Amtrak between Cincinnati and Raleigh?

[ToniCounter]

is it possible to ride on Amtrak between Cincinnati and Raleigh?(to and/or from)

what kind of connections works on these routes?

thanks!

 

[greatcats]

Yes, but time consuming and via Washington, or perhaps Alexandria, Va. Awkward hours at Cincinnati and only 3 day a week service to that city. Consult amtrak.com. It is doable if you have time to spare.

 

[niemi24s]

It is indeed possible, but booking the trip requires the use of Amtraks Multi-City feature. That's because your first train (the Cardinal, which departs Cincinnati Eatbound only on Wed, Fri & Sun) gets to Washington DC (WAS) too late in the day to connect to either the Carolinian or the Silver Star, so you'll have to spend the night in WAS and catch either of those trains the following day. It's the overnight in WAS that precludes use of the normal Amtrak booking method.

Same situation exists for your return trip.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

How about CIN-CVS-GBO-RGH using the Cardinal, Crescent, and Carolinian? You'd have a layover in CVS 3:10pm-8:52pm and then an overnight hotel in Greensboro (arrive 12:15am from the Crescent and leave 8:39am on the Carolinian, getting to Raleigh at 10:17am). If you use the WAS route, you'd get into RGH at 4:42pm.

 

[Seaboard92]

I was just about to mentions Philly's routing. You also could take a later Piedmont in the day if you want to try different equipment out. The other routing is CIN-CHI-WAS-RGH. But that would probably cost more.

 

[greatcats]

Thanks Philly for your imagination. I thought of involving Greensboro, but thought it too cumbersome. This idea is possible, but only for the determined traveler.

 

[the_traveler]

 

[Carolina Special]

I have a much better idea. Amtrak should bring back the Carolina Special!

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

I have a much better idea. Amtrak should bring back the Carolina Special!

What was the Carolina Special?

 

[Carolina Special]

A Southern Railway train that operated between Cincinnati and the Carolinas 1911-1968. The train split at Asheville, with the NC branch going east to Greensboro/Goldsboro, and the SC branch south to Columbia and Charleston.

 

[TC_NYC]

The most practical routing in my book would be taking the Cardinal from Cincinnati to Charlottesville. From Charlottesville it's only a 3 hour drive to Raleigh.

You would leave Cincinnati at 3 AM, getting into Charlottesville (CVS) at 3:00 PM, getting into Raleigh for Dinner time.

 

[mlhughes0522]

50/19/80

 

[me_little_me]

I have a much better idea. Amtrak should bring back the Carolina Special!

I'll buy the first ticket - if I am still alive when it restarts in 2075.

 

[tricia]

I have a much better idea. Amtrak should bring back the Carolina Special!

I'll buy the first ticket - if I am still alive when it restarts in 2075.

Me too! Gosh I wish ANY Amtrak train stopped in Asheville.

 

[Skyline]

Asheville is a world class city, at least for its size. It deserves LD train service, and I bet many of its quirky residents (I say that with affection!) would be attracted to rail travel.

 

[me_little_me]

Asheville is a world class city, at least for its size. It deserves LD train service, and I bet many of its quirky residents (I say that with affection!) would be attracted to rail travel.

Asheville is still lost in the '70s so it should have the service appropriate to that period. Besides, the freshest Sierra Nevada beer is brewed here.

The state promised service to Raleigh and even paid to fix up stations along the proposed route. Then they decided to use the equipment for the flatlanders. We'll never see passenger rail here.

 

[Anderson]

Asheville is a world class city, at least for its size. It deserves LD train service, and I bet many of its quirky residents (I say that with affection!) would be attracted to rail travel.

Asheville is still lost in the '70s so it should have the service appropriate to that period. Besides, the freshest Sierra Nevada beer is brewed here.

The state promised service to Raleigh and even paid to fix up stations along the proposed route. Then they decided to use the equipment for the flatlanders. We'll never see passenger rail here.

I think you might see service up to Asheville. It might terminate in Charlotte, but it's plausible. What you need are (1) some legislators willing to cut the sorts of "grand bargains" seen in VA and an interest in a few other routes getting improvements. Virginia is the model here, IMHO.