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TIL waiting to book certain train tickets until the last minute can actually pay off | Budget Travel Hacks - Vivisector

TIL waiting to book certain train tickets until the last minute can actually pay off

Just got back from a short trip up the coast... was stressing about the train fare because I waited too long to book. Figured I'd eat the cost, but checked the app an hour before departure on a whim. The price had dropped by almost half for that specific time... grabbed it right there at the station. Felt like a weird, lucky little victory against the usual travel rush.

4 comments

4 Comments

wadesullivan6mo ago

Booked a hotel room for a concert weekend at the very last minute. The price was surprisingly low because they had cancellations. @shane327's caution makes sense, but sometimes luck plays a bigger role.

shane3276mo ago

Man, I've had the total opposite happen more times than I can count. That's a risky game to play. Every time I've waited, the prices just shoot up right before departure because all the cheap seats are gone. You got lucky this one time, but I would never plan a trip around that hope. It feels more like a sure way to pay extra or get stuck.

margaretpark6mo ago

You say prices shoot up right before departure, but my experience has been different. I booked a flight to Chicago last September just three days out and paid less than the early bird rates. Same thing happened with a Thanksgiving trip where I waited until the Tuesday before. It really depends on the route and how often you check. Being flexible with your travel times is the biggest help.

the_evan6mo ago

Yeah @margaretpark, you're right that the route matters a ton. I tracked a Denver to Vegas flight for weeks once and the price actually dipped two days out because the flight was empty. But I'd never try that for a popular holiday spot, way too scary. My only real tip is to check at like 1pm on a Tuesday, that's when I've seen drops.