Question on best route to Columbus, OH

[blondninja]

Good morning! This summer, I will be traveling from southern California to Columbus for work, and will do it via Amtrak. If I can get the days right, it seems I should take the Southwest Chief to Chicago and then the Cardinal to Cincinnati and then rent a car to get to Columbus.

However, another way would be to take the Capital Limited to Pittsburgh and get a throughway Greyhound ticket to Columbus. Amtrak actually offers this as an option, though it appears the connection with the train is more for the westbound Capital. For me heading east, it appears I'd need to stay over in a hotel for a day and then continue on the next day, but it does appear that it could be booked all through Amtrak as a multi city trip.

Anyone done this, or have a better option for getting to Columbus (without flying please! I want to do as much as I can via rail!)

Thanks in advance for any wisdom.

 

[Railroad Bill]

You can also take the Lake Shore Ltd 48 from CHI to CLE which would arrive in Cleveland around 5:30am. You could then arrange for a rental car to pick you up at the station around 8am and then drive to Columbus from there. That would give you more flexibility than the 3 day per week Cardinal and avoid a bus ride from PGH to Columbus.. The drive from Cleveland to Columbus on I-71 is all three lane and a nice easy drive once you are out of the Cleveland suburbs. This could help you avoid a hotel stay which would be imperative if you get off in Cincinnati or probably Pittsburgh

 

[looshi]

Technically by distance the closer station to Columbus is South Shore, KY. However, I would prioritize convenient rental car access over pure distance and stick to one of the big cities. Cincinnati does not have rental connections close to the station and the early morning arrival time would mean you have to wait for them to open.

There is also a Thruway bus that runs IND-PGH via Dayton and Columbus. It departs at 11:30 AM from IND. If you took the Hoosier you'd get there at midnight and have a 11 hour overnight layover. This is a new route so not all the connections may be in Arrow.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Bill the Buckeyes advice to take the Lake Shore to Cleveland seems like the way to Roll!

 

[andersone]

I live about 30 miles from South Shore. There is an Enterprise car rental there but Railroad Bill is spot on. You are at least 1:45 once you get behind the wheel up 23. Arrival time is horrible plus three days a week. Wonder why I go to Galesburg to catch the Zephyr? I can be home in six hours before the Cardinal even think s of leaving Chi

 

[tomfuller]

Last March I arrived on the CZ in Galesburg IL about noon. I got a nice cheesecake in a to go bag as I left the train. The Enterprise office is about 100 yards from the GBB station.

I had a one week rental and drove the Chev Equinox over 3300 miles. I think you could be in Columbus before the train reaches either Cleveland or Cincinatti by driving from GBB.

When I returned the car, I took the SW Chief from Galesburg to Los Angeles and then took the Coast Starlight back home to Oregon.

 

[Dovecote]

Last March I arrived on the CZ in Galesburg IL about noon. I got a nice cheesecake in a to go bag as I left the train. The Enterprise office is about 100 yards from the GBB station.

I had a one week rental and drove the Chev Equinox over 3300 miles. I think you could be in Columbus before the train reaches either Cleveland or Cincinatti by driving from GBB.

When I returned the car, I took the SW Chief from Galesburg to Los Angeles and then took the Coast Starlight back home to Oregon.

I was going to make this recommendation as well after meeting a fellow train passenger on the SW Chief a few years ago. She lives in Columbus and when traveling to/from the west coast she drives to Galesburg (GBB) and then uses the SW Chief. In her words, the station was in a safe area and had ample parking.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

They run a Thruway east to catch the CL/Pennsylvanian for eastern travel, couldn't they set up a Thruway west to catch trains in IND, CHI, or STL? They do have Greyhound service from Columbus to IND according to the new Thruway going from PGH to IND. Maybe there's a Greyhound that goes from Columbus to IND and arrives around the time for the westbound Hoosier State/Cardinal departure (6:00am)?

 

[blondninja]

Thank you everyone for your feedback and option!

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

Last March I arrived on the CZ in Galesburg IL about noon. I got a nice cheesecake in a to go bag as I left the train. The Enterprise office is about 100 yards from the GBB station.

I had a one week rental and drove the Chev Equinox over 3300 miles. I think you could be in Columbus before the train reaches either Cleveland or Cincinatti by driving from GBB.

When I returned the car, I took the SW Chief from Galesburg to Los Angeles and then took the Coast Starlight back home to Oregon.

Technically you could just drive to IND and take the Thruway to Galesburg (8893 west 7:30-11:45am, 8890 east 1:25-7:35pm).