Special Saturday trains on May 4 & 11 will be escorted by local experts
CHICAGO and LANSING, Mich. – See five million blooming
tulips — not brake lights and toll booths — this May 4 and 11 when Amtrak and the Michigan Department of
Transportation (MDOT) offer additional service between Chicago and Holland,
Mich., for Holland’s annual Tulip Time Festival.
These trains on
the daily Pere
Marquette route, sponsored by MDOT, will run on two Saturdays
during the festival and enable same-day visits to what has been heralded as
the nation’s “Best Flower Festival” and “America’s Best Small-Town Festival.” More
than 1,000 customers rode
Amtrak trains on this route during these weekends last May.
Train 374 will depart
from Chicago
at 7:05 a.m., Hammond-Whiting,
Ind., at 7:29 a.m. (both times Central), St.
Joseph at 10:01 a.m., Bangor
at 10:37 a.m., and arrive in Holland
at 11:28 a.m. (all Michigan times Eastern). Train 375 leaves Holland at 5:50
p.m., Bangor at 6:33 p.m., St. Joseph at 7:11 p.m., Hammond-Whiting at 7:51
p.m. and arrives in Chicago at 8:24 p.m.
Tickets can be
purchased via Amtrak.com, our
mobile apps, or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. On Train 374 will be representatives
from the Holland Area Visitors Bureau, who can assist with expert local
information. Parking at the Amtrak
Hammond-Whiting station is free of charge.
Book now for
best availability and pricing. Adult fares on the Amtrak MidwestSM
trains on those Saturdays range from $26-$53 each way to and from Holland. Children
ages 2-12 are half-fare with each adult. The Pere Marquette also provides daily service from Chicago to Holland
for travel during the nine-day festival, and all Pere Marquette trains will stop at Hammond-Whiting on May 4 & 5
and May 11 & 12. The Michigan page on Amtrak.com
has more information.
In addition to the millions of tulips, on Saturday, May 4,
Tulip Time visitors can experience Tulip City Tours, Windmill Island Gardens,
an artisan market, a quilt show, Dutch dance performances, Tall Ship Dockside
Tours, and shopping in Downtown Holland. On Saturday, May 11, enjoy the Dutch
Marktplaats, the Tall Ship Dockside Tours, Windmill Island Gardens, more
shopping, and the Muziekparade, the largest parade of the week.
Information on shuttle services from the Holland station and best ways to get around town on specific dates, along with the times and locations of all events are in this guide, by calling the Holland Area Visitors Bureau at 800-506-1299, or by visiting Holland.org.