The web "convenience" fees on 4 tickets would likely be as much as / more than my train tickets and subway fare. But your point is well taken.
Maybe for local train tickets. I'm looking at prices for "if I were to pass on two big photo shoots Saturday and go to NYC instead..." and I'd be paying more to travel to/from NYC to stand in line for tickets than I would be paying for the tickets themselves. Even "cheap as fuck Megabus" is nearly $100 each way.