Help finding a route please
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Ryan
Court Jester
Is Galesburg an option?
The only think I can find into Peoria is a bus from Indy, which is 4 hours away (which makes no sense).
The only think I can find into Peoria is a bus from Indy, which is 4 hours away (which makes no sense).
Or Bloomington/Normal?
There's a regularly scheduled charter bus from there to Peoria from the Bone Student Center which Google Maps says is a 15 minute/0.8 mile walk from the station.
Here's a link to the walking directions: Bloomington/Normal Amtrak Station to Bone Student Center.
Here's a link to the schedule for the bus service to Peoria, looks like it's a $20 fare: Peoria Charter Coach Company Normal to Peoria Schedule
There's a regularly scheduled charter bus from there to Peoria from the Bone Student Center which Google Maps says is a 15 minute/0.8 mile walk from the station.
Here's a link to the walking directions: Bloomington/Normal Amtrak Station to Bone Student Center.
Here's a link to the schedule for the bus service to Peoria, looks like it's a $20 fare: Peoria Charter Coach Company Normal to Peoria Schedule
Linda T
Lead Service Attendant
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Wow, that's one of those, can't get there from here. Looks like you'll have a lot of long layovers no matter what you do. Personally, if it were me, I'd probably take the Silver Star up to Washington, (either sleep in the station or at a nearby hotel, don't know the rules), and catch the Cardinal the next morning from WAS to IND. You'll have a long layover there getting in around midnight and the first bus appears to leave about 9:20 am.
The other way I see is to take the Silver Star to Raleigh (8 hour layover), then the Carolinian to Charlotte and a 4.5 hour layover, then the Crescent to New Orleans (18 hour layover) and then the CNO to Champaign then bus to Peoria. Personally, that's a lot of layovers for me, and loooong layovers. Between my two choices, I'd do the Cardinal, unless anyone else can come up with something better.
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Something like this could work but you'd probably have a long layover in D.C. because it can't be guaranteed that you'd make a connection in 45 minutes.
Then a bus trip (posted above) at the end.
As far as I can tell by looking at the timetables, all of these trains have daily service.
This will give you an idea.
Then a bus trip (posted above) at the end.
As far as I can tell by looking at the timetables, all of these trains have daily service.
This will give you an idea.
92 Silver Star
Duration: 11 hr, 6 min
You can't count on making a connection in 45 minutes, it's possible but not guaranteed.
You'd probably wind up with a layover
29 Capitol Limited
Duration: 17 hr, 40 min
303 Lincoln Service
Duration: 2 hr, 14 min
Or this train if the Capital Limited is really late
305 Lincoln Service
Duration: 2 hr, 14 min
Peoria Charter Coach scheduled service to Peoria from the Bone Student Center in Normal - 12:55PM or 9:40PM depending on which train you took.
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George Harris
Engineer
Without looking up the details, I would think the quickest and easiest would be Silver Star to Washington DC, then Capital Limited to Chicago, then take a bus from there. The bus ride would be relatively short.
Texan Eagle
Conductor
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Are you averse to flying?
Sorry, as ironic as it may sound, sometimes that's the best option available, considering how the Amtrak train network is vastly insufficient to adequately cover all corners of the country. Your only train option would be taking Silver Star to Washington DC, waiting almost a full day to take the Cardinal next day to Indianapolis and then a four hour bus to Peoria, IL. I did a sample fare check and it comes to $109 + $130 = $239, and total journey time would be a whopping 52 hours.
On the other hand, I did a quick search on Google Flights and I see there are one-way tickets available from Columbus, SC to Peoria, IL on Delta via Atlanta for $239 virtually any day, except last-minute bookings, and total journey time is around 5 hours.
Sorry, as ironic as it may sound, sometimes that's the best option available, considering how the Amtrak train network is vastly insufficient to adequately cover all corners of the country. Your only train option would be taking Silver Star to Washington DC, waiting almost a full day to take the Cardinal next day to Indianapolis and then a four hour bus to Peoria, IL. I did a sample fare check and it comes to $109 + $130 = $239, and total journey time would be a whopping 52 hours.
On the other hand, I did a quick search on Google Flights and I see there are one-way tickets available from Columbus, SC to Peoria, IL on Delta via Atlanta for $239 virtually any day, except last-minute bookings, and total journey time is around 5 hours.
the_traveler
Engineer
I hate to say it, but it's not easy to get there on Amtrak. At least not without an overnight in Chicago or by taking a bus from Chicago.
To get to Chicago is easy. Take one of the Silvers to Washington, DC and connect to the Capitol Limited to Chicago. If you wanted to go by Amtrak, the next morning you would take one of the morning Lincoln Service trains to Bloomington-Normal and connect to a (Amtrak) Thruway bus.
There is no Amtrak train service to Peoria.
To get to Chicago is easy. Take one of the Silvers to Washington, DC and connect to the Capitol Limited to Chicago. If you wanted to go by Amtrak, the next morning you would take one of the morning Lincoln Service trains to Bloomington-Normal and connect to a (Amtrak) Thruway bus.
There is no Amtrak train service to Peoria.
Thunder Road
Service Attendant
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Are Spartanburg, Greenville or Clemson options?
If so, you could take the Crescent to Charlottesville, VA, and switch to the Cardinal there (depending on what day), and then hop off at Indianapolis and take the aforementioned bus to Peoria.
