A TikTok video is going viral after a traveler showed that Amtrak quoted her over $600 for a coach ticket from Washington, D.C. to New York City for Thanksgiving. User @hannahstudent shared that a Delta Air Lines ticket was only $270 and that adding an Uber Black ride to and from the airport would still cost less than the train. The post has racked up nearly 350,000 views and sparked a heated debate about holiday travel pricing.
Critics online, including X account @WallStreetApes, pointed out that Amtrak is a for-profit public company that receives $2.4 billion in taxpayer funds. That led many to question why a government-supported service would charge more than a private airline and luxury rideshare combined. Amtrak has not responded to requests for comment, and the specific ticket prices have not been independently verified.
This story hits close to home for anyone planning holiday travel between major East Coast cities. It raises big questions about whether the convenience of the train is worth the premium, especially during peak seasons. Have you ever faced a travel price that made you do a double take? Share your stories with us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
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