Legalize it! oh sorry wrong thread
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I’ve taken Amtrak a few times between Rocky Mount and Washington DC and every time the train car has been mostly full. Even the Raleigh - Charlotte Piedmont trains are sometimes at capacity.
I think Amtrak would be really successful if it focused on the short range inter-city trips where it can ensure a reliable travel time and compete with airlines on shorter trips. Unfortunately it needs political support which is why it continues to maintain the unprofitable longer distance trips.
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Karla and I have taken several trips to Durham and a couple to Charlotte and they are always busy.
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Interesting, that is great news. Have only been on trains in Europe and Korea.
What does it cost to go from Raleigh to Durham and Raleigh to Charlotte. How many stops for each?
If I wanted to go to a Bulls game from Raleigh and took Amtrak, how close to the ballpark would it get me?
Like three blocks (or a five-minute walk). You just cross the tracks, pass by the bus terminal and American Tobacco Campus, and the Bulls stadium (and DPAC) will be right there.
If it ran more frequently, it’s honestly a good way to get between downtown Durham/Cary/Raleigh pretty effortlessly as it stands now.
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Amtrak works great for any Bulls game starting before 6:30 PM. The last train leaves Durham for Raleigh at 9:30 so you wouldn’t make it back unless you left a 7 PM game early. It’s not cheap, about $8 each way but it is pretty cool to have a faster option than taking the 100/700 bus from Raleigh (which takes 1 hr 30 min). I still need to try taking my bike on the train one day.
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A base fare ticket for Tuesday, August 13th to Charlotte (I picked a random date a few weeks out) one-way for one person is $30. Business-class for $42. Full rooms for $270.
There are no rooms for the direct Raleigh-Charlotte trains. It’s plain coach seating, although very spacious. There is business class on one of the Raleigh-Charlotte trains, but it’s still 2x2 seats. The $270 accommodation charge is taking a train Raleigh-DC and then a connecting train DC-Charlotte. No one would do that unless he/she was a railroad nut.
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Maybe sometime in the future as it is a busy, profitable line NCDOT should consider adding an additional luxury/business class rail car with lie-flat seating and 2-1 configuration as well. I’m sure some business regulars and railfans would book enough premium seats per ride to be moderately profitable.
I paid fair money in Spain on the high speed AVE for a single seat semi-lie flat seat and it was so nice I fell asleep for most of the ride from Barcelona to Madrid. Well worth the cost.
I think we’ll all be long gone before we see the Raleigh to Asheville line open but I’m very happy NC Rail is in a good condition now so that there’s a good chance future generations will get to enjoy rail travel throughout the state.
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Yes, I’ve ridden 2x1 cars like that in Europe. Amtrak does offer 2x1 in the Boston-NY-DC corridor. But NCDOT has a comparatively small equipment pool and they’ve chosen to stick with 2x2… an egalitarian and utilitarian choice (think Southwest Airlines). Nor does Amtrak offer 2x1 on any train south of Richmond.
Note that 2x1 usually comes with at-seat or trolley food and beverage service. NCDOT doesn’t offer any onboard food or beverage, aside from vending machines and free bottled water. The train rides are just too short to justify it. Amtrak does offer a cafe car on its Raleigh-Charlotte train, but you have to walk to the car to purchase items.
Barcelona to Madrid ride is actually 20 minutes quicker than the Charlotte to Raleigh route. If you limit the ‘service’ aspect of it and just swap some seat place for a mini self-service cafe/station (maybe a super automatic espresso machine). It could work. Though really for something like this to work it might need a generous donation from a private citizen.
If anything, the new European-styled Acela train stock coming online in 2021 will help Americans understand the benefits of nicer amenities on trains.
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I’m going to try business class when I go to DC later this year just for fun (was only a $26 upgrade since I booked early) but from my impression it’s really not worth it…there’s only one free drink included, coach seats are already spacious (it’s not lie flat seats but you can recline pretty far back and there’s tons of leg room). I guess the only positive is that there will be fewer people trekking back and forth thru your car and it’s closer to the cafe. It would make a whole lot sense if business class was 2 x 1 as that single seat would be nice but in the southeast I think all of the business class cars are 2 x 2.
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That is correct, all Amtrak business class in the southeast (and in most parts of the country) is 2x2. Well, once in a blue moon Amtrak will get caught short on available cars and they’ll assign a 2x1 from the Northeast Corridor to a southeastern train. Once in a blue moon.
Here’s what the new Acela Express 1st Class will look like that will replace the well-worn out 1st-class. Not lie flat either though but the AVE in Spain were the same. I’m a big fan a single seaters as I hate sharing space with people on any transportation.
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Some friends and I got up early one Sunday, biked to US, took bikes on train to Durham at 10 am, biked 10 miles all over Durham visiting Duke Gardens, the chapel, breweries, etc. Then made it back home on the 5:30 train. Was a super fun day.
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One thing to note if you are taking the train is that the Piedmont trains are relatively on schedule (Charlotte-Raleigh) but the Carolinian train from NYC can be delayed due to its long distance so avoid the 5:30 PM train from Raleigh to Durham if you can. The Carolinian from Durham to Raleigh at 9:27 AM is better about being closer to schedule but still has some delays at times (probably due to people having to bring luggage on board and what not)
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Looks good. I used to really enjoy the Acela from DC to NYC when I lived in the District.
I look forward to Charlotte eventually getting a new station. I think that will be a big deal for Raleigh - Charlotte trips. Too bad it isn’t happening sooner.
I am hopeful that the next train to be added to the schedule will be an evening departure from Raleigh to Charlotte. This will eliminate the unfortunate dependence on the Carolinian as the last train. NCDOT has not confirmed this, however.
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Is there going to be another train added to the schedule? That would be awesome.
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