(The Albany Times-Union posted the following article by Cathy Woodruff on its website on April 23.)
ALBANY, N.Y. — Amtrak’s move to slash fares between New York City and Boston is rekindling hope for similar cuts on the popular-but-pricey route linking the Capital Region and New York City.
“We have very actively advocated for Amtrak to adjust their fare plan in New York state. We have provided them with a number of different proposals and suggestions we think are reasonable for that,” said Bruce Becker of Albany, president of the Empire State Passengers Association.
But an Amtrak spokesman said there are no plans to drop the $43 one-way fare between the Rensselaer Rail Station and Penn Station.
“The Empire Corridor receives no subsidy from the state of New York, and we operate 13 trains in each direction every weekday,” said spokesman Dan Stessel. “That’s a fairly expensive operation, and while the financial loss is not entirely recovered by ticket revenue, ticket revenue does need to make a significant contribution to offsetting our costs.”
Amtrak loses about $22 million a year on the Rensselaer-New York City route, Stessel said.
This week, Amtrak announced it will slash Acela Express fares between Boston and New York City by 22 percent, reducing the price of a one-way peak time ticket for the 3-hour trip to $99 — far less than a $200 shuttle flight.Amtrak said the fare cut will help position it for an expected resurgence in business travel. Becker argues that the same strategy could also help fill trains in New York State.Amtrak’s ridership between Rensselaer and New York City appears to be flagging slightly, even as options for air travel between Albany International Airport and New York City’s two major airports are diminishing.
A year ago, there were four daily round-trip flights to JFK and seven to LaGuardia from Albany, said airport spokesman Doug Myers. Now there are five to LaGuardia, and two JFK trips operated by American Eagle will end in May.
“Obviously, anytime we lose service to a destination, it’s a concern,” Myers said, and airport officials are talking to another carrier about picking up American Eagle’s flights.
According to Amtrak’s records, ridership between Albany-Rensselaer and New York City was down about 5 percent in February and March from the same months last year.
“We have been, for a number of years, concerned with fares and with a number of trains running at far less than full capacity,” said Becker. ‘It would make sense to lower fares and increase ridership and get people to use the trains.”
Amtrak is boasting record ridership on trains in some western states, where fares are much lower.
Amtrak reported a 29 percent increase in riders during the first three months of 2003, compared with the same period in 2002, on the Pacific Surfliner in California. A ticket for the 2 hour, 45 minute trip from San Diego to Los Angeles costs $24.
However, Becker noted, California is among states that subsidize Amtrak service.
Because New York has no contracts with Amtrak for service between New York and the Capital Region, the rail service and the state have not discussed fares, said state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer Post. Only The Adirondack train between Schenectady and Montreal gets state help, she said.