May 04--Travelers taking the Amtrak from Chicago to Milwaukee will be able to bring their bikes on the trip more easily with the installation of bike racks on the trains.
Each train on the Hiawatha line, which makes seven round-trips between the two cities daily, has been outfitted with 15 bike racks in the control unit, Amtrak and Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials announced Wednesday. Passengers who pay a $5 fee to reserve a bike rack will be able to bring their bikes directly onto the train, avoiding having to disassemble the bike and ship it in a box as previously required.
"This saves our bicycling passengers money and makes their everyday journeys or vacation trips to explore Milwaukee and Chicago so much easier," John Alley, manager of transit, local roads, railroads and harbors for WisDOT, said in a news release.
Travelers can reserve space for their bikes when booking tickets online, over the phone or at the Chicago or Milwaukee train stations. Amtrak advises passengers using the new service to arrive 30 minutes ahead of departure to load their bikes.
The Hiawatha train leaves from Chicago's Union Station and includes stops in Glenview and Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport.
jkuang@tribpub.com
