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By admin, January 5, 2010 8:24 am

Although the Grand Canyon became federally protected in 1893, it did not become a national park until 1919.  The park’s uniqueness comes from it sheer size:  277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep. In fact, the Grand Canyon is so large that it has two main points of entry, the North and South Rims, which are 215 miles apart for each other. 

Fortunately, Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim has Amtrak service close by on the Southwest Chief.  You literally have automobile, train and bus alternatives.   Here are five tips/hints for effectively traveling to/from the Grand Canyon by land:

One:  If you wish to take the train right up to the Canyon, you can board the Grand Canyon Railway.  Once you disembark at Williams Junction, you can take the free shuttle service to the Grand Canyon Hotel and Railway.  For those arriving from the west, there is a five hour layoff before the 9:30 am departure to the Canyon.  If you are going back west, the train leaves the Canyon at 3:30 pm and arrives at the Grand Canyon Hotel at 5:45 pm.  This leaves you with about 3 ½ hours before the shuttle takes you back to the Williams Junction Amtrak station.

Coming from the east, it is not as convenient.  Since the Southwest Chief arrives in the late evening, you will probably want to take the shuttle to the Grand Canyon Hotel and stay the night.  The hotel is well-appointed and resembles the original Santa Fe Railroad hotel in Williams.  After a good breakfast, you will be ready for the 9:30 am departure described above.  Going back east, you may also wish to rent a hotel room since the train leaves Williams Junction in the early morning.

Two:  If you prefer to travel by bus to the canyon, there is convenient service from the Flagstaff Amtrak station provided by Open Road Shuttle.  For those arriving from the west, there is a three hour layover before the 8:00 am departure to the Canyon.  If you are going back west, the bus leaves the Maswik Lodge at 6:15 pm and arrives at the Flagstaff Amtrak station at 8:00 pm, which is about an hour before your departure on the Southwest Chief.

Coming from the east, again, it is less convenient.  Upon your late evening arrival in Flagstaff, you will probably want to reserve a hotel room before taking the 8:00 am departure described above.  Going back east, you may also wish to rent a hotel room since the train leaves Flagstaff in the morning.

Three:  You may wish to reserve a rental car for maximum flexibility.  Since the Amtrak arrivals and departures in the area are not doing normal business hours, you should probably rent from an airport facility that has extended hours.  Your best bet to find such a facility by the Grand Canyon is at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport.  Check with your rental car agency to see whether they can pick you up at the train station or if you will need to take a taxi to get there.

Four:  If you really want to go to the North Rim and do not have a car, there is a bus service run by Transcanyon Shuttle.  The service leaves the South Rim at 1:30 pm and arrives at the North Rim 4 ½ hours later.  The return bus leaves the North Rim at 7:00 am.  Obviously, the service runs only form mid-May to mid-October when the North Rim is open.

Five:  The Southwest Chief is an all-reserved train.  Whether you are experiencing Amtrak’s coach service or the Superliner sleeping accommodations, you must make advanced reservations.  By buying your tickets in advance for both Amtrak and local transportation services near the Grand Canyon, you may be able to receive discounted advance purchase fares or special fares for students and seniors.

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By admin, January 3, 2010 7:46 am

Yosemite National Park is one of United States’ first national parks.  It received that designation in 1890 with the prodding of naturalist John Muir.  Today over 3.5 million people visit the 1200 acres of the park annually.

Fortunately, Yosemite National Park has Amtrak service close by on the San Joaquin service.  From Merced, CA, you have automobile and bus alternatives to the park.  Here are five tips/hints for effectively traveling to/from Yosemite by land:

One:  There are three or four Amtrak trains northbound from Bakersfield and southbound from Sacramento or Oakland each day that have connecting service to Yosemite.  At Merced, connect to the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) bus right at the Amtrak station.  The YARTS bus stops in Catheys Valley, Mariposa, Midpines and El Portal on its way to/from Yosemite.  In the park itself, the bus stops at the Yosemite Lodge, Valley Visitor Center, Ahwahnee Hotel and Curry Village.  The same bus will get you back to the Amtrak Merced station in time to board your outbound train.

