Quote:
Originally Posted by Easy
You agreed with a post that was responding to a post that specifically stated 1-2 commute days per week.
|
BB did not buy people would be commuting between LA and LV, and neither did I. I explained my reason why. Fares would be too expensive to do so regularly.
For example, let's take the fares between New Haven and New York City as an existing example:
Drive yourself $7-$11
Bus $18-$24
MTA $15-$35
Amtrak regional $26-$32
Amtrak Acela $77-$80
Sources
https://www.rome2rio.com/s/New-Haven/Manhattan
Some math follows: 80/15=5.333
Round trip is twice those fares.
Acela fares:
$80 x 2 (round trip) = $160. $160 x 20 (workdays in 4 weeks) = $3200
$80 x 2 (rt) = $160. $160 x 4 (4 weeks) = $640
MTA fares:
$15 x 2 (rt) = $30. $30 x 20 (workdays in 4 weeks) = $600
$15 x 2 (rt) = $30. $30 x 4 (4 weeks) = $120
I would like to point out that MTA. Amtrak Regional, and Amtrak Acela trains are existing trains running on the same corridor. Never-the-less, the HSR train version has fares 5 times higher. Metrolink does not travel all the way to Las Vegas from Los Angeles. Neither does Amtrak. Both reach San Bernardino, less than half the distance. I do not think it is improper to suggest a train going more than twice as far would have at least twice the fares. Therefore, the 5 times fare increase should be a 10 times fare increase.
Metrolink fares between LA and SB is $13.25
A 10 times fare for HSR should be around $132.50.
A round trip would be twice that.
$130 is significantly more than Acela's $80, about $50 more, with a round trip being around $100 more.
Worse yet, Metrolink has monthly passes that discount that fare. Will Brightline use discounts for an intercity service? Will it be discounted as heavily?
FYI, LAX to LV airport has airline round trip fares as cheap as $56 and as expensive as $166 depending upon time of day and airline choice.
If we make the argument that many more rich people would commute between LV and LA with the HSR line being built, it falls apart when you consider airlines are already providing that service at very competitive fares.