Kalamazoo station and parking

[glomor]

I have to drive south from northern Michigan to catch the train. I have always spent the night in Grand Rapids, to catch the Pere Marquette at 6:00 am, leaving my car in the GR parking lot (free).Then do the whole routine in reverse, arriving before midnight. Pere Marquette only runs once a day, so if I miss it either way, it's a 24 hour wait.

I have thought about driving a bit further to Kalamazoo since there are more time options, on the Wolverine or Blue Water. I am wondering what the situation is there for parking and station location. Would I be able to park there free for two weeks, and is it in a safe or secure area?

 

[hessjm]

I don't know which train will bring you back to Chicago for your return to connect with the Pere Marquette, but the following might work for you. Look into taking the thruway bus from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo that leaves GRR around 8am and connects to the 351 Wolverine, Then return on the Pere Marquette, that way you car would be in the Grand Rapids lot the whole time.

 

[glomor]

Thanks but I am hoping to drive directly to Kalamazoo and leave the vehicle there if possible.

 

[SarahZ]

The station does not have free long-term parking. There is a (covered) parking garage across Kalamazoo Ave. It costs approx. $9/day.

*That said*, if you leave on Sunday, you don't pay a dime, as parking is free on Sundays. As such, the ticket booth is unstaffed. I used that garage every time I went to Chicago for the weekend.

Where in northern Michigan are you? If you live closer to 75/127, take that south to 69 and park at Battle Creek. We have free long-term parking.

 

[tim49424]

I have to drive south from northern Michigan to catch the train. I have always spent the night in Grand Rapids, to catch the Pere Marquette at 6:00 am, leaving my car in the GR parking lot (free).Then do the whole routine in reverse, arriving before midnight. Pere Marquette only runs once a day, so if I miss it either way, it's a 24 hour wait.

I have thought about driving a bit further to Kalamazoo since there are more time options, on the Wolverine or Blue Water. I am wondering what the situation is there for parking and station location. Would I be able to park there free for two weeks, and is it in a safe or secure area?

If Holland is closer for you, there is free long term parking right across the tracks from the station....later in the morning, earlier in the evening....but still once a day.

 

[glomor]

I'm in Traverse City so it sounds like Grand Rapids still makes the most sense. The reason I thought I'd explore a bit is that on my most recent trip, returning from California, the SW Chief was 3-1/2 hours late so I missed my connection by 15 minutes! Originally they were going to put me up in a hotel and I would have had to wait 24 hours to catch the next train. But since several people were affected, I guess financially it made more sense to take us to Grand Rapids in a van.

Usually I have had plenty of time between trains so maybe I should just leave well enough alone. And a day in Chicago at Amtrak's expense wouldn't be so bad! Thank you for the info!