Two:  From the Visitor Center, you can connect with another YARTS bus to the rest of Yosemite and beyond to Mammoth Lakes.  This service runs only when the Tioga Pass is open, which is typically from June to September.  The bus goes to Crane Flat, White Wolf, Tuolumne Meadows, Lee Vining, June Lake and Mammoth Lakes.

Three:  You may wish to reserve a rental car for maximum flexibility.  Most of the car rental facilities are on 13th or 16th Streets in Merced, at least one mile away from the train station.  Therefore you should check with your rental car agency to see whether they can pick you up at the train station or if you will need to take a taxi to get there.

Four:  If it is more convenient to start your trip in San Francisco or Southern California, Amtrak has connecting service.  There are six locations in San Francisco where travelers can connect to an Amtrak Thruway bus to Oakland.  In Los Angeles, there is connecting train or bus service from San Diego, Oceanside, and Santa Ana.  From Los Angeles, there is dedicated bus service to Bakersfield.  For all of these services, there is through ticketing that allows you to travel the various buses and trains on one ticket!

Five:  The San Joaquins are all-reserved trains.  To experience Amtrak coach service, you must make advanced reservations.  By buying your tickets in advance for both Amtrak and connecting services to Yosemite, you may be able to receive discounted advance purchase fares or special fares for students and seniors.

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By admin, January 2, 2010 7:36 pm

Unfortunately, Yellowstone National Park lost its nearby Amtrak service in 1979.  The only low fare airlines to the area fly directly to Denver and the Southwest.  Therefore, utilizing a combination of Amtrak trains and buses is the cheapest way for many people to travel to the Yellowstone area.  Here are five tips/hints for effectively traveling to/from Yellowstone by land:

One:  You must know the park entrances available to you at the time of the year you are travelling.  During the peak travel months of mid-May to early November, all five entrances are open:  North near Gardiner, MT; West near West Yellowstone, MT; South near Jackson, WY; East near Cody, WY and Northeast near Silver Gate, MT.  Starting in mid-November, only the North Entrance is open until spring.

Two:  If you are travelling to Yellowstone via Amtrak when all of the entrances are open, riding the California Zephyr to Salt Lake City is the train line of choice.  If you are coming from the west, the train arrives in Salt Lake City at 4:05 am.  You can catch the Salt Lake Express bus to Jackson, WY at 7:30 am.  You will want to disembark at Jackson’s airport at 2:15 pm so you can take advantage of the airport’s car rental facilities.  To go back west, you can take the 11:30 am Salt Lake Express bus to catch the 11:30 pm Amtrak departure.

If you are coming from the east, the California Zephyr arrives in Salt Lake City at 11:00 pm.  You may wish to rent a hotel room for the night, since the Salt Lake Express bus doesn’t leave until 7:30 am (as noted above.)  To go back east, you must take the same 11:30 am bus described above.  Since it arrives at 6:15 pm in Salt Lake City and your train departure is not until 4:30 am, you may wish to book a hotel room for the night.

Three:  In the winter, you must use the Empire Builder to get to Yellowstone National Park’s North Entrance.  The best way to connect with the Empire Builder is through Spokane, Washington.  Greyhound Lines has a convenient schedule that works well with Amtrak’s.  Part of the beauty of connecting through Spokane is that the trains arrive and depart in the early morning from both directions.  Thus, if you are going to Yellowstone, your train will arrive in Spokane no later than 2:00 am.  You can take the 5:05 am Greyhound bus and arrive in Bozeman, MT at 12:50 pm.  From Bozeman, there is a 4:50 pm bus that arrives in Spokane at 12:35 am.  The earliest train leaves Spokane at 1:15 am.  Connecting in Spokane is easy since Greyhound uses the Spokane train station as its depot.  Since the connections take place in the middle of the night, this is very convenient.  Also, this connection works well year-round if you are coming from the Northwest.

Four:  If you are planning to drive to Yellowstone from Bozeman, you should use one of the rental car facilities at the airport.  Although there are some rental car offices in town, they have limited hours, especially on weekends.  Some of the airport rental car facilities will pick you up at the Bozeman Amtrak station at no additional charge for added convenience.

