Atlanta's Charming Amtrak Station - Brookwood Station or Peachtree Station

Atlanta hosts the United States' largest airport in traffic and one of the smallest Amtrak stations for a major city.  The Brookwood or Peachtree Station is located on the corner of Peachtree Street, NW (1688) and Deering Road, NW in the Buckhead section of Atlanta just north of Midtown.  According to the Performance Improvement Plan for the Crescent Service released last week,  the Brookwood Station was constructed in 1917 as a suburban rail stop on the Southern Railway (the Norfolk Southern Railway operates the tracks under the station currently).  Since all of the Atlanta's downtown stations were demolished by 1972, first the Southern Railway then Amtrak moved passenger operations to Brookwood.

The station is woefully inadequate.  It has little interior space with room for Amtrak's operations, a few benches, restrooms and vending machines.  The platform is two stories below the building reached by a steep set of stairs or a single elevator.  The platform itself is covered but exposed to the elements.  Proposals for new stations south of the current one close to the Atlantic Station development and downtown have been made but funding has not arrived for any of them yet.  It looks like we will have to deal with the current station for at least a few more years.  But given Amtrak's desire to start Thruway bus service to/from the station and eventually start additional passenger train service from Atlanta, a change will eventually take place.

In the meantime, here are the particulars of the Brookwood Station.  It is open from 7:00 am to 9:30 pm daily.  It has both human and Quik-Trak Kiosk ticketing alternatives.  Also, you can check baggage for either the northbound Crescent train going to New York or southbound train going to New Orleans during station hours.  As indicated above, there is no food service just vending machines.

Parking is a problem there.  If you can have someone drop you off or pick you up, that would be best.  If you must drive to the station, there is a lot across Deering at the Masonic Lodge that can be utilized during weekdays.  For long term stays, drop off your baggage and other passengers at the station and park four blocks north (1875 Peachtree Rd NW) at the Elite Parking facility.  The cost is $10/day and you must make reservations in advance by calling 404-892-1234.  Otherwise the 110 Bus stops in front of the station and continues south on Peachtree to 15th Street NE where you can walk two blocks to the Arts Center Metro Station.  From the Arts Center Station, you can take the Red Line south to Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport.

To rent a car, contact the Avis Buckhead location at 305 Pharr Road in the Sheraton Lobby.  (Save up to 20% when you use the link.)  They are open 8 to 6 on weekdays, 9 to 1 on Saturdays and 11 to 3 on Sundays.  You should also try the Thrifty Downtown location at 221 Peachtree Center Avenue NE.  (Receive a 5% discount when you use the link).  They are open from 8 to 6 weekdays and 9-2 on Saturdays.  They are closed on Sunday.  If one of these works for you, see if they will pick you up from the Brookwood Station or if they will reimburse you for taxi fare.  During off hours, you may want to rent from Enterprise's airport location and see if they will pick you up.  It is open 24 hours a day every day.

There isn't much in the area for shopping or eating.  Across the street at the Brookwood Shopping Center there is spa, kitchen store and Kaiser Permanente location.  Also, there is an Italian restaurant, Baroni and a well-regarded Thai place named Tuk Tuk. About one-half mile away is Atlantic Station which is a "festival shopping center" anchored by Dillard's, Target and Publix with about 40 stores and 20 food vendors.

If you planning to stay in Atlanta and you wish to book hotel close to the train station, we can recommend the following:

Value and Close:  Super 8, 1641 Peachtree Rd - Across the street and on the other side of I-85.  Free breakfast, free high-speed internet and did we say it is cheap?

Moderate:  Residence Inn Atlanta, Midtown 17th Street, 1365 Peachtree - A  little further away but nice.  Recently renovated.  Free breakfast and evening manager's reception and free high-speed internet.  Close to Atlantic Station and the historical Fox Theatre.

Luxurious:  Renaissance Atlanta Midtown, 866 W Peachtree St NW - Boutique luxury hotel not far from Georgia Tech University.  Features the Briza restaurant and next door to the Rooftop 866 lounge.  PURE Allergy-Free guest rooms available upon request.

Amtrak is Coming to Macon and Columbus, GA, Chattanooga, TN, Montgomery, AL and Jackson, MS

This week, Amtrak released a plan to improve service on five of the Eastern long-distance routes.  One of the lines studied is the Crescent serving New York, Philadelphia, Washington, New Orleans and points in-between.  One of the recommendations is the initiation of Amtrak Thruway bus service from Atlanta to Macon and Columbus, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee; from Birmingham to Montgomery, Alabama; and from Meridian, Mississippi to Jackson, Mississippi.

