Pere Marquette is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 176-mile (283 km) line connects Grand Rapids, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. Pere Marquette is funded in part by the Michigan Department of Transportation. It is served by train 370 eastbound and train 371 westbound.

The train is named for the defunct Pere Marquette Railway, and in turn for Pere Marquette, Michigan (an early name for Ludington), which was named for Father Jacques Marquette, a French explorer of the Great Lakes region.

Pere Marquette Website www.mitrain.com

The Pere Marquette line has daily round-trip service from Grand Rapids to Chicago. In just under 4 hours you can see the beautiful scenery and attractions West Michigan has to offer, without the hassle of traffic to distract you. With gas prices continuously rising, treat yourself to cost efficient, stress-free, scenic travel on the Amtrak Pere Marquette.

One ticket gets you a pass to the beautiful beaches of Benton Harbor, the world-class dining of Grand Rapids, and the charming historic shops of Holland, Michigan. Maybe you'd like to see what small town hospitality is all about in historic Bangor, Michigan? Or maybe the Windy City is more where your heart is. Whatever your interests, the train has got your ticket to adventure.

Visit the Pere Marquette website, www.mitrain.com, to learn even more about the wonderful attractions along the route. MITrain.com has the ticket to your next adventure. On MITrain.com you'll find hundreds of ideas of new places to visit and new things to experience. The site features dining, shopping, lodging and fun things to do and see in each city. There’s also information about how to get around town. Take your own adventure on the train and discover all that West Michigan has to offer.

Landing Information:

Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids has become the place to be in West Michigan, where Midwest charm meets downtown excitement. Whether visitors want to browse the many unique shops, eat at one of the eclectic restaurants, take in a performance, watch a game or visit a museum, Grand Rapids has it covered.

Downtown Grand Rapids offers exceptional shopping, restaurants ranging from casual to exclusive, and the charm of a growing city paired with the beauty of Michigan’s West coast. Whether you want to catch a play, check out a cultural festival, see a concert, or take a stroll through history at one of the museums, downtown Grand Rapids is the place for you.

Holland: Holland offers annual cultural festivals, gorgeous natural attractions and a rich Dutch heritage combined with the feel of a charming beach side city, award-winning downtown shopping and an eclectic mix of family restaurants, brewery's, sandwich cafes and formal dining.

Holland's shopping area is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon of window shopping and treasure hunting. With art galleries, clothing shops, and dozens of unique shops filled with things you can't live without, you won't leave Holland empty-handed.

Whether you're idea of fun is a day at the beach, strolling through unique shops, or checking out some historical and cultural attractions, Holland will keep you on the go. This charming city offers great food, beautiful sites, and plenty of fun for the whole family.

Bangor: Bangor Michigan is a city with a rich history and a charming small town feel paired with a real sense of Midwest hospitality. For those with a soft spot for home style cooking, old-fashioned parades, and friendly locals, Bangor is what you're looking for.

Bangor is a great place to find antique furniture and decorative home items, neighborhood cafes that offer good old-fashioned American food, and small town family fun.

St. Joseph/Benton Harbor: St. Joseph and Benton Harbor are charming waterfront port cities featuring beautiful beaches, remarkable sand dunes, great downtown shopping, and some of the area's finest orchards and vineyards.

Visit one of the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor galleries, clothing stores, gift shops or boutiques for a unique shopping experience. Then have a meal at one of the cafes, neighborhood grills, family eateries, bakeries or formal dining restaurants. Whether you want to grab ice cream and walk through the sand, or have a dinner out with the family, there's always something to do by the Lake.

Route details

The Pere Marquette operates over Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation trackage:

• NS Chicago Line, Chicago to Porter
• CSX Grand Rapids Subdivision and Grand Rapids Terminal Subdivision, Porter to Grand Rapids

2007 crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the possibility of signal confusion being the cause of the November 30, 2007, accident involving Amtrak's Pere Marquette train which rearended a parked Norfolk Southern freight train on the south side of Chicago, seriously or critically injuring five Amtrak employees and slightly injuring 100 to 150 of the 187 passengers on board.

Airport connections

At the Chicago end of the line, riders may easily connect to either O'Hare International Airport or Midway International Airport, using nearby CTA stations. For O'Hare, riders should walk to the Clinton CTA station and ride the Blue line, which operates 24 hours a day. For Midway, riders should walk to the Quincy/Wells CTA station and ride the Orange line.

References

External links

• Amtrak - Michigan Services
• Amtrak Michigan Services Website
• Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers