Probably not possible, but I'll try anyhow

[Everydaymatters]

Just learned of a retirement party for my BIL on Dec. 30. His practice is in Tallmadge,OH but the party will probably be in Akron where there are more restaurants.

Trains arrive and depart from either Alliance or Cleveland at ungodly times. Is there any kind of a shuttle to/from either station to Tallmadge? to Akron? Is it possible to rent a car at those hours?

Which station is closest to Tallmadge?

Another possibility: I know my sister wouldn't be able to drive me to the train station with those early hours, but could drive me to Akron or Cleveland during daylight hours. If I left Akron or Cleveland to come back to Chicago on 12/31 or 1/1, they could drive me to a hotel and I could get a couple hours sleep. So - is there a hotel that would have 24 hour shuttle service to the train?

 

[profwebs]

Just learned of a retirement party for my BIL on Dec. 30. His practice is in Tallmadge,OH but the party will probably be in Akron where there are more restaurants.
Trains arrive and depart from either Alliance or Cleveland at ungodly times. Is there any kind of a shuttle to/from either station to Tallmadge? to Akron? Is it possible to rent a car at those hours?

Which station is closest to Tallmadge?

Alliance is a bit closer than Cleveland IIRC, but your options are probably less there than they would be in CLE, except for maybe a taxi. ALC_railwriter will be the one to weigh in on this. It's been years since I lived in Akron.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

You have no good options. There are no shuttles, thruway service, or connecting light rail that could get you to Akron. If you can get to the Cleveland Greyhound station then you might be able to find a bus to Akron, but I'm pretty sure that would be a waste of time.

Akron is a modicum closer to ALC than CLE-- Tallmadge is pretty much directly between the two. CLE will have a few cabs waiting for you when you get off the train (even at that hour) ALC will not. You may be able to arrange a taxi in ALC, but good luck. Stark County has all of a dozen cabs.

The nearest rental car facility to ALC (open 24-7) is CAK (Akron-Canton regional Airport). You won't be able to find anything in ALC or my hometown, Canton (the nearest city to ALC), to rent a car.

I can't say with 100% certainty about a shuttle going to-from CLE, however, I have never heard nor seen said service. And given the calling hours I don't think you'd have a chance of convincing them to run the airport shuttle to the train station.

My advice, honestly, fly to CAK. CAK is a small, regional airport. There are multiple car rental and taxi facilities and daylight hours. CAK is about twenty minutes from Akron, and there are much worse airports out there. I'd hate flying but you're problem is asking solutions for Ohio and Amtrak is a futile effort-- It's even more futile if your destination isn't served by the trains directly-- like Canton, Akron, Youngstown, Columbus, Dayton, Marietta, ect. ect. ect.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Kind of a moot point, but I did leave it out-- the easier station to drive to/from IMHO is ALC-- I'd give anyone here a ride from ALC to Canton-proper if they needed one... but Akron is another bear. I don't know my way around Akron without a set of directions.