The Amtrak Thruway services extends the reach of the train system to cities that do not have train service.  Buses, vans, taxis, commuter trains and ferries provide Thruway service in many parts of the United States.  The Thruway service is coordinated with the main train service so that schedules are matched.  Most of the times, if there is a delay on either service, the other one will wait for the other service to arrive before departing.  Passengers are able to buy one ticket through Amtrak (1-800-USA-RAIL) utilizing both the train line and the connecting Thruway service if purchased in advance.

At the Atlanta station (1688 Peachtree St NW, 30309), it is likely that the buses will depart from Deering Street on a staggered schedule given the tight space available.  Birmingham is building an intermodal station so until it is completed a temporary stop will have to be created for the bus.  The Meridian to Jackson service will connect with the City of New Orleans in Jackson increasing the train travel possibilities between the mid-South and Southeast.

Amtrak is projecting a ridership of over 30,000 annually on all of these new Thruway services with a net profit of over $1 million. 

Amtrak Cancels East Coast Trains on August 27 and 28 (Albany, Boston, Harrisburg, New Haven, New York, Springfield,MA, St. Albans, Virginia, Washington, DC)

Amtrak has cancelled many trains operating in the Northeast on Saturday, August 27 and all trains on Sunday, August 28 due to Hurricane Irene's arrival on the East Coast.  Although the link leads to the latest public announcement of service, it may be worth tolerating the long line to talk to an agent at 1-800-USA-RAIL to get the latest information.

Connecting to the Bus in St. Louis

In a previous post, I was down on the St. Louis train station.  I made another visit this past weekend and I am not enamored with it.  But it is still has a few things going for it:

• Most train stations do not have Pizza Hut and KFC in them.  Although not the healthiest food, but chains serve yummy treats you can eat with your fingers.
• There are two sets of rest rooms.  The one on the way to the Amtrak tracks are better.
• It is a brief walk to the Civic Center Metro stop which you can see from the train station.
• Long-term parking is only $6/day at a lot one block away.  Short-term parking (no matter how short) is $1/hour and is adjacent to the station
• There were three taxis waiting to pick up passengers.  At most stations you have to phone a taxi.
• The Marriott Union Station (in the true St. Louis train station) is only a few blocks away.
• The intercity buses leave from the same station as Amtrak

The last point should be considered further.  Those of us who live in Chicago revel in the idea that our hometown is the center of the railroad universe (at least in the United States.)  That is great news for Amtrak riders wanting to begin or end their journey in the City of Big Shoulders.  But I can imagine that there are those who want to travel on the train between two places and not have to spend the extra time being transported to Chicago and waiting to change trains there.  For those traveling between locations in the west and south, St. Louis and its ease in changing from train to bus or vice versa may be the answer.  For instance:

• You wish to go from Kansas City to New Orleans.  You could go to Chicago and connect to the City of New Orleans.  With connecting time, that will take 32 hours.  Or you can take the train to St. Louis, ride the Amtrak Thruway Bus Service provided by Vandalia Bus Company to Carbondale, IL and catch the City of New Orleans at Carbondale.  That takes only a little less than 24 hours.
• You are a college student in Texas or Arkansas and you want to visit a friend at the University of Illinois-Champaign.  You could take the Texas Eagle all the way to Chicago and change to the Illini to come back down to Champaign.  Or you could get off the Texas Eagle in St. Louis and transfer to the Greyhound Champaign Express.  You will save at least four hours by doing so.
• Other Amtrak cities such as Omaha and Indianapolis may be better reached by connecting with a bus service in St. Louis than traveling through Chicago.
• And then there are places you can't get to on Amtrak.  Like Tulsa, OK.  If you are coming from the east, you can get on a Lincoln Service train leaving Chicago at 7:00 pm and arriving in St. Louis at 12:30 am.  You can then switch to a Greyhound bus and less than eight hours later have breakfast in Tulsa.  This also works for travel to Nashville and Columbus.

You can find connecting bus service from St. Louis by going to the Greyhound website.

