State officials say three Amtrak passenger trains in Michigan set ridership records last year. MDOT says almost 800,000 people climbed aboard an Amtrak train in 2012. The three routes are the Wolverine from Detroit to Chicago; the Blue Water from Port Huron to Chicago; and the Pere Marquette from Grand Rapids to Chicago. The Wolverine and the Blue Water routes include stops in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. MDOT says ridership on the Wolverine alone jumped nearly 20 percent.
State officials say increased public awareness is one of the reasons for the rise in passengers. Amtrak added more trains to some routes in Michigan because of heavy demand during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s holidays.
