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Comment by allworknoplay | Hacker News Reader

"Current standard LA-SF airfares are more in the range of $250 one way."

What planet does the author live on? I just kayaked flights on a weekend exactly one month from now and got perfect friday/sunday timing (which should be pretty congested) for $150.

I am such an enormous supporter of rail, but we will never get there if people keep lying about the cost competitiveness.

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don't forget to add costs for getting TO the airport. BART costs ~$15 (for either Oakland or SFO), by cab (Uber) ~$50. So while $250 might be on the upper side of things, I think $150 isn't exactly right either. so the low $200 range.

To be clear, I got $150 round trip; they said $250 one way. My numbers fit roughly with my experience. Their numbers are ridiculous.

The thing is we won't have cheap air travel in the very near future. It's high time to plan and build a system that doesn't rely on cheap liquid fuels for its operations.

I guess I would also point out that nobody books rail travel a month in advance, either. In places with real rail networks you just walk into the station and buy a ticket at a machine or at most buy them a day in advance if you want first class reserved seats or something. If you want air tickets to LAX tomorrow returning tomorrow it's going to cost a lot ($400 or more).

Peak time rail travel can certainly be expensive. In the UK, a walk up standard class anytime return from Manchester to London (~180 miles) is £321 ($530.) Depart after 9.30am it goes down to a more reasonable £79.

walk up first class off-peak period return to That London £164 (to see the Kate Bush gig - stealth boast). I bought off-peak 1st class tickets in advance for £36, cheaper than standard class (£52).

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