Take the Amtrak Train to Michigan (Lower Peninsula: Detroit, Pontiac, Battle Creek, Port Huron, Flint, Owosso, East Lansing, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids)

Thanks to the Michigan State Department of Transportation, it is easy to take the train to Michigan.  Here are your choices:

• If you are coming from the northeast (e.g., New York, Boston, Albany) and going to eastern Michigan, the easiest way is to take the Lake Shore Limited to Toledo and transfer to the Amtrak Thruway Bus operated by Metrocars right at the Toledo Amtrak Station to Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor or East Lansing.  You are able to arrive in your Michigan destination no later than 10:00 am after leaving the previous afternoon or evening.  On the return trip, you can have the full day in your Michigan destination and be back in the Northeast the next afternoon or evening.  Very slick!

• All other trips will originate in Chicago.  The Pere Marquette makes a daily four hour trip to Grand Rapids with stops in St. Joseph-Benton Harbor, Bangor (serving South Haven), and Holland.  In Grand Rapids, the best place to rent a car is at Enterprise at 5500 44th St. SE.  They will pick you up at the train station.  The Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown is the newest hotel in the area of the train station.  Less than one mile from the Amtrak station, the hotel is a short taxi ride away.  The hotel is close to DeVos Place, the Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum and Van Andel Arena.  The hotel has a restaurant, indoor pool and 24 hour fitness facility.  The rooms feature lush pillow-top bedding, an easy chair and a 32" HDTV.

• The Blue Water service from Chicago stops in New Buffalo (home of Four Winds Casino which provides complimentary shuttle service to/from the Amtrak station), Niles, Dowagiac, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, East Lansing, Durand, Flint, Lapeer and Port Huron.  The train leaves Chicago daily in the late afternoon (CT) and arrives in Port Huron just after midnight (ET).  The Quality Inn and Suites Port Huron is less than three miles from the Amtrak station at the entrance to the Bluewater Bridge into Canada.  The Port Huron Museum and Lake Huron Museum, and, of course, Lake Huron itself, are minutes away.  The hotel features free deluxe continental breakfast, indoor pool and hot tub and exercise room.  There is even a nightly manager's reception in the lobby.  Although there are no rental car locations open at the time the train arrives in Port Huron, you can see if your hotel provides a shuttle or take a taxi to your hotel.  The next morning, you can call Enterprise in Port Huron to pick you up at the hotel (they open at 8:00.)

• There are three trains a day between Chicago and Detroit.  The trains leave at 7:30 am, 12:16 pm and 6:00 pm from Chicago and 6:48 am, 11:23 am, and 6:18 pm from Detroit.  The trip takes about 5 1/2 hours.  Although each Wolverine train has a different set of stops, they all serve New Buffalo, Niles, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Jackson, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Detroit.  All of the Detroit trains go onto Royal Oak, Birmingham and Pontiac.  From Kalamazoo you can take the Amtrak Thruway Bus to Traverse City, Sault Ste. Marie and points in-between.  From Battle Creek, you can take the bus to Saginaw and Bay City.  Indian Trails provides both services.  Detroit has a number of sport and cultural venues downtown but you may wish to have a car to go out to Dearborn to see the Henry Ford Museum and Greenville Village.  The Enterprise at 7600 Second Avenue will pick you up from your hotel or train station.  The neatest hotel for your stay is the Inn on Ferry Street, about one-half mile from the Amtrak station.  The hotel consists of four restored homes and two carriage houses from the late 1800s.  With advance notice, their shuttle can take you to the Inn from the Amtrak station and then, whisk you to restaurants, theatres and museums within a five mile radius of the Inn.  The Inn has free buffet breakfast, wireless internet and secured parking.  You will receive complimentary water and a cookie upon arrival and coffee, tea and fresh fruit will be available all day. 

Michigan Start Pages provides a comprehensive Michigan Amtrak Train Station Directory that list cities served, the address of the train station, services such as staffing, parking and food service and accessibility.  So enjoy the beauty and fun of the Great Lakes State!

Amtrak Train Travel Between St. Louis, Springfield and Chicago

Interstate 55 must be one of the most boring highways east of the Mississippi River.  Once you leave Chicago going south,  you make your way through the Great Corn Desert.  It closely follows the old US 66 route.  The towns are nice and the people are really friendly but the road is long and straight.

