Amtrak to Michagan with bikes starts this week, just in time for the fall colors

http://www.michigantrails.org/press-releases/amtrak-route-is-gettin...

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on September 3, 2013 at 10:34am

Progress is good, but 4 bikes per train is pretty risky, especially for the return trip.

Permalink Reply by Michael A on September 3, 2013 at 10:35am

hmmm, maybe I should have kept this to myself

Permalink Reply by Bradford Smith on September 3, 2013 at 10:47am

The bicycle spaces are reserved with a $10.00 per bike charge.

Permalink Reply by Jared on September 3, 2013 at 11:06am

Looks like its already an option when you buy tickets.  Nice option for multi-day trips but this route only has one trip per day so not an option for day trips or even one night trips looking at the schedule.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on September 3, 2013 at 11:25am

Now if only there was a non-box option for longer haul routes, say to Pittsburgh...

Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on July 29, 2015 at 10:12am

Train to DC and canal ride back?

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on July 30, 2015 at 5:38am

Yup. It worked like a charm. Ride to the train station and pack up the bike, arrive in Pittsburgh at 5 AM the next day, ride down to Washington and take the same train home to arrive in Chicago around 9 AM. Completely off road between the two cities other than a bit of climbing around Harper's Ferry to the hostel I booked so I could do laundry and shower before arriving in downtown DC.

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on September 3, 2013 at 12:17pm

I've heard numerous stories on different lines and they are very flexible IMO. if you take the wheels and seat off or generally disassemble it then you put in the overhead rack.

A couple guys were on there way to Chicago from California and the crew let them put their bike in the very last car secured to the wall even though they were seated in a different car.

It's $10 for a bike so the spot should be reserved.

Permalink Reply by Glenn Bradford on September 3, 2013 at 6:13pm
Michael - thanks for bringing this to our attention - really appreciate it. It might be limited, but it is most definitely better than nothing. Makes me wonder who is working as a cycling advocate with Amtrak. They'd make a lot of money from me if they would open up to cyclists northbound from Chicago. There is at least southbound service but I still need to sort the details out.
Permalink Reply by Elwood Gruschow on September 4, 2013 at 2:46pm

This is fantastic,
except for the exceptions. 

There are four trains to Michigan daily, only one, Blue Water , will have bike service.
Basically it leaves Chicago at 4pm and arrives in Port Huron around midnight. The return
train leaves POrt Huron at 6:20Am and arrives in Chcaigo around noon.
There are no stops near Indiana Dunes.
The train arrives late in day so cycling to a camping location would be late riding.
The train returns early from many locations, super early checkout to come home.

To take bike on train you wheel it on, no box, no bungee,
but it needs a ten dollar bike reserved ticket per boarding.
You might have to turn the bars and put it in an overhead rack, might not.
Service is  only for standard bikes, no recumbents or tandems. The bike cannot
be fully loaded, but you can carry on sets of panniers.


Eastbound              Blue Water (daily)      Westbound (read up)
Train #364                                                Train #365
4:00P(central time)  Chicago Union Station          11:45A
6:10P(eastern time) New Buffalo, MI                  11:24A
6:33P                    Niles, MI (South Bend)         11:03A
6:43P                    Dowagiac, MI                     10:50A
7:12P                    Kalamazoo, MI                    10:25A
7:45P                    Battle Creek, MI                 9:52A
8:54P                    East Lansing                      8:45A
9:31P                    Durand, MI                        8:04A
10:02P                  Flint, MI                             7:32A
10:28P                 Lapeer, MI                          7:06A
11:38P                  Port Huron                        6:20A

  In spite of the restrictions I am looking at at bike trip from New Buffalo the first and last stops will be Warren Dunes

 I have made three Amtrak trips with a bike and bike trailer, but that is a different topic and your mileage may vary 

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on September 9, 2013 at 9:41am

For these trips did you box your bike, and is it possible to toss in a few near empty panniers along with the bike?

Elwood Gruschow said:

I have made three Amtrak trips with a bike and bike trailer, but that is a different topic and your mileage may vary 

Permalink Reply by Elwood Gruschow on September 9, 2013 at 9:34pm

Amtrak has three bike services that vary by train:
Boxed bike
Walk on Bike
Folding bike

On all trains with carry on or checked baggage, a folding bicycle under Amtrak folding bike dimensions is allowed.

On trains with checked baggage, NOT Blue Waters , you can buy a bike box of generous dimensions and check it as baggage. You have no access to the box during the trip and your bike can get off only at stops listed as baggage stops.   Inside the bike box you can add bike materials up to 50 pounds total, so tool kit, front bags or  a pannier or two will be ok.  

Walk on bikes , new  service to Blue Waters , you buy a reserved bike ticket for your bike and walk it on the train, no box.  Only "standard" bikes, defined by Amtrak are allowed.  I asked a Chicago Amtrak ticket agent. bike trailers are not allowed as walk on bike, even with a second bike reservation.    I do not own panniers, lost all the eBay auctions I bid on them.  I have a folding bike trailer that can go in a bag that is 35 inches long in longest dimension.  Amtrak says 28 x 22 x 14 is maximum.  I have carried the bagged trailer on three trips as carry on baggage.  I had my bike on those trips as walk on service.  One trip through Saint Louis during a broken elevator the trailer was carried by Amtrak personnel.  Another trip from Centralia I travelled business class and walk-on-bike and trailer were loaded by Amtrak personnel.  I have had no problem with the illegal seven inches, but you mileage may vary and I might be stuck trying to fedex a bike trailer home from a remote Amtrak location with walk-on-bike service.  

  I might make an east side Lake Michigan trip, I plan to take walk-on-bike and bagged trailer to and from New Buffalo on Amtrak Blue Waters route. 

Tricolor said:

For these trips did you box your bike, and is it possible to toss in a few near empty panniers along with the bike?

Elwood Gruschow said:

 

I have made three Amtrak trips with a bike and bike trailer, but that is a different topic and your mileage may vary 

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