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But it goes both ways -- if you can plan in advance and are happy to travel at an unpopular time (middle of the day etc), you can get dirt cheap fares, much che

But it goes both ways -- if you can plan in advance and are happy to travel at an unpopular time (middle of the day etc), you can get dirt cheap fares, much cheaper than the regular/full fare. In Japan, by contrast, the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka costs around Y14,000 (~US$140), every day, all the time. So at unpopular times, the trains are half empty, because people fly or take highway buses or drive instead, all of which are slower and less environmentally friendly, but deregulated and thus cheaper. I find this offensive on the deepest level.

gambiting 12y ago
>> you can get dirt cheap fares, much cheaper than the regular/full fare. I think you got tricked into believing that you are getting a deal. You are not. The "dirt cheap" fare is what the regular/full fare should be, it's not a promotion or a good deal. The problem with Shinkansen pricing is that its always expensive. There is no surge pricing,but the baseline price is still too expensive. That is an entirely different problem altogether.
- haberman 12y ago
  > The "dirt cheap" fare is what the regular/full fare should be Why? Just because you say so? What if the "dirt cheap" fare, offered all the time, wouldn't even cover the costs of running the line? Is your salary higher than you absolutely need to survive? If so, how do you justify your demand-based rate hike?
- jpatokal 12y ago
  I've paid something like 10 euros to travel the ~250km from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt in a high-speed ICE bullet train. There is no way in hell they could operate that service if everybody was paying that price.
potatolicious 12y ago
But we don't see this effect happening. Uber for example does not do "counter surge" pricing when demand is abnormally low, the price always bottoms out at "normal fare". The consumer only stands to lose. Travel at a busy time and pay more. Travel at normal times for normal fares. Travel at low times for... normal fares.

gambiting 12y ago

>> you can get dirt cheap fares, much cheaper than the regular/full fare. I think you got tricked into believing that you are getting a deal. You are not. The "dirt cheap" fare is what the regular/full fare should be, it's not a promotion or a good deal. The problem with Shinkansen pricing is that its always expensive. There is no surge pricing,but the baseline price is still too expensive. That is an entirely different problem altogether.

haberman 12y ago
> The "dirt cheap" fare is what the regular/full fare should be Why? Just because you say so? What if the "dirt cheap" fare, offered all the time, wouldn't even cover the costs of running the line? Is your salary higher than you absolutely need to survive? If so, how do you justify your demand-based rate hike?
jpatokal 12y ago
I've paid something like 10 euros to travel the ~250km from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt in a high-speed ICE bullet train. There is no way in hell they could operate that service if everybody was paying that price.

potatolicious 12y ago

But we don't see this effect happening. Uber for example does not do "counter surge" pricing when demand is abnormally low, the price always bottoms out at "normal fare". The consumer only stands to lose. Travel at a busy time and pay more. Travel at normal times for normal fares. Travel at low times for... normal fares.