Amtrak stations within a mile of a Casino? (w/real dice Craps)

[Way2Kewl]

I enjoy staying at a Casino hotel and playing “real dice” Craps while overnighting on my Amtrak trips.
I also prefer the hotel to be very close to an Amtrak station. Around 1 mile or less.

I’m also only interested in the Western LD trains. EB, CZ, SC, CS, or SL/TE. Nothing in the NEC.

I live in Dallas. I’ve found, and for the last decade I’ve stayed at the Harris Joliet that is just a couple of blocks from the Harris Casino.
*The two routes I’ve been taking are Dallas to Joliet DAL>JOL (21hrs), overnight 1-2 nights and then return back in the Eagle JOL>DAL.
*The second is fly to San Francisco and catch the California Zephr the full length EMY>CHI (50+ hrs) , catch a quick CHI>JOL and overnight at the same Harris Joliet, then return on the Eagle back to Dallas JOL>DAL
… Joliet could be used for EB and SC too (CHI>JOL short commute train) but looking to find a different casino for some variety

Does any fellow riders know of a few more Amtrak/Casino recommended combinations?
I am aware Reno. Others?

 

[John Santos]

Technically, the Thruway bus from Las Vegas to Kingman AZ (meeting the eastbound SWC) stops for about a half hour in the parking lot directly in front of a casino in Laughlin. The driver said we could go inside to use the bathroom, get something to eat or place some wagers as long as we were back in time. (This was early September last year, but I doubt the schedule has changed, just 3 days a week now.)

Since Laughlin is a scheduled stop for the bus, I'm sure you could take it in the other direction (i.e. take the Chief to Kingman connecting to the bus to Laughlin.)

 

[sttom]

Winnemucca Nevada is also another stop where this is true, but its another Nevada stop so its kinda cheating.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Within the Chicago area, there are casinos in Aurora and Hammond in addition to Joliet. Aurora is on the BNSF Metra line and also about 10 miles from the Naperville station on the SWC and CZ. Hammond is on the Wolverine, although the station is currently closed due to the reduced service levels. There is also a South Shore Line stop in Hammond and Chicago Union Station is only about 15 miles away. Finally, there is a casino in Elgin on the Milwaukee District West Metra line, which connects to Amtrak at Union Station.

 

[Rasputin]

I think there are casinos in Elko, Nevada which are a reasonable walk from the station (if you want to call what they have in Elko a station).

 

[jiml]

Is Reno too obvious?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Schenectady, NY. Not sure what they offer. Not technically NEC.

 

[reppin_the_847]

The New Buffalo (Michigan) station (along the Chicago, IL - Pontiac, Michigan) line is 3.2 miles from Four Winds Casino. I believe there is a shuttle bus to the casino. Also the Michigan City (Indiana) stop that some trains on the same line make is not far at all from the Blue Chip casino in Michigan City. Maybe 1.3 miles. And yes someone else mentioned Hammond-Whiting (Indiana) station. This is right by the Horseshoe Hammond casino. Not even a mile away.

 

[Bob Dylan]

While over mile from the Amtrak Station stops, the following are also options for you:

Amtrak runs a Shuttle Van/Bus between Longview and Shrevport/Bossier City, from the Texas Eagles( also to/from Houston/Galveston) but you can drive between Dallas and there quicker.

Also the Sunset Ltd. stops in Lake Charles and New Orleans, it would be much easier to take the Eagle to Longview and the Shuttle to Houston, then the Sunset to Lake Charles or New Orleans, than the Eagle to San Antonio, then the Sunset to Louisiana.

Your other option is to take the Heartland Flyer to/ from Ft. Worth to Gainsville, then an Uber or Lyft to Win Star just over the Oklahoma Border. Possibly Win Star might have a Shuttle?( you could drive there quicker also)

 

[MisterUptempo]

One more casino in the Chicago/O'Hare area, Rivers Casino in suburban Des Plaines, is about a mile north of the CTA Rosemont Blue Line station, and a little over a mile east of Metra-North Central's O'Hare Transfer station.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

New Orleans has a Harrahs casino a convenient streetcar ride away!

