with fleetwide WiFi (which Virgin America won) sure mobilized the WiFi supporters over these past few months, it seems as though the hubbub has also awakened Amtrak.

In yesterday's post on Amtrak's summer discounts, a commenter alerted us to the Capitol Corridor's plans to implement on-track WiFi (as opposed to "in-flight") as soon as they find a suitable contractor. This would mean internet access to accompany increased electrical outlets for the 170-mile rail corridor of these Northern California counties: Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, and Santa Clara.

Calling all companies capable of getting California's rail online—how about hooking a corridor up? It's just too bad GoGo only does airline installation because the whole Amtrak network could really benefit from a speedy, nationwide plan like now.

Related Stories:
· Capitol Corridor Wireless Network [Capitol Corridor]
· Amtrak Discounts Summer Fares, Insists Trains Are Cooler Than Buses [Jaunted]
· Train Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: pandoralyrael]

Amtrak Discounts Summer Fares, Insists Trains Are Cooler Than Buses

May 22, 2009 at 12:40 PM | 1 Comment

Ok, so they didn't actually say "Trains are cooler than buses" but Amtrak must be feeling the pressure of the new cheap bus travel craze. Their trains don’t have power plugs at every seat, and don’t have WiFi beaming through their cars. So the only thing they can do to compete is to cut fares on their routes, in hopes that people haven’t permanently forgotten about the train.

Regional routes in the Northeast will be cut by up to 25 percent for the peak summer travel season. If high-speed is more your thing, Acela price cuts from earlier this year will stick around through the summer. Start booking your New York to Washington tickets now, they start at about $50 each-way. Too bad that’s like $49 more than taking Boltbus.

To take advantage of these lower rates you need to travel between June 2 and September 3, and you’ll have to book two weeks before you’re ready to go. Maybe if they allowed you to book a bargain fare at the last minute, they could get a few more butts in the seats.

Related Stories:
·Amtrak Cuts Northeast Fares By 25% [Boston Globe]
·National Train Day Means Amtrak Is Still Chugging Along [Jaunted]
·Train Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: jmueller99]

National Train Day Means Amtrak is Still Chugging Along

March 30, 2009 at 1:24 PM | 0 Comments

Fish out that old conductor's cap and choo-choo whistle from your youth (or your model-railroading days) and prepare to remember that other methods of cross-country transportation exist aside from the airplane. On May 9, Amtrak will celebrate "National Train Day," bringing awareness to the fact that they not only still exist, but have loyal customers and architectural gems of hub stations.

This may only be their second annual shindig, but it commemorates the day of the creation of the first transcontinental railroad and the last 140 years of (somewhat) successful chugging along from coast-to-coast on the US rail system. To envelop current train travelers in this history and invite potential customers to "Discover the Rail Way," Amtrak is hosting events in their Washington DC, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles stations. No doubt the live music, interactive green exhibits, "VIP" appearances, kids corner, and educational exhibits will go well with your pre-train cinnabon and coffee.

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Slow Travel: NYT Guy Takes Amtrak Across the USA

March 7, 2009 at 4:02 PM | 3 Comments

We've often lamented the sad state of the U.S. passenger rail system, especially when it's compared to other countries, but when it comes down to it, Amtrak is not nearly as bad as its detractors would have you believe. For example, did you know that it's possible to take a train from New York City to Emeryville, California (near San Francisco) in less than four days? It is, and if you're able to add an extra couple of days you can visit a string of neat towns without ever needing an automobile. A writer from the New York Times recently did just that, taking a January journey through the heart of America that he chronicles in an interesting story in this weekend's Travel Section, and it makes us want to ride the rails ourselves.

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Surviving an 18-Hour Delay on Amtrak's Coast Starlight

March 3, 2009 at 1:43 PM | 0 Comments

Usually when we think of late December Amtrak travel through the Pacific Northwest, vivid nightmares come to mind, such as the possibility of being stranded in a snowdrift or having the dining car run out of hot chocolate. For Flickr members Lee and Mary, however, their journey on the Coast Starlight route up from SoCal to Seattle seems to be quite comfy thanks to a private room and plenty of old-timey movies.

In the end, however, Mother Nature decided to flex her muscles and dig them a serious delay:

Our trip northward was hampered by blizzard-like conditions which kept freezing the track switches. We lost many hours on these unscheduled stops while they un-stuck the switches. Then in Portland we had mechanical issues with one of our cars which required them to rearrange the order of the cars. This meant that we ended up spending a second night in the Portland station while they straightened all this mess out. In the end...we were 18 hours late arriving into Seattle!

Not cool, Mother Nature, not cool at all. Thankfully, their full review and video room tour did not include any tales of the cannibalism we'd expect from such a situation. Just for added kicks, let's check on the typical rates for two adults traveling the entire route in a private room: $594. That's what we thought; it's back to the airport for us.

[Photo: TangerineTreeHouse]

Related Stories:
· Lee and Mary's Coast Starlight Review [Flickr]
· Train Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

Amtrak Gives Acela Fares a Healthy Chop

February 19, 2009 at 9:35 AM | 0 Comments

Funny – we were just bitching yesterday that instead of investing in a tourist-centric Anaheim-Vegas railway, Washington pols should do something about the miserable/overpriced state of Northeast train travel.

