"Better Value Than Acela - www.LimoLiner.com

That was the link ontop of my Gmail.

http://www.limoliner.com/what.html


MODERATOR'S NOTE: Fare reference removed, 12/14/06 2:41 AM

As a business proposition--or a mode of travel--I just don't get the LimoLiner. Regional trains are cheaper and usually at least a half-hour faster (according to the schedules on the LL website) and, I would venture, a lot more comfortable. Acela trains are an hour faster and probably a lot more comfortable, and even with same day booking usually less than $30 more. (And that's not a fare quote, BTW.)

The only thing Amtrak lacks is WiFi, and if this board is to be believed, that's coming soon.

Well, the market will decide. Premium bus service? Oxymoron or new competitor to Acela?

The winner, hopefully, will be the customer. Competition tends to do that.

travelrobb wrote:As a business proposition--or a mode of travel--I just don't get the LimoLiner. Regional trains are cheaper and usually at least a half-hour faster (according to the schedules on the LL website) and, I would venture, a lot more comfortable. Acela trains are an hour faster and probably a lot more comfortable, and even with same day booking usually less than $30 more. (And that's not a fare quote, BTW.)

The only thing Amtrak lacks is WiFi, and if this board is to be believed, that's coming soon.

We just had the discussion of Acela vs Regional, this isn't competing with regional

Nasadowsk wrote:Well, the market will decide. Premium bus service? Oxymoron or new competitor to Acela?

The winner, hopefully, will be the customer. Competition tends to do that.

Agreed. I first saw a LimoLiner ad a few months ago, also in my gmail account.

As per the 'wi-fi', if you take a closer look at their webpage, they mention that it is not high-speed. True Wi-Fi on Acela, if it ever comes to be, would be very enticing. Of course, most people that truly need wireless connectivity already have a high-speed (or semi-high-speed) cellular data card which works just fine on the rails or the roads between Boston & NYC.

I have read a number of articles comparing the two, but have never ventured aboard the LimoLiner. I am a bit intrigued as to the service. One day, I may take a trip aboard, but not now. I hear they have TV and free breakfast (muffins) and drinks.

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asyouare405 wrote:We just had the discussion of Acela vs Regional, this isn't competing with regional

Huh? Who says Limoliner doesn't compete with the Regional trains--Limoliner? The trip time is just about the same (Limoliner's a little slower); the fare is about the same (Limoliner's more expensive). Sounds like they're competing with the Regionals to me.

The limo liner offers travel between Boston and New York. The amenities are comparable to the train, but just like any other bus, it has to contend with traffic.

Also, if you notice the departure times skirt rush hour times. There's no 5pm bus, for example.

Given the similar pricing to the regional trains, the only real advantages are the internet service, which is a shared satellite connection and a 1 seat ride from Framingham, MA. Picture 20+ people sharing a single DSL modem and that's about what it would look like.

As far as I know, the service is well run and comfortable, but I'll stick to the train. The scenery of the Connecticut coastline in the morning appeals to me more than the "scenery" of I-90 & I-84.

I've passed those things on the Massachusetts Turnpike, and the Boston Globe did a report on the service a few weeks ago. I don't see Limoliner as a particularly serious competitor to Amtrak at the moment. It's a bus, albeit a luxury bus, that's subject to getting stuck in traffic at all of the well-known highway bottlenecks between Boston and Manhattan. If we presume that customers who are looking for first class service aren't particularly price-sensitive, then I'm guessing that the faster speed and reasonably luxurious amenities of the Acela equipment will keep most current Amtrak passengers where they are.

Actually the discussion of Train vs Bus service is a very relevant topic for this forum.

One would assume that Amtrak would be the top carrier between points like NYC to DC, but there is another market where the train SHOULD be the dominate carrier and it is not.

Here on the East End of Long Island, the Long Island Railroad provides service to both the South Fork (The Montauk Branch) and the North Fork
(The Greenport Branch). Despite this area being home to The Hamptons and a HUGE 2nd home market, the LIRR still runs the service with a schedule that has changed little since 1980.

In the interim 2 private for-profit bus companies have stepped up to the plate and in turn own the lion share of this market.

The bus companies are the Hampton Jitney, and the Hampton Luxary Liner. This despite charging MUCH higher fares for regular travel and Long Island's legandary traffic.

Ken

travelrobb wrote:

asyouare405 wrote:We just had the discussion of Acela vs Regional, this isn't competing with regional

Huh? Who says Limoliner doesn't compete with the Regional trains--Limoliner? The trip time is just about the same (Limoliner's a little slower); the fare is about the same (Limoliner's more expensive). Sounds like they're competing with the Regionals to me.

They pride themselvs on the the class of acela. Seems to me the legndary "Chinatown bus" (which i know nothing about) competes with regional

OK, it looks like the debate is:

Is the LimoLiner BUS better than Amtrak's Acela?

Let the debate flow.

It is interesting that in LL advertising it does not say whether LL is a bus, a train, or a plane! And I don't believe it is super anything, either. It is still subject to road traffic and weather conditions and unless it violates the speedlimit (note: bus schedules point to point are average 65 mph speedlimits which means there has to be quite a bit of 70-90 mph running to make schedule; and weather? one raindrop, one snowflake, and one molecule of fog and either you get to a safe and attainable speed or, well, you don't.) Why are there no pictures of LL?

From the website:

Limoliner wrote:LimoLiner is a luxurious, 28-passenger, state-of-the-art, over the road coach (JP: emphasis added) traveling between New York and Boston that pampers you with the utmost in comfort, business services and personal amenities during your trip.

LimoLiner offers mobile professionals high-quality, personal business services that enable you to be productive en route for your entire trip. It’s the only travel alternative between Boston and New York with seatside power outlets, unlimited wireless Internet access, clear and constant cell phone reception, an onboard attendant and worktables for meetings.

http://www.limoliner.com/service.html

We report, you decide. It's not here in Flyover Country.