 

[NEPATrainTraveler]

How about Texas Eagle to CHI and then CL to WAS followed by NER to PHL and then NJ Transit Atlantic City Line to Atlantic City?

 

[JayPea]

The Emerald Queen Casino is about a mile from the Tacoma, WA Amtrak station.

 

[Trogdor]

A lot of games are currently unavailable due to COVID (according to their website), but Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee isn’t that far from the Amtrak station.

 

[bms]

Jack Casino in Cleveland is a mile from the Cleveland Amshack, one of the only things open at train times. Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh is two miles from the Pittsburgh station.

Atlantic City's station is near many casinos, it is a New Jersey Transit station but you can still book tickets to ACY through Amtrak, connecting through Philadelphia 30th Street Station. I'm not sure but it might be the same station Amtrak used to use for the Atlantic City Express.

I realize the OP asked for western trains, am not that bad at geography but I think those are of interest anyway

 

[caravanman]

I am interested in this thread from a non gambling perspective... I have found that one can often get a good price on a hotel room in casino locations, they seem to offer cheap rooms and expect to make their money back through the gambling side. Can be handy for a night or two off the train on a long trip!

 

[piedpiper]

Is Reno too obvious?

A couple of years back, wife and I did a BOS to Reno round trip. There are at least 3 casinos no more that 2 blocks from the station.

 

[ehbowen]

Back when Las Vegas still had Amtrak (train) service, I understand that the station/platform was at the Union Plaza hotel/casino in Vegas. I was stationed in Long Beach in the late '80s and still remember their commercial jingle on southern California radio.

 

[Rasputin]

I don't think there are any casinos near Las Vegas, NM (at least I did not notice any when we stayed about 10 years ago) but it is always amusing to watch the reaction of other passengers in the lounge car when the conductor on the Chief announces that the next stop will be "Las Vegas."

 

[Hepcat66]

Holy cow, what a bunch of high rollers we have here. Maybe we should have a casino car on Amtrak trains. They could support full service dining cars.

 

[Sidney]

Reno is the most obvious and most direct followed by the other Nevada stops on the Zephyr

 

[jiml]

Back when Las Vegas still had Amtrak (train) service, I understand that the station/platform was at the Union Plaza hotel/casino in Vegas. I was stationed in Long Beach in the late '80s and still remember their commercial jingle on southern California radio.

It was a lengthy stop on the Desert Wind - at least westbound, since there was always an announcement about not straying too far from the train and getting distracted. I have pictures somewhere, unfortunately not digital.

 

[Deni]

OK, this isn't necessarily what you are thinking of, but if you want a more divey type of casino experience. There is a place across the street from the Havre, MT stop on the EB called PJ's. It's a restaurant, lounge, and casino. They have slots and a card room but I'm not sure about dice games. I used to run in there for booze, cigarettes, and takeout food during the Havre service stops back when I was a smoker and a drinker.

Actually there several little casinos in the area near the Havre station, all walking distance. Not sure how many of them are just slots and/or card rooms. But none would be the big casino hotels you're thinking of.

 

[Anthony V]

While not open yet, Rockford, IL is awaiting approval from the state for a new Hard Rock Casino that will be located right across I-90 from the Thruway Motorcoach station in that city. There used to be a hotel and convention center at the site, which these buses used to stop at. It is presumed that the thruway busses will also stop at the new casino. So this could be added when the casino opens.

 

[Deni]

While not open yet, Rockford, IL is awaiting approval from the state for a new Hard Rock Casino that will be located right across I-90 from the Thruway Motorcoach station in that city. There used to be a hotel and convention center at the site, which these buses used to stop at. It is presumed that the thruway busses will also stop at the new casino. So this could be added when the casino opens.

Oh, so that's what they are going to try to do with the old Clock Tower location?