Someone at Amtrak must be reading Jaunted comments, because the train service just announced they're chopping the lowest Acela Express fares a whopping 25 percent, following a large drop in ridership throughout the Northeast corridor. We're not sure if that's because of the recession of BoltBus, but either way, we'll take the discount

For tickets bought at least two weeks ahead of travel dates, New York-to-DC fares on the superfast train are down from $133 to $99, and New York-to-Boston seats drop from $93 to $79. Not exactly competitive with those $1 bus fares, but moving in the right direction!

· Amtrak to trim one-way Acela fares by 25% [Boston.com]
· Lohan and Ronson Evidence Amtrak Ascendancy [Jaunted]
· Amtrak coverage [Jaunted]

Photo: [cliff1066]

Spartans Take Amtrak

January 9, 2009 at 8:45 AM | 1 Comment

More efficient than marching: "300"'s Gerard Butler was spotted yesterday hopping off an Amtrak train at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station. Toting his own rolling bag and laptop, the actor is in town to film a thriller with Michael Gambon and Jamie Foxx called "Law Abiding Citizen."

You don't have to be a celebrity to ride Amtrak, but you may have trouble getting a seat anyway: Amtrak reported in October that nearly 3 million more people climbed aboard in fiscal year 2008, the sixth straight year when ridership went up. The fastest growing train: The Maine-to-Boston Downeaster.

While the stats didn't break down by month, we're guessing the bulk of those riders were over the summer, when soaring gas prices forced Americans to contemplate a life with less driving. Thank goodness we'll never have to worry about that again!

Related Stories:
· Annual Amtrak Ridership Sets All-Time Record; Sixth Straight Year of Increases [Amtrak.com]
· Amtrak Ridership Through the Roof: Time for Some New Ideas in US Train Travel [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Celebrity-Gossip.net]

Fifteen Hours on Amtrak: Achieving Nirvana

October 31, 2008 at 11:05 AM | 1 Comment

To travel along on our first few hours on Amtrak out of New York, check out yesterday's Part I.

It's midnight and we're stopped in the middle of nowhere, eight hours into our fifteen-hour coach class Amtrak trek to the Midwest from New York City. We've stepped outside of the train only to be caught in sleeting rain and an ungodly darkness; it could be Rochester, New York. At this point, the Amtrak lightweights have disembarked in Albany, Schenectady or Syracuse, and the leftovers are truly in for the long-haul. Under the single streetlight, we size each other up and wonder who might be capable of stealthily stealing our stuff while we sleep. It's probably the single guy getting off in Erie, Pennsylvania, our next stop.

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Fifteen Hours on Amtrak: Our Recession Confession

October 30, 2008 at 9:45 AM | 1 Comment

While we have logged some impressive mileage traveling Amtrak in the past, all the recent reports of sold-out trains has us wondering what, if anything, has changed other than gas prices? Curious as to the state of the trains and the faces of the new ridership, a few days ago we hopped aboard Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited from New York City, a 15-hour chattanooga choo choo to the heart of the Midwest. In and amongst the horrendously marked-up beer of the lounge car and the chattering divorcees of the dining car, we may have just discovered the most unlikely thing: Hope.

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Travel Referendums: Bipartisan Support for Amtrak Not Maverick-y Enough for McCain

October 23, 2008 at 2:30 PM | 0 Comments

This November 4 is about more than just deciding between McCain and Obama. Other issues that directly affect travelers are up for decision, and this week we're taking a closer look at some of them.

After Amtrak reported record ridership, President Bush signed a bill earlier this month to give the rail operator $13 billion in new funding over the next five years as well as expand safety measures. (Even though he said he wouldn't sign it back in June.) Amazingly, the investment had the support of an overwhelming majority of Congress.

Behind the bill was New Jersey Democrat Frank Lautenberg (inset), whose state sees roughly 1.6 million Amtrak passengers a year. His version of the bill actually didn't provide for the $13 billion, though, as money-related legislation has to originate in the House. So whose idea was it to give Amtrak all that cash? Our old pal James Oberstar!

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Lohan and Ronson Evidence Amtrak Ascendancy

October 20, 2008 at 11:30 AM | 0 Comments

How hot is Amtrak these days? Even possibly dating starlets are taking the train: Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson were seen riding the Acela on October 16.

But even without TSA hassles and flight delays, Page Six says the pair didn't have a pleasant trip:

Lohan spent most of the time complaining about her staff and told Ronson, "I do what's good for you, not what's best for both of us." Lohan was "whining incessantly and Samantha was trying to deflect it. When Lindsay would get up, Samantha would sigh and put her sweatshirt hood back up."

Sounds like Sam should've booked seats in the quiet car!

Related Stories:
· Rough Train Ride [NYP]
· Amtrak Ridership Through the Roof: Time for Some New Ideas in U.S. Train Travel [Jaunted]

Amtrak Ridership Through the Roof: Time for Some New Ideas in U.S. Train Travel

October 11, 2008 at 2:11 PM | 1 Comment

The U.S. government-owned passenger rail company known as Amtrak is finally having its moment in the sun. After more than three decades as a money-losing symbol of government waste, bureaucratic ineptitude, and U.S. consumers' overwhelming preference for car travel, Amtrak's ridership is surging, bolstered by high gas prices and a growing distaste for short-distance air travel. While we here at Jaunted HQ are wary of calling this a watershed moment for U.S. train travel, it does represent an opportunity to reacquaint people with the joys of riding the rails - and might also be a rare opportunity to bring the 1970's-era rail line into the 21st century.

After the jump, a few ideas for Amtrak that just might be crazy enough to work.

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