Otheriwse if you're going from Columbia, you could do something similar, but it would require taking the Silver Star to Raleigh, a jaunt west to Greensboro on the Carolinian or a Piedmont, then the Crescent and Cardinal as previously stated.
If so, you could take the Crescent to Charlottesville, VA, and switch to the Cardinal there (depending on what day), and then hop off at Indianapolis and take the aforementioned bus to Peoria.
Otheriwse if you're going from Columbia, you could do something similar, but it would require taking the Silver Star to Raleigh, a jaunt west to Greensboro on the Carolinian or a Piedmont, then the Crescent and Cardinal as previously stated.
manchacrr
Lead Service Attendant
The only issue with this theory is that the Silver Star to Capitol Limited connection in DC is not a guaranteed connection for Amtrak. Especially with the layover between the two trains being less than one hour.
K
Kat85
Guest
Thank you so much everyone! Wow 52 hours!!!! Well I was planning to go in mid May and the cheapest plane tickets I saw were $354. Im a college student so I didnt really want to spend that much money, but I know gas is high and airlines at least the ones in the U.S arent doing so well unless they are Southwest I guess.
K
Kat85
Guest
Thanks, but no Galesburg isnt an option.
K
Kat85
Guest
Actually Bloomington/Normal is an option. I think my aunt said she can pick me up from there.
K
Kat85
Guest
Wow, yeah I might have to do that. I will see if plane fares go down at all between now and May.
K
Kat85
Guest
Actually yes Im willing to drive to either of those places to take the Crescent.
Everydaymatters
Engineer
There's a bus service from Chicago Union Station to 3 or 4 locations in Peoria. It's a bus service called "LEX". Shedules and prices are at lincolnlandexpress.com
Linda T
Lead Service Attendant
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Yea! Great find! In this case I'd strongly recommend since you can get to CVS (and providing you can travel on Sun, Wed, or Fri that you take the Crescent to Charlottesville, then take the Cardinal to Chicago, and then take the LEX from Union Station to Peoria. The Card should arrive in CHI roughly 10:00 am and the bus leaves at 12:50 pm from Chicago Union Station and arrives in Peoria at 4:40pm.
Don't know if you've been there before, but you'll arrive in Charlottesville at about 7:20 am and depart about 1:46 pm little over 6 hours. That's a long layover, but it will be the only long layover you need to make. Charlottesville is a beautiful town to spend a layover in as it has a FREE trolley (or they did last August), and you can either walk or ride it from the station to the University of Virginia, or some other points of interest. I've always found the staff to know a lot of things to suggest (I guess we're not the only ones wondering what to do with that layover. :giggle: A lot of people leave their luggage at the station in a corner (it's a manned station) and then just tour the city. I just keep my backpack with my laptop on me, nothing else is of much value, and the station attendant said there's never any trouble, so that's your call, but...
You'll also take the Cardinal through the New River Gorge area, an area not to be missed if you can at all make it.
That would probably be your best option, though there is technically a way to avoid overnight layovers while departing from Columbia. That would be taking the Silver Star to WAS, transferring to the #66 overnight Regional to BOS, and then transferring to the Lake Shore Limited to CHI (and bussing from there). However, that's a much longer and roundabout trip than going to another station in SC and getting a train to CVS to meet the Cardinal.
Texan Eagle
Conductor
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Kat, like I mentioned in my previous reply, check out the Google Flights site. I just checked, for the entire month of May, every single day, the lowest airfare to get you from Columbus, SC to Peoria, IL is $239 and there are multiple flights on Delta and United offering these fares. Alternately you could fly to Chicago for $179 and take a train to Bloomington or bus to Peoria. So, if you want to simply travel without spending a lot of money, you would be better off taking a flight than Amtrak. All the routes suggested so far are going to cost you more than this, and you would be sitting in a seat for over 2 days straight. If you opt for a sleeper, the fares will be much much higher for Amtrak compared to airfare. Being a rail fan, I hate to say this, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do! Being a college student myself, I know how much it pinches to spend more money. Of course, if you would rather prefer spending two days traveling in leisure enjoying the sights along the route, it may be a good idea to go the Washington-Boston-Chicago route by Amtrak
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Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
I would recommend the Silver Star to WAS, then the Cardinal to IND, then the Burlington Trailways bus to Peoria. Otherwise take any train to CHI then connect to Bloomington or just take a bus from CHI. If you have never taken a train before, I would recommend taking such a circuitious trip because if you would like to do this, you can do any other Amtrak trip.
Also, Southwest (WN) is not so cheap anymore.
Also, Southwest (WN) is not so cheap anymore.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
I would not recommend a super-long journey as a first train trip. Start small and see if you like it before you commit lots of money for a long journey. Southwest is not as cheap as it once was, but it's still cheaper and faster than Amtrak.
K
Kat85
Guest
Thank you everyone! Im not going to take Amtrak this time. I'm just going to take a plan. Yes youre right SW really isnt cheap, its the same cost as other air lines. I might try priceline and use the name your own price.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
Take a plan? Plan for what? I do not understand.
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Maybe a "plane?"
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
If anyone thinks that Southwest isn't any cheaper than other airlines you might want to look at the differences in cost between cities like FLL and MIA.
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