Amtrak Guest Rewards - Fares reducing closer to departure?

From past reading of this forum, I know that Amtrak uses a bucket system and fares typically go up closer to departure as more and more book. I've noticed this especially with Acela.

However, today I noticed the opposite. Late last week, I booked an Acela (WAS-PHL) for today at $124.00. Just for curiosity, I wanted to see how much more the fare was this morning and surprisingly it had reduced to $106. I canceled my original reservation and rebooked and I'll be sure to keep on top of this in the future.

Did someone cancel a bunch of tickets or is Amtrak playing around with airline-style pricing?

Interesting, possibly a seat sale?

Maybe they're experimenting with shorter timelines for scheduling. What's capacity like these days? (haven't taken a train in years...unless LIRR counts)

I can't speak to Acela sales, but I have run into a similar situation on the long distance trains. In fact, last week, I just happened to check an Empire Builder segment I'll be taking Saturday between SEA and CHI. Because I was originally placed in the Transition Sleeper (at high bucket), I checked amtrak.com to see if sleeper space had loosened up to enable a possible move back to a revenue sleeper. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Roomette priced at low bucket around $229, whereas I had originally paid over $800 a few months ago. I quickly called and got my preferred room number while saving about $500.

The agent remarked that the price swing was almost surely attributed to a tour group having released a large block of rooms they had been sitting on. On the LDs, these groups can tie up much real estate in the sleepers, only to dump some or all of it later with no repercussions. I was under the impression that Amtrak was going to address this issue, but I haven't seen anything to support that as of yet.

From past reading of this forum, I know that Amtrak uses a bucket system and fares typically go up closer to departure as more and more book. I've noticed this especially with Acela.

However, today I noticed the opposite. Late last week, I booked an Acela (WAS-PHL) for today at $124.00. Just for curiosity, I wanted to see how much more the fare was this morning and surprisingly it had reduced to $106. I canceled my original reservation and rebooked and I'll be sure to keep on top of this in the future.

Did someone cancel a bunch of tickets or is Amtrak playing around with airline-style pricing?
There has been talk about amtrak being much more involved with fare management on another forum that I visit. I suspect that is what is happening. I am watching - like a hawk - some upcoming travel I have to Philly because I was forced to pay very near high bucket on the acela months and months in advance.

Not sure if it's related, but several times in the past month I've seen Acela trips cheaper than NRE departures at the same time on WAS-NYP and v.v.

Not sure if it's related, but several times in the past month I've seen Acela trips cheaper than NRE departures at the same time on WAS-NYP and v.v.

That happens a lot on the weekends, when people book the Regionals believing that they are always cheaper than Acela. They drive up the buckets on the Regional to the point where Acela's lower buckets are cheaper than the current prices on the Regionals.

That happens a lot on the weekends, when people book the Regionals believing that they are always cheaper than Acela. They drive up the buckets on the Regional to the point where Acela's lower buckets are cheaper than the current prices on the Regionals.But where in the booking process would it not be transparent to the booker that they were choosing the more-expensive Regional? For those booking over the phone?

But where in the booking process would it not be transparent to the booker that they were choosing the more-expensive Regional? For those booking over the phone?

I don't think that people are necessarily paying more for a Regional than a cheaper Acela. Rather, as AlanB said, people book up the lower-priced Regionals until their fare rises above an adjacent Acela. At this point, most will opt for the Acela. Even more will say, "Forget that, I'm not paying an Acela fare" and drive or ride a bus instead. (Hence the persistence of the lower Acela fares.) At this point the folks who are booking the more expensive Regionals are those traveling somewhere that Acela doesn't stop...or those with very high schedule sensitivity.

I don't think that people are necessarily paying more for a Regional than a cheaper Acela. I guess we would need AlanB to clarify. To say that people are booking the NER because they believe it to be always cheaper implies that for some it actually is not cheaper.

There is also the fact that the Acela makes limited stops, in business markets, so the leisure weekend traveler might not be able to take the Acela to begin with, if they're not traveling between those markets.

I don't think that people are necessarily paying more for a Regional than a cheaper Acela. Rather, as AlanB said, people book up the lower-priced Regionals until their fare rises above an adjacent Acela. At this point, most will opt for the Acela. Even more will say, "Forget that, I'm not paying an Acela fare" and drive or ride a bus instead. (Hence the persistence of the lower Acela fares.) At this point the folks who are booking the more expensive Regionals are those traveling somewhere that Acela doesn't stop...or those with very high schedule sensitivity.

I suspect that may be part of it.

I guess we would need AlanB to clarify. To say that people are booking the NER because they believe it to be always cheaper implies that for some it actually is not cheaper.

There is also the fact that the Acela makes limited stops, in business markets, so the leisure weekend traveler might not be able to take the Acela to begin with, if they're not traveling between those markets.

It's not apparent if you're on the phone or talking with an agent in person, so if you ask for a specific train it's quite likely that the agent will just book your train without ever mentioning or noting that you could ride Acela for less. It would also not be apparent if you were using points, but you would still be having an impact on buckets.

Then many people will specify a time that they want to leave and they just book the first train that shows up, without ever looking at the prices. I also suspect that you are correct, that some people can't take the cheaper train due to Acela not stopping where they need to be.

Finally, if one is connecting to/from a long distance train you'll be booked on a Regional train without regard to price.

It would also not be apparent if you were using points, but you would still be having an impact on buckets.What bucket do AGR redemptions come out of? Full fare, cheapest available?

What bucket do AGR redemptions come out of? Full fare, cheapest available?

I believe it's cheapest available. I've had sleeper award tickets span the range of buckets printed on the tickets (S and A-D).

I believe it's cheapest available. I've had sleeper award tickets span the range of buckets printed on the tickets (S and A-D).Looking at 2 ticket receipts from August, one is Y and the other YB. (I think that's the relevant code.) I guess that confirms it's cheapest available.

I believe it's cheapest available. I've had sleeper award tickets span the range of buckets printed on the tickets (S and A-D).

Correct.

Looking at 2 ticket receipts from August, one is Y and the other YB. (I think that's the relevant code.) I guess that confirms it's cheapest available.

Yup, those are the right codes and the right conclusion.

This makes for some unusual bookings: a colleague on a sleeper award with a NE Regional connection got a JE business class code. Never seen that one before, and you almost never will, since fares that book into the "E" bucket (as in YE coach) are rarely upgradeable.