October 14, 2009 -- Michigan communities along the Port Huron - Chicago route of the state-supported Amtrak Blue Water passenger train service will celebrate the 35th anniversary on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Amtrak will offer a special anniversary fare promotion to recognize the milestone.

Ceremonies organized by the nine communities and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be held immediately prior to the departure of the westbound train, which leaves from Port Huron at 6 a.m.

To commemorate the event, there will be special Superliner train equipment, including a sightseer lounge car and coaches. Every passenger on Oct. 21 will receive a gift bag containing products from the nine communities, and everyone visiting select stations for the ceremonies will have an opportunity to enter a raffle for Amtrak tickets good for future travel, along with refreshments and other giveaways.

Amtrak is offering a fare sale of 35 percent off the regular (full) adult rail price on the Blue Water service from Monday, Oct. 19, through Thursday, Oct. 22. Tickets must be purchased by Oct. 21 from Amtrak.com, a Quik-Trak Self-Serve Ticketing Kiosk, by calling 800-USA-RAIL, or visiting a staffed Amtrak ticket office or select travel agents. (use V155 for discount fare.) Children ages 2-15 may accompany each adult at half the regular (full) adult fare.

The inauguration of the partnership between Amtrak and the State of Michigan for the Blue Water service began on Sept. 13, 1974, when a special inaugural train left Chicago at 6:35 a.m. The train left with MDOT and Amtrak dignitaries aboard. Gov. William Milliken and his wife, Helen Milliken, boarded the train at Three Oaks and the train made stops at Niles, Kalamazoo (where the governor deboarded) and other stops to Port Huron. Revenue service began on Sept. 15, 1974.

The Blue Water service was renamed the Blue Water Limited in 1975 and enjoyed a peak ridership of about 113,000 in 1981. In 1982, the service was replaced by the International, with service from Chicago to Toronto, as a joint train with VIA Rail Canada. Ridership on the International peaked in 1997 with more than 125,000 passengers and then started a steady decline after it was rerouted via Stratford in Canada. Ridership took an even sharper plunge after Sept. 11, 2001, resulting in the discontinuation of the International in April, 2004. However, the resumption of Blue