Best way to DC for Day trip

[Old Town FFX]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Leg room is still worse on the buses than the trains, but they actually have leg room now on Greyhound.

Until I've dug out of the hole, I still take the buses down to Baltimore and DC. Had I known that I was getting a decent honorarium for my serving as a respondent at a symposium in Baltimore last Thursday in advance, though, I would have taken the train.

I'm sorry that your level of academia isn't rewarded as such.

[Old Town FFX]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

Don't waste your money on Acela unless you have an expense account.

I'm fortunate in that I do get to write it off.

I guess in my first post in this thread, I should have prefaced as such. All I know is, it's so nice to get to Union at 5am, get a quiet car, grab a nap, then be there. I never realized the time difference was so negligible. I will rethink that when I have to head up next month.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Old Town FFX

I'm sorry that your level of academia isn't rewarded as such.

I'm not in academe.

I'm a journalist.

You go into that line of work because you love it. Had I been traveling on Phillymag business, I would have taken the train, because I could expense that.

[Old Town FFX]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I'm not in academe.

I'm a journalist.

You go into that line of work because you love it. Had I been traveling on Phillymag business, I would have taken the train, because I could expense that.

I want to do that, even if for little reward, can I PM you?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Old Town FFX

I want to do that, even if for little reward, can I PM you?

Please do.

I'm ambivalent about one of the largest and best-known online news sites, The Huffington Post, because while it pays a lot of its writers, it has even more who write for no compensation.

I'm on the side of Samuel Johnson, who once wrote, "None but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." I don't even like the fact that most internships at media outlets today are unpaid, because I think it shuts out large numbers of potential reporters from that career path. My employer got the point, though I didn't make it - the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (I'm a member) did. There's now a paid journalism fellowship at Philadelphia magazine aimed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

[newmarlig]

One thing regarding Amtrak. Buy your ticket at least 14 days out. After that, the price goes up.

[Old Town FFX]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

One thing regarding Amtrak. Buy your ticket at least 14 days out. After that, the price goes up.

I've gotten mine as far out as 14min out, and over the years, advanced purchase or not, prices have never varied more that 3 or 4 dollars.

[newmarlig]

Originally Posted by Old Town FFX

I've gotten mine as far out as 14min out, and over the years, advanced purchase or not, prices have never varied more that 3 or 4 dollars.

You were lucky. The 6:46 am Northeast Regional for tomorrow is $73. The same train on 4/20 is $56, and on 4/27, it's $39.

[timeEd32]

I think it's demand based pricing more than time based. To the other comment though, it's highly unlikely you've only seen $3-4 swings. Just a quick look at both the Northeast Regional and Acela for the next couple days shows differences of up to as much as $50 or $100 one way and if you look at later in May they are quite a bit cheaper as they haven't sold as much yet.

[AJNEOA]

Probably not 100% one or the other, but I've always seen Amtrak pricing as being cheaper when you're further out. Very similar to air travel.