Extra Helping of Amtrak Illinois Trains for Thanksgiving Sunday, November 30th.
Additional round-trips between Chicago, Bloomington/Normal and Quincy

[November 13, 2014]  CHICAGO - To accommodate an expected increase in holiday passengers, Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation are offering additional round-trips on Nov. 30, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, between Chicago and Bloomington/Normal and on the Chicago-Quincy corridor, via Galesburg and Macomb.

Ordinarily on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor, Amtrak operates a total of five round-trips via Bloomington/Normal, four Lincoln Service and one Texas Eagle round-trip. In order to accommodate one additional round-trip on Nov. 30, Train 300 will depart St. Louis 35 minutes earlier than usual and Train 301 will depart Chicago 30 minutes earlier than usual, with both trains operating on a modified schedule that day only.

On the Chicago-Quincy corridor, Amtrak normally originates two daily morning and evening round-trips, the Illinois Zephyr and the Carl Sandburg plus some additional Amtrak service at Galesburg, Princeton or Mendota provided by the Southwest Chief and California Zephyr. In order to accommodate one additional round-trip on Nov. 30, Train 383 will depart Chicago 20 minutes later than usual and operate on a modified timetable to Quincy that day only.

Passengers are encouraged to plan ahead and book their tickets early for the best availability, pricing and to avoid the last minute rush. Families travel "hassle-free" on Amtrak to connect with friends and relatives during the holiday - the busiest travel week of the year.

For the Thanksgiving holiday period, Amtrak will operate every available passenger rail car in its fleet and is scheduling extra trains and adding capacity on other routes in the Northeast, Midwest, Pacific Northwest and California.

The busiest travel days are the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after the holiday. Other than Thanksgiving Day, morning trains typically have more available seats than those in the afternoon and evening.

About Amtrak®

Amtrak is America's Railroad®, the nation's intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. Amtrak and its state and commuter partners move people, the economy and the nation forward. Formally known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Amtrak is governed by a nine member board of directors appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Anthony R. Coscia is board chairman and Jeffrey R. Moreland is vice chairman. In FY 2014, nearly 31 million passengers traveled on Amtrak on more than 300 daily trains - at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) - that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Enjoy the journey® at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information. Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter (@Amtrak) and check out our blog at blog.amtrak.com.

About Illinois DOT

The Illinois Department of Transportation provides safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and demonstrate respect for our environment. Illinois DOT provides leadership throughout Illinois for the improvement and coordination of the state's multi-faceted transportation system and serves as an advocate and trusted adviser to local governments and other community agencies involved in providing transportation access and services for all of Illinois. For more information, visit www.dot.il.gov/.

[Illinois Department of Transportation]