Take Amtrak to the start of SAGBRAW
Silent Sports | 01/07/2010 1:03PM   |   5 Comments

Bicycle tour participants may be interested in how they can further reduce their carbon footprint while on vacation this coming summer: leave the driving to Amtrak.

The Empire Builder Amtrak train route makes daily stops in Columbus, Wisconsin, where the weeklong Schramm’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Wisconsin (SAGBRAW) will kick off July 31. From Chicago, a midafternoon departure gets you into Columbus around 5 p.m. with plenty of time to make the first night rider meeting and registration. From St. Paul, Minnesota, the train departs around 8 a.m. and gets you to the start point in the early afternoon. A variety of train routes connect in Chicago from all across the Midwest.

The cost to transport your bicycle is approximately $10 but may vary slightly from route to route. Regular upright bikes can often be taken right onto the train and stowed on special racks. (Amtrak officials suggest you bring extra bungee cords for better security.) Unusual bicycles – recumbent and tandem – cannot be accommodated by the regular racks. Bicycles can also be transported as luggage in appropriate bicycle shipping boxes.

Refer to the Amtrak website at www.amtrak.com for details. Local bicycle shops also offer bicycle packing services. Accommodations for storing your shipping boxes will be available at the SAGBRAW starting point. For more information about SAGBRAW, contact Mark Evans at 608/843-8412 or e-mail mark@bikewisconsin.com.

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Ann S
2/4/10 - 1:12PM
Great idea to take the train to Columbus and avoid driving! One clarification, the Empire Builder does not have bicycle racks on any cars. You can ship your bike on the train in a bike box(your own or Amtrak's is $15) and pay a service charge. You also need to be sure you are boarding and disembarking at stations with baggage service (which Columbus does have).
 
Pete B.
2/17/10 - 6:26PM
Thanks for pointing out the need to box your bicycle when traveling on the Empire Builder, Sue. Unfortunately, Amtrak takes next to no interest in serving this potentially significant market of cyclists. In fact, only a few select Amtrak routes (east and west coasts) allow bicycles without having to remove wheels, handlebars, etc and pack the bike in a box. Perhaps SS readers could begin to express the need for greater support from cyclists using Amtrak.
 
Pete B.
2/17/10 - 6:27PM
P.S. - Boxing your bike is a hassel.
 
John B
2/26/10 - 7:32AM
Pete, I've boxed my bike for an Amtrak trip to Minn. and it's not as bad as you might think. The Amtrak boxes are much bigger then the ones you get at a bike store. You just have to remove the pedals and turn the handle bars. Took me 15 minutes max and little skill involved.
 
Pete. B
2/26/10 - 9:14AM
John, thanks for that info. Will check into it.
 
 
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