Bicycles are now accepted aboard the Amtrak Wolverine Service — Trains 350-355 — sponsored by the Michigan Department of Transportationwith three daily round-trips between Pontiac and Chicago, via Detroit, Dearborn, Jackson and other stops.
There is a $10 charge, in addition to the rail fare, and bicyclists must make reservations to carry their bikes onto the trains and stow them at the direction of Amtrak conductors.
With this additional service, some of the most popular destinations across Michigan and the Amtrak MidwestSM network are now connected with bike-friendly trains. Riders now are able to connect to trails, such as the Rouge Gateway Trail in Dearborn, bicycle friendly streets in Ann Arbor and Royal Oak, the Falling Waters Trail in Jackson, the Battle Creek Linear Pathway, and the Kalamazoo River Trailway.
Riders also may transfer at the Detroit Amtrak station to the bicycle-friendly QLINE streetcar and ride it along Woodward Avenue to the heart of the city where the Riverfront, the Dequindre Cut, and Michigan’s Iron Belle trails are a short bike ride away.
These are a small sampling of recreational trails Michigan has to offer. Go to the MDOT road and trail biking website for detailed regional maps to plan an adventure.
More information is available at Amtrak.com.