Five:  Both the Empire Builder and California Zephyr are all-reserved trains.  Whether you are experiencing Amtrak’s coach service or the Superliner sleeping accommodations, you must make advanced reservations.  By buying your tickets in advance for both Amtrak and bus services, you may be able to receive discounted advance purchase fares and special fares for students and seniors.

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By admin, November 8, 2009 9:21 am

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation was created by Congress in 1970 to take over the passenger rail services previously required to be operated by private freight railroad companies in the United States. Those companies reported they had operated the services without profit for over a decade.  The vast majority of passenger rail routes in existence at that time were shut down to focus the service on the most heavily used lines.  The popular nickname “Amtrak” was created as a blend of the words “America” and “track.”

Amtrak provides a number of discount fare programs to entice prospective passengers and their families on their trains.  Each of the eight deals listed below are subject to the following rules:

One:  Up to two children under the age of 16 are eligible to receive a 50% discount on the lowest available adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains with each fare-paying adult.  Also, one infant under the age of two may ride free with each adult ticket purchased. Infants are not entitled to a seat.  Only children traveling with an adult are entitled to a children’s discount. 

Two:  Travelers over the age of 61 are eligible to receive a 15% discount on the lowest available rail fare on most Amtrak trains. On cross-border services operated jointly by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada, a 10% Senior discount is applicable to travelers over the age of 59.  You cannot use the senior discount on the Auto Train. 

Three:  Active-duty US military personnel, their spouses and their dependents are eligible to receive a 10% discount on the lowest available rail fare on most Amtrak trains.  This discount is also valid on the Auto Train.  You must present a valid active-duty United States Armed Forces identification card to receive the discount.   The military discount is valid only on the American portion of services operated jointly between Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada. 

Four:  The American Automobile Association (AAA) is the largest automobile association in the United States.  AAA members, their spouses and their dependents are eligible to receive a 10% discount on the lowest available adult rail fare for Amtrak travel.  You must present your AAA membership ID card when you pick up your ticket, and you must carry your card with you onboard the train.  The AAA discount is valid only on the American portion of services operated jointly between Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada.  AAA members traveling in Business class, First class or sleeping accommodation are not eligible for a discount.

Five:  The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) is the largest national membership advocacy organization for train and rail transit passengers.  NARP members are eligible to receive a 10% discount on the lowest available rail fare on most Amtrak trains.  You must present your NARP membership ID card when you pick up your ticket, and you must carry your card with you onboard the train.  The NARP discount is valid only on the American portion of services operated jointly between Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada.

Six:  The Veterans AdvantageTM is a discount card program for veterans.  Veterans holding a valid Veterans Advantage Members Card are eligible to receive a 15% discount on the lowest available rail fare on most Amtrak trains.  You must enroll with Veterans Advantage and receive a 10-digit travel discount code that can be used immediately to book your Amtrak travel.  The Veterans Advantage is valid only on the American portion of services operated jointly between Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada. 

Seven:  The Student Advantage Card is the nation’s largest student discount program.  Students are eligible to receive a 15% discount on the best available adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains all year long.  You must present both a valid Student Advantage Card and a valid photo ID at time of ticket purchase and onboard trains to receive the discount. Each of these items must be valid for the current school term.  For Auto Train service, Student Advantage cardholders receive a 15% discount off adult rail fare but no discount on their vehicles.  The Student Advantage Card is valid only on the American portion of services operated jointly between Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada.  The Student Advantage discount is not valid for any Rail Passes or Multi-Ride tickets. 

Eight:  More than 5 million students around the world will purchase an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) this year.  To qualify for your ISIC, you must be age 12 or older and currently enrolled as a degree seeking student at an accredited institution.  Students holding a valid ISIC are eligible to receive a 15% discount on the best available adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains all year long.  You must present both a valid ISIC and a valid photo ID at time of ticket purchase and onboard trains to receive the discount. Each of these items must be valid for the current school term.  For Auto Train service, ISIC cardholders receive a 15% discount off adult rail fare but no discount on their vehicles.  The ISIC is valid only on the American portion of services operated jointly between Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada.  The ISIC discount is not valid for any Rail Passes or Multi-Ride tickets.