Some of the attractions along the way include:

• A couple of large wind farms near Dwight
• A huge landfill by Pontiac where trucks from Chicago come and dump their loads
• Illinois State University's Farm close to Lexington where agricultural research and student activities take place
• Dixie Travel Plaza (aka Dixie Truckers' Home) in McLean, halfway between Chicago and St. Louis, to help you know you are either entering or leaving The South
• South of Springfield, keep your eyes peeled for oil pumps since Illinois was once one of the leading oil producing states in the country

If this list did not entice you to drive down to Springfield and/or St. Louis, you may wish to consider Amtrak.  There are 5 trains a day each way which means you can choose a time that fits your schedule.  If you are making a visit to Chicago, an overnight visit to either city is convenient.

Springfield is the capital of Illinois but don't hold that against it.  The highlight is Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum opened in 2005.  Only four blocks from the Springfield Amtrak station,  the museum provides research and information on the 16th President.  About 10 blocks south of the Amtrak station is the Dana-Thomas house designed and build by Frank Lloyd Wright.  It is currently closed for renovation but if your trip will take place after June 30, 2011, it will be worth your time to see it.  There a myriad of other Lincoln-oriented sites to explore.

The Springfield Amtrak station is a beautiful brick building built in 1895 by the Chicago and Alton Railroad and was used by the successor Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad.  Recently renovated, the small but spacious building has fine details and precious artwork.  Only basic services are available at the station including vending machines for food.

If you decide to rent a car, there is an Enterprise only 2 blocks away.  Unfortunately, they are open only Monday through Friday and Saturday morning.  You may also wish to check out Budget.  Even though it is at the airport, they will pick you up at the Amtrak station with advance notice.

A fun place to stay overnight in Springfield is the State House Inn.  The hotel has been restored to reflect the colors, patterns and furnishings of the 1960s.  Listed on the Springfield register of Historic Buildings, it is located only two blocks from the Amtrak station.  The hotel has a number of free amenities such as high-speed internet access, hot American breakfast buffet, on-site parking, USA Today and local calls.  All rooms are equipped with upscale mattresses, top-notch linens, plush towels and bathrobes, coffee makers, irons, ironing boards, hair dryers and cable television.

St. Louis, the most populous city in Missouri, is also one of the oldest cities in "The West."  Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and others started the long journey up the Missouri River to the west coast.  The Jefferson Expansion National Monument includes the famous Gateway Arch (and its cool tram system to get to the top) and the Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott cases were decided.  You must also see the world-acclaimed St. Louis Zoo where there are over 800 species on over 90 acres.  There is no cost to get into the zoo but there are admittance fees to certain attractions.  The Missouri Botanical Garden is well known for it beauty, variety of species and research programs.

Unfortunately, the St. Louis train station is a modern facility opened in 2008.  One block away is the historical Union Station where there are excellent restaurants, shopping and a hotel (more on this later.)  The current station is a multimodal station that serves not only Amtrak but also Greyhound buses, city and county buses, metropolitan rail, and taxis.  The station has most amenities travelers desire including a food court with national chains and local merchants.

Besides, the old Union Station, you will likely need a car to visit most attractions.  Budget has a rental counter in the Sheraton hotel across the street from the station.  If you still need help, they will pick you up with advance notice.

The Marriott at Union Station is a wonderful place to stay in St. Louis.  You are in the middle of the action at Union Station and close to all major freeways so you can get to the sites you wish to visit.  The hotel itself has two restaurants/bars in addition to many others in the station.  Each room features premier bedding and deluxe amenities.  The hotel also has a fitness center with cardiovascular equipment, free weights, exercise balls and bands, an outdoor pool and sauna.

New Sanford Florida Auto Train Station

On October 18,  2010, the new southern terminus of the Auto Train opened in Sanford, Florida outside of Orlando.  It is located at 500 South Persimmon Avenue.  The $10.5 million terminal is located 45 minutes from popular Central Florida attractions.  The Auto Train operates daily service from Sanford to Lorton, Virginia outside of Washington, DC.
It is a great area to stay in if your trip to the Orland area also includes one of the following:

• Ride on the Auto Train (of course)
• Visit to Disney World, Universal Studios and other Orlando area attractions
• Trips to the East Coast Beaches and Cape Canaveral 
• Great golfing in Florida 

The Sanford train station opens at 8:00 am and vehicles are accepted starting at 11:30 am on the day of departure.  The new station has a full-service gift shop and cafe.  If you wish to get last minute items you may want to travel 10 minutes west of the Sanford station to the Seminole Towne Center.The Seminole Towne Centre is a shopping mall anchored by Dillard's, JC Penney's, Macy's and Sears.  There are over 120 stores including restaurants, a food coat and a children's play area.  On the outskirts of the mall you find other restaurants.  Next to the mall is the Marketplace at Seminole Towne Centre that is anchored by a Super Target.

