Railroad Fares
1953 vs 1993
How much has the cost of passenger train travel risen over the past 40 years?
Probably less than you think.
The percentage of increase is typically less than half that of the increase in the cost of mailing a first-class letter.
Included here are six routings between selected end points for travel by coach and first-class in 1953 and 1993. Fares are for a single adult traveler, one-way, non-discounted.
Coach | 1953 (a) |
1993 |
Pct. Increase (b) |
Washington to Chicago | $29.80 |
$118.00 |
396.0 |
New York to Chicago | $35.32 |
$124.00 |
351.1 |
Washington to Dallas | $43.61 |
$189.00 |
433.2 |
New York to Dallas | $50.77 |
$189.00 |
372.3 |
Washington to Los Angeles | $85.63 |
$239.00 |
279.1 |
New York to Los Angeles | $92.79 |
$239.00 |
257.6 |
First-Class (c) | 1953 (a) |
1993 |
Pct. Increase (b) |
Washington to Chicago | $52.96 |
$230.00 |
434.3 |
New York to Chicago | $61.40 |
$255.00 |
415.3 |
Washington to Dallas | $84.35 |
$433.00 |
513.3 |
New York to Dallas | $96.93 |
$452.00 |
466.3 |
Washington to Los Angeles | $163.85 |
$570.00 |
347.9 |
New York to Los Angeles | $176.09 |
$589.00 |
334.5 |
Mailing a Letter | 1953 |
1993 |
Pct. Increase |
First-Class Postage | .03 (d) |
.29 |
966.7 |
NOTES:
[This article was published in the May 1993 issue of the Bull Sheet.]
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