# Columbus WI to Madison WI



## wayman (Jan 13, 2008)

The Empire Builder schedule lists "Columbus WI (Madison)" (CBS) as a stop. But there's no thruway motorcoach connection to Madison, Greyhound doesn't seem to have a Columbus WI stop, and it's 27.9 miles (39 minutes) by car according to Google Maps. Is Amtrak's "(Madison)" just indicating "this is the closest stop geographically to Madison, if you have a car or someone willing to drive 40 minutes each way to pick you up/drop you off", or is there any non-car connection between Columbus and Madison I'm not thinking of?

Basically, this boils down to: if I were in Chicago and wanting to visit relatives in Madison for a few days, would this require significant imposition on them on two separate days if I travel to "(Madison)" via Amtrak, such that renting a car and driving three hours from Chicago to Madison would be far more polite (not to mention flexible)?

At least it looks like a reasonable possibility to visit my aunt in La Crosse via the EB! For CHI-LSE (arriving LSE 19:14), I should have time for dinner on the EB, right? If the eastbound EB for my return is several hours late, will they serve dinner (which they wouldn't serve if the train were on time into Chicago) or is the kitchen unstocked for this eventuality?

(Yes, this is the start of thinking through logistics for a week-long trip to Chicago including some family visits and a couple days of Hiawatha-AGR-rides...  )


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## Green Maned Lion (Jan 13, 2008)

Amtrak only lists buses to Madison in their System Timetable (a fantasticly useful book that no Amtrak fan should be without!), on page 79, and they are from Chicago.


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## rtabern (Jan 13, 2008)

Yeah, I wouldn't go to Columbus, WI if you are trying to get to Madison... unless you know someone from Madison who is going to drive out there and pick you up.

As noted, there is no public transportation from Columbus to Madison.

Probably the best way to get from Madison to Chicago (Union Station) is Van Gulder Bus.

I work on the Empire Builder doing Trails & Rails. One of my buddies is from Madison, and that bus is how he gets down to Chicago (we have to start the program there).

RT


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## rtabern (Jan 13, 2008)

Oh, and you MIGHT get dinner on the west-bound Empire Builder before LaCrosse.

That's presuming the sleeping car passengers (presuming you're going coach) don't take up the early 2 dinner seatings -- which happens a lot in the summer. You might get lucky in the off-season.


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## WICT106 (Jan 14, 2008)

Having performed the Columbus - Madison connection numerous times, I can tell you that Union Cab of Madison, 1-608-242-2000, will come out to the Columbus station provided you give them at least one hour's advance notice. You also might want to look into Badger Bus Lines, which now depart from the improved Milwaukee Amtrak Station with runs to and from Madison.


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2008)

Another way to do this is by bicycle. The CBS station usually has a supply of bike boxes for people departing from there, though they advise arranging beforehand to make sure that boxes will be available.


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## Stephen Mikesell (Aug 14, 2008)

WICT106 said:


> Having performed the Columbus - Madison connection numerous times, I can tell you that Union Cab of Madison, 1-608-242-2000, will come out to the Columbus station provided you give them at least one hour's advance notice. You also might want to look into Badger Bus Lines, which now depart from the improved Milwaukee Amtrak Station with runs to and from Madison.


One can take either the Greyhound or the Badger Bus to Madison, according to schedule.

Greyhound and Amtrak operate from the same station in Milwaukee at 433 West St. Paul Avenue.

Badger Bus station at this writing is approximately 5 blocks from the Amtrak/Greyhound Station at 635 North James Lovell St.

For serious bikers, there is also a rails-to-trail bike trail from Milwaukee to Madison. It probably takes about 10 hours. A Milwaukee Bike Map obtained at this website: <http://www.city.milwaukee.gov/display/router.asp?docid=4460>

Ride east from the Amtrak Station on St Paul to Plankinton and turn right to cross the 2nd St bridge across the river to the Hank Aaron State Bike trail <http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/LAND/parks/specific/hank_aaron/>, ride west about 10 miles to Hoyt Park, turn left on 92nd St or Swan Blvd, turn right on Underwood Creek Parkway and follow it 6.1 mi to the connection to the New Berlin Trail. (The 5.5 mile portion of the Hank Aaron trial from Miller Park onward may not be completed before 2009, and you may have to take streets from then on, although it looks like a fairly straight course.)

New Berlin Trail - 6.5 miles paved trail to New Berlin where it connects to the Glacial Drumlin Trail

Glacial Drumlin Trail to Cottage Grove - 52 miles to Cottage Grove <http://www.glacialdrumlin.com/>

Go west 5 miles into Madison on Cottage Grove Rd. See the Dane County bike map <http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/mpo/bikes.htm>

There is a $4 daily or $20 seasonal trail pass for the Glacial Grumlin Trail (subject to change), which can be purchased at entry point depositories to the trail using personal check or cash, and some shops also sell passes. You will be charged an extra $5 fee to buy a pass if a ranger catches you without one. Check the website for this and to confirm the directions and other information.


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## Stephen Mikesell (Aug 14, 2008)

WICT106 said:


> Having performed the Columbus - Madison connection numerous times, I can tell you that Union Cab of Madison, 1-608-242-2000, will come out to the Columbus station provided you give them at least one hour's advance notice. You also might want to look into Badger Bus Lines, which now depart from the improved Milwaukee Amtrak Station with runs to and from Madison.


Union Cab gives a quote of approximately $70, according to meter, for which they can take up to four persons.


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## Stephen Mikesell (Aug 15, 2008)

Union Cab is 70 Dollars from CBS to Madison



Stephen Mikesell said:


> [union Cab gives a quote of approximately $70, according to meter, for which they can take up to four persons.


Sorry, 70 dollars exactly, not 'approximately'. Usually they run the meter, but in this case it is a flat fare from Columbus to downtown Madison, they say "(defined by us as between Blair St and Randall St.). We can take up to 4 people at that rate in one sedan."

I'll note that the first time I came to Madison by train 27 years ago, you could catch the Greyhound in Columbus. No longer. In an earlier post I also noted that that Greyhound shares the terminal with AMTRAK in Milwaukee, and that Badger Bus is five blocks from the Greyhound-AMTRAK station.


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