If you are staying in the area or get there early, you may wish to visit the Historic Stanford Welcome Center on 1st Street in downtown Sanford just minutes from the Amtrak station.  Sanford is the county seat of Seminole County and with its location on Lake Monroe, it has a rich railroad and marine history.  There is a Riverwalk along the lake shore and historical buildings close by where you will find restaurants, art galleries, antique stores, gift shops and much more.  The city of Sanford provides complimentary shuttle service from the train station to historic downtown Sanford between noon and 2:40 pm to coincide with the Auto Train schedule.

If you decide to stay in the Sanford area before or after your Auto Train trip, I recommend the Holiday Inn Express Sanford/Lake Mary, located about five miles southeast of the station.  The hotel is located just off of I-4 so it is easy to get to.  The hotel provides complimentary breakfast and is close to restaurants such as the International House of Pancakes, Ker's Winghouse and a Colorado Steakhouse.  An outdoor pool and business center are available for hotel guests.  Guest rooms includes triple sheeted beds, complimentary high-speed internet access, refrigerators and microwaves.

Lorton Virginia Amtrak Auto Train Station

Lorton, Virginia hosts the northern terminus of the Auto Train to Sanford, Florida outside of Orlando.  It is located at 8006 Lorton Road at 1-95, Exit 163.  Lorton is a south suburb of Washington, DC about 25 miles away from downtown Washington.  It is a great area to stay in if your trip to DC also includes one of the following:

• Ride on the Auto Train (of course)
• Visit to Virginia Civil War sites such as Manassas, Fredericksburg and Richmond
• Historic trip to Williamsburg
• Great golfing in Virginia

The Lorton train station opens at 8:00 am and vehicles are accepted starting at 11:30 am on the day of departure.  The station itself has a full-service gift shop with food, beverages and gift items.  There are two shopping centers east of the station on Lorton Road if you wish to get last minute items:

• Lorton Station Marketplace is located on the east side of the train tracks south of Lorton Road.  It is anchored by a Shoppers Food Warehouse but also includes a UPS Store and other service shops.  Also there are sit-down and fast food restaurants in the center.  There are medical offices just south of the center.
• Gunston Plaza is located further east at the intersection of US Route 1 and Lorton Road.  It has a Bloom grocery store, Rite Aid drug store, Dollar Tree and other smaller shops.  There is also a US Post Office and other service stores in this mall.

If you are staying in the area or get there early, you may wish to visit one of these local sites:

• Gunston Hall:  Once the center of a 5,500 acre plantation, the house has been restored to the way it looked when it was built in the 1750s.  There is a visitor center with a film about the owner, George Mason, in the Visitors' Center.  After a tour of the house, you should visit the outbuildings and slave housing.  You can then view the Potomac River as you stroll through parts of the 550 acres remaining.  There is also a gift shop.  This National Historic Landmark, 10 minutes south of the Lorton Auto Train Station, is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm daily except some holidays.
• Occoquan Regional Park:  If a little bit of nature would be helpful before the train ride, you may wish to visit this 400 acre park located 10 minutes south of Lorton on I-95.  It is located on the Occoquan River and features some of the most unspoiled beauty in Northern Virginia.  The park is open 8 am to dusk in the winter and dawn to dusk during the rest of the year.

If you decide to stay in the Lorton area before or after your Auto Train trip, I recommend the

Courtyard Potomac Mills Woodbridge, located about six miles south of the station.  As the name indicates, it sits next to the Potomac Mills Outlet mall featuring over 200 outlet stores including Bloomingdale's, Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.  There are also 25 eateries and a 18-screen movie theatre.  The National Marine Corp Museum and the attractions listed above are not too far away.  The hotel itself has a restaurant lounge open for breakfast and dinner.  An indoor pool, whirlpool and cardiovascular fitness equipment are available for hotel guests.  Guest rooms includes the Courtyard bedding package of comforters snugly fit between triple sheeting, including 200-thread-count, cotton-rich top and fitted bottom sheets and complimentary high-speed internet access.