(The following article by Eric Anderson was posted on the Albany Times-Union website on September 13.)
ALBANY, N.Y. — Amtrak officials were mum Monday on what their fare increase — scheduled to take effect next Tuesday — would mean specifically for upstate rail travelers.
“We’re not going to get into specific fares until they’re published,” said Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black.
Black said the fares would be loaded into the railroad’s computer reservation system, but it wasn’t clear how quickly that would happen. In the meantime, tickets for travel beyond Sept. 20 would be sold at the current fares, he said.
Amtrak announced late Friday that fares would rise an average 5 percent to 7 percent systemwide, that discounts on tickets for multiple rides and monthly passes would be reduced from a maximum of 70 percent to no more than 50 percent, and that some previously unreserved corridor trains — including those on the Empire Corridor across New York state — would now require reservations.
The railroad blamed higher energy costs for the increase.
The increases in fares on tickets used by commuters in the Northeast drew criticism from U.S. Rep. John E. Sweeney, R-Clifton Park.
“I find it incomprehensible that Amtrak would disproportionately raise rates on customers that generate the most revenue, in order to support the various long-distance routes, which consistently lose money for Amtrak,” Sweeney wrote to David E. Gunn, the railroad’s president and chief executive officer.
U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., also criticized the increase. “Amtrak should not be practicing supply-side economics,” he said. “It’s common sense that raising the price means fewer riders. This hurts the riding public, and also gives strength to those who want to get rid of Amtrak.”
The reservation requirement, meanwhile, drew opposition from passenger rail advocates who say it will make train travel less flexible for business travelers who may not know when a meeting will end or when they’ll get out of the office.
“People are very concerned about the reservation policy,” said Bruce Becker, president of the Empire State Passengers Association.
But Anne Noonan of Adirondack Trailways, which with Greyhound operates 14 daily round-trips between Albany and New York City, offered her own solution: Take the bus.
“One of the benefits is, you don’t need a reservation,” said Noonan, Trailways’ vice president of marketing and traffic. “You can walk in 15 minutes before and buy a ticket.”
And while the fare increased by 50 cents earlier this month, Noonan said, the one-way fare of $34.50 remains below Amtrak’s current $50 one-way peak fare.
Amtrak’s Black said those who know they’ll be traveling by train can buy their tickets now.
“They know it’s going up,” he said. “They can buy 11 months’ worth (of passes) at the current price.”