Daily · one departure each direction
Chicago to Grand Rapids by train
Chicago → Grand Rapids → Holland → Chicago
The train curves east out of Chicago and Lake Michigan appears through the window.
- Cities
- 3
- Line
- 1
Fly in and out of ORD
The route
Tap a stop to jump
- ChicagoDays 1–3
- Pere Marquette · 4h
- Grand RapidsDays 4–5
- Rideshare · ~40 min
- HollandDay 6 (optional)
- Pere Marquette · 3h 20m
- ChicagoBack for your flight home
Hotel links on this site (Booking.com and the Stay22 hotel map) and some other booking links are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Our “what to do” picks are not.
Book the trip
Everything you need, up top
Freehand Chicago · $ · Chicago Architecture Center river cruise
Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton · $$$ · Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Tulyp, Tapestry Collection by Hilton · Windmill Island Gardens
Trains
Pere Marquette
The train
Chicago to Grand Rapids by train
- Train
- Amtrak Pere Marquette
- Trains a day
- 1 in each direction
- Runs
- Every day
- Journey time
- About 4 hours (Chicago to Holland about 3)
- Leaves Chicago
- 6:30 PM Central — into Grand Rapids about 11:30 PM Eastern
- Stations
- Chicago Union Station → Grand Rapids Vernon J. Ehlers Station (south edge of downtown)
- Stops on the way
- St. Joseph–Benton Harbor, Bangor, Holland
- Time zone
- Michigan is one hour ahead of Chicago
Grand Rapids to Chicago by train
The Pere Marquette leaves Grand Rapids at 6:00 AM Eastern, calls at Holland at 6:49 AM, and reaches Chicago Union Station at 9:08 AM Central — about four hours, and the only train of the day in that direction. It's an early start, but it puts you in Chicago with most of the day ahead.
From Amtrak’s published timetable, checked 7 October 2026. These trains run every day; times can differ on some days and change with each new timetable, so confirm the times for your date on amtrak.com before you book.
Days 1–3
Chicago
Three nights to land properly, cruise the river, eat well, and board the Pere Marquette without rushing.
Stay
Freehand Chicago
River North · $
Affordable, walkable to River North and the Brown Line, and the Broken Shaker bar downstairs is a proper cocktail spot — not a hotel bar that happens to pour drinks.
Check rates on Booking.com →Know your dates?
Or consider
Do
Chicago Architecture Center river cruise
The canonical Chicago experience. Book the afternoon of day one so you're oriented for everything that follows Season runs mid-March to late November.
Details at architecture.org →Also worth it
- The Art Institute — Impressionist wing, two hours minimum.
- Pequod's or Lou Malnati's for deep-dish.
- Lakefront Trail on a Divvy bike — 18 traffic-free miles.
- The West Loop for dinner: Au Cheval or Girl & the Goat.
Amtrak · Pere Marquette
One-way · single seat
Depart
Chicago
IL
Rail
Arrive
Grand Rapids
MI
The Pere Marquette leaves Chicago Union Station at 6:30 PM and runs through Michigan fruit country, calling at Holland on the way. It reaches Grand Rapids at about 11:30 PM local time (Michigan is an hour ahead of Chicago), so book your first Grand Rapids night from that evening and take a taxi or rideshare from the station.
Journey time
4h
Days 4–5
Grand Rapids
Beer City and Art City in one walkable downtown — 40-plus breweries, ArtPrize every fall, and the Grand River threading through it all.
Stay
Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton
Downtown / Pearl Street · $$$
The grand 1913 Pantlind on the riverfront — walking distance to Rosa Parks Circle, the Ford Museum across the Blue Bridge, and the downtown restaurant strip. About 18 minutes on foot from the station.
Check rates on Booking.com →Know your dates?
Or consider
- Canopy by Hilton Grand Rapids Downtown$$ · Rates →
Downtown / Fulton
Do
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
158 acres of outdoor sculpture with permanent works by Rodin, Degas, Moore, and Bourgeois, plus a big tropical conservatory. It's about 7 miles out with no practical bus, so plan on a 20-minute rideshare each way.
Details at meijergardens.org →Also worth it
- Founders Brewing Co. taproom — the brewery that put Grand Rapids on the map.
- Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum on the riverbank — with a full-scale replica Oval Office.
- ArtPrize (late September into early October): 150-plus venues, and downtown becomes a gallery.
- The Grand Rapids Art Museum — free on Thursday evenings (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).
By road · Rideshare
No ticket needed
Depart
Grand Rapids
MI
Road
Arrive
Holland
MI
About 30 miles west to Holland — roughly 40 minutes by rideshare or taxi. The only train between the two is the 6:00 AM Pere Marquette (in Holland at 6:49 AM), which works if you're an early riser.
Journey time
~40 min
Nothing to book ahead — call a rideshare or taxi on the day.
Day 6 (optional)
Holland
A working Dutch windmill, millions of tulips in spring, and Saugatuck — a small arts town on the lake — 15 minutes south.
Stay
Tulyp, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Downtown boutique hotel (formerly CityFlatsHotel) on 7th Street, a short walk or ride from the Amtrak station and a block from the 8th Street shops and restaurants.
Check rates on Booking.com →Know your dates?
Do
Windmill Island Gardens
De Zwaan, a working Dutch windmill brought from the Netherlands in 1964, stands on Windmill Island right beside the Amtrak station. Open mid-April to early October; tickets are sold on site.
Details at windmillisland.com →Also worth it
- Saugatuck — galleries, restaurants, and the Butler Street boat launch. 15 minutes south.
- Saugatuck Dunes State Park — a proper dune hike with Lake Michigan views at the top.
- Tulip Time (about 10 days around the start of May): tulips everywhere, parades, folk dancing.
- Holland Farmers Market — Wednesdays and Saturdays mid-May to October, Saturdays only in winter.
Amtrak · Pere Marquette
One-way · single seat
Depart
Holland
MI
Rail
Arrive
Chicago
IL
The morning Pere Marquette leaves Holland at 6:49 AM and reaches Chicago Union Station at 9:08 AM Central time — an early start that hands you most of a day in Chicago. Skipped Holland? Catch the same train from Grand Rapids at 6:00 AM. The CTA Blue Line gets you to O'Hare in about 45 minutes, so an evening flight home works; a last night in Chicago is the low-stress option.
Journey time
3h 20m
Getting there
How to arrive at the start of the trip
Whichever way you’re coming. Pick the panel that fits.
Arriving from Europe
Fly into Chicago O'Hare (ORD) — daily direct service from London, Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris, and Amsterdam. The trip starts and ends in Chicago, so a simple round-trip ticket works.
Don't try to catch the train the day you land. US customs at Terminal 5 can take an hour or more at peak times, and the Pere Marquette runs once a day with no later departure to fall back on. Spend your Chicago nights first and board on a later evening.
Flying home: the morning train is back at Union Station around 9 AM, and the CTA Blue Line reaches O'Hare in about 45 minutes. An evening flight to Europe works; trains can run late, so a final night in Chicago is the low-stress option. ESTA before you leave home — apply at least 72 hours before your outbound flight.
Connecting flight from elsewhere in the US
ORD is a United and American hub — non-stop service from virtually every major US airport. Land in Chicago, do your three nights, then board the Pere Marquette.
Prefer to fly home from Michigan? Gerald R. Ford International (GRR) is about 10 miles from downtown Grand Rapids, with nonstops to Delta, American and United hubs, plus Southwest — skip the train back and leave from there instead.
Driving in, or already nearby
Drive to Chicago Union Station from the suburbs or anywhere on I-90/I-94. The Union Station parking garage sits one block south; SpotHero often has cheaper nearby ramps.
Already on Amtrak elsewhere: the Hiawatha runs up to seven times a day from Milwaukee in 90 minutes; the Borealis arrives from St. Paul daily. Both deliver to Chicago Union Station — the same departure point for the Pere Marquette.
Practicalities
Booking and onboard
- The Pere Marquette runs once daily in each direction: evening out of Chicago, early morning back. There is no alternate departure if you miss it — book the trains first, then build hotels and flights around them.
- Chicago to Grand Rapids takes about 4 hours. The train gets in around 11:30 PM local time, so book that night's hotel and plan on a taxi or rideshare from the station.
- Michigan runs on Eastern time, an hour ahead of Chicago. Amtrak shows every departure in local time.
- Grand Rapids to Holland is easiest by rideshare (about 40 minutes); the only train is the 6:00 AM departure.
- A café car runs on the Pere Marquette — basic snacks and drinks. Pack a deli dinner from the Loop before boarding.
- Holland's overnight is optional. If your dates fall in Tulip Time (around the start of May), it's worth it; otherwise you can take the 6:00 AM train from Grand Rapids straight back to Chicago.
First time in the US?
- Tipping: 18–20% on restaurant bills (some add it automatically — check before you pay), $1–2 per drink at bars, a few dollars per bag for porters.
- US SIM card: buy a prepaid SIM or eSIM before you fly. Strong wi-fi covers most gaps.
- Cash is rarely necessary — tap-to-pay works at most US restaurants, transit, and shops.
- ESTA, not a visa, for most EU and UK passport holders. Apply online at esta.cbp.dhs.gov ($40.27) at least 72 hours before you fly.
Add-ons
Want to extend the trip?
Three places worth adding on the same Amtrak network. Pick one, or stitch all three together for a longer trip.
Saugatuck & Douglas, MI
Side trip from Holland
One of the prettiest small arts towns in the Midwest — galleries, a hand-cranked chain ferry across the Kalamazoo River (Memorial Day to Labor Day), and Saugatuck Dunes State Park on Lake Michigan. Add a second night in Holland and spend a full day here.
Good to know
- Bikes ride on the Pere Marquette by reservation (limited spaces, small fee) — no boxing required. Book the bike when you book your ticket.
- ArtPrize runs for about two weeks from mid-September into early October. If your dates overlap, Grand Rapids is livelier — book hotels early.
- When to go: May for Tulip Time in Holland; June–September for Lake Michigan beaches; September–October for ArtPrize in Grand Rapids.
Not this trip?
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Two American classics, and a reborn 1913 Beaux-Arts train station to walk into.