A second idea comes from Sean Jeans-Gail, vice president of policy at the National Association of Railway Passengers. Just add more trains and cash. He says we pay a premium because the federal government refuses to invest in the improvement and expansion of Amtrak trains and lines. The current situation on the Acela corridor is one of demand greatly exceeding supply — one so egregious that those who can afford to ride Amtrak will pay anything for it, and those of us who can't, well, who cares? Unfortunately, President Trump is doing the exact opposite of what Jeans-Gail recommends. For all of Trump's talk of investing in American infrastructure, the White House is cutting $630 million from Amtrak's long-distance rail budget. This will likely lead to line closures and possibly even steeper prices.