Category Archives: FYI

FYI

Kids Ride Free on the Pere Marquette

June 13, 2016 admin

Enjoy Savings on Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday Travel

On the Pere Marquette, up to two kids ages 2 – 12 can ride free with each adult rail fare purchased for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday travel between Grand Rapids, MI, and Chicago, IL.

Valid for Sale
Now through August 30, 2016

Valid for Travel
May 31 – August 31, 2016

Valid for sale May 18 – August 30, 2016.
Valid for travel May 31 – August 31, 2016.
Valid for travel on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only.
Blackouts apply on all other days.
Valid for up to two (2) free child rail fares for children ages 2 – 12 when accompanied by a paid regular (full) fare adult.
The free child and paid adult must travel together on the same itinerary and have tickets issued together.
Valid for travel on the Pere Marquette.
Seating is limited; seats may not be available on all trains at all times.
Fares are subject to availability.
Not combinable with any other discount offer.
In addition to the discount restrictions, this offer is also subject to any restrictions, blackouts and refund rules that apply to the type of fare purchased.
Fares, routes, and schedules are subject to change without notice.
Once travel has begun, no changes to the itinerary are permitted.
Other restrictions may apply.

Kids Ride Free on the Pere Marquette https://www.amtrak.com/kids-ride-free-on-the-pere-marquette
Enjoy Savings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Travel
Purchase by August 30, 2016 for Travel Through August 31

Announcements, FYI, News

Amtrak is offering 20 percent off fares for the Blue Water, Pere Marquette and Wolverine trains

February 16, 2016 admin

Don’t sit in your house and wait for warm weather. See the fun activities Michigan has to offer this winter by planning a Pure Michigan Snow Day and taking advantage of the hot savings Amtrak is offering on their Michigan trains! From now until March 31, Amtrak is offering 20 percent off fare for the Blue Water, Pere Marquette and Wolverine trains. Below are just a few of the special prices available (adult fares, each way, as low as):

Chicago	to	Detroit	$28.00
Chicago	to	Grand Rapids	$24.80
Chicago	to	Port Huron	$24.80

To receive discounts, apply Amtrak fare code V441 for Michigan trains. The fare code must be used to take advantage of these low fares. Tickets are non-refundable and some blackout dates apply. See the Deals tab on Amtrak.com for other applicable restrictions, including advance reservation and purchase requirements for discounts through March 31. Terms and conditions vary.

Once you have your ticket, here is a sampling of special events occurring now until the end of March:

Amtrak Route	Event	City	Dates
Wolverine	North American International Auto Show	Detroit	Jan. 11-24
Blue Water/ Wolverine	Kalamazoo Beer Week	Kalamazoo	Jan. 16-23
Wolverine	Avondale Train Show	Auburn Hills	Jan. 17
Blue Water	Port Huron Chilly Fest	Port Huron	Jan. 22-23
Pere Marquette	Annual Chili Tour	St. Joseph	Jan. 29
Blue Water	Art & Craft Beer Fest	Lansing	Jan. 29-30
Pere Marquette	St. Joe Winter Beer Fest	St. Joseph	Jan. 30
Wolverine	Winter Fun Fest	Ann Arbor	Jan. 30 – Feb. 20
Blue Water/ Wolverine	Coopers Glen Music Festival	Kalamazoo	Feb. 5-6
Pere Marquette	Magical Ice Fest	St. Joseph	Feb. 5-7
Wolverine	Paczki Day	Hamtramck	Feb. 9
Wolverine	Meridian Winter Blast	Detroit	Feb. 12-14
Wolverine	Ann Arbor Train Show & Sale	Saline	Feb. 13-14
Pere Marquette	Beer Week	Grand Rapids	Feb. 17-28
Blue Water/ Wolverine	Pub & Grub Fest	Battle Creek	Feb. 20
Pere Marquette	Winterfest	Grand Rapids	Feb. 25
Wolverine	Autorama	Detroit	Feb. 26-28
Pere Marquette	LaughFest	Grand Rapids	Mar. 10-20
Wolverine	St. Patrick’s Day Parade	Detroit	Mar. 13

Beyond the special events, the following list is an excerpt of family-friendly attractions that will keep visitors warm indoors. These attractions are open year-round:

Amtrak Route	Attraction	City
Blue Water/ Wolverine	Air Zoo	Kalamazoo
Wolverine	Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum	Ann Arbor
Blue Water	Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland	Frankenmuth
Wolverine	Detroit Institute of Arts	Detroit
Blue Water	Durand Union Station/Michigan Railroad History Museum	Durand
Pere Marquette	Federick Meijer Garden & Sculpture Park	Grand Rapids
Blue Water	Flint Institute of Arts	Flint
Pere Marquette	Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum	Grand Rapids
Blue Water/ Wolverine	Gilmore Car Museum	Kalamazoo (Hickory Corners)
Pere Marquette	Grand Rapids Children’s Museum	Grand Rapids
Pere Marquette	Holland Museum	Holland
Wolverine	The Henry Ford	Dearborn
Blue Water/ Wolverine	Kalamazoo Valley Museum	Kalamazoo
Blue Water	Michigan Historical Center	Lansing
Wolverine	Michigan Science Center	Detroit
Blue Water	Michigan State University Museum	East Lansing
Blue Water	Port Huron museums	Port Huron
Blue Water	Sloan*Longway	Flint
Wolverine	University of Michigan Museum of Natural History	Ann Arbor

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) does not endorse the events and attractions listed above as they just offer a snapshot of what visitors and residents can do along the Amtrak routes. For more information on other events, attractions, dining, lodging and connecting transportation to the trains, visit the following travel and visitor bureau websites:

Pure Michigan

Calhoun County Visitors Bureau

Dearborn Visitor and Welcome Center

Discover the Blue

Discover Kalamazoo

Experience Grand Rapids

Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce

Frankenmuth Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Four Flags Area Council on Tourism

Greater Lansing Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Holland

Lapeer Chamber of Commerce

New Buffalo Travel and Visitor’s Guide

Saugatuck/Douglas

St. Joseph Today

Shiawassee County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Visit Ann Arbor

Visit Detroit

Visit Grand Haven

West Michigan Tourism Association

Ypsilanti Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Amtrak conductor talks to passenger on the Blue Water

A conductor talks to passengers aboard the Amtrak Blue Water.

More information at: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDOT/bulletins/12f7aed

Announcements, FYI, News

Amtrak adds 10 extra trains to handle Thanksgiving travel in Michigan

November 9, 2015 admin

Amtrak will operate 10 extra trains in Michigan for the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday in addition to its regularly scheduled service.

On Nov. 25 and 29, an extra eastbound morning train will depart Chicago bound for Grand Rapids and an extra westbound evening train will depart Grand Rapids bound for Chicago.

On Nov. 25, 28 and 29, an extra eastbound morning train will depart Chicago bound for Ann Arbor and an extra westbound evening train will depart Ann Arbor for Chicago.

Click on the timetable below for more details.

Amtrak plans on utilizing every available piece of equipment to handle one of their busiest travel weeks of the year.

Amtrak recommends that passengers book their trip early in order to best match desired travel times and days.

FYI, News

First day of service for Amtrak’s experimental platform in Ann Arbor

October 1, 2015 admin

Amtrak and RLE International (an engineering firm) worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to develop an innovative system for getting people easily onto trains. People needing wheels for their mobility have been a special concern, given that many trains’ floors are several feet above the level of the platform at most stations around the USA. With this system, gentle slopes lead up to a platform at the same height as the floor of train coaches. To allow freight trains to pass the platform safely, however, it must be a couple of feet from the train. This system bridges the gap with a sliding platform that can be remotely controlled by Amtrak iPhones, or deployed manually.

The first, experimental installation was built at the Ann Arbor, Michigan, Amtrak station. Dedicated on July 23, 2015 – the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act – the platform was not put into regular service until September 23, when it was used for train 353, Wolverine service Detroit/Pontiac to Chicago. The first full day of use, September 24, bagan with the station-stop shown in this video by train 351, also to Chicago.

Announcements, FYI

Priority Boarding Available at Chicago Union Station in the Legacy Club

August 18, 2015 admin

Priority boarding is now available at Chicago Union Station for an introductory price of $20, offering access to Amtrak trains ahead of general boarding.

The priority boarding fee includes access to the Legacy Club located in the southwest corner of the Great Hall where coach passengers, commuters and others can enjoy a quiet, comfortable atmosphere to wait for trains or unwind after traveling. The Legacy Club features include:

Priority boarding for all Amtrak trains
Comfortable, quiet lounge seating
Complimentary refreshments
Complimentary Wi-Fi and charging stations
Train status displays
Satellite TV

The Legacy Club is open daily from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. Daily access passes are available for $20..

For more information, speak with a uniformed Amtrak employee at Chicago Union Station or stop by the Amtrak kiosk in the Great Hall.

Sleeping car passengers, Business class and Amtrak Guest Rewards Plus and Select Executive members will continue to have complimentary access to the Metropolitan Lounge in the Concourse level of the station.

Reservations and information are available at Amtrak.com, our free mobile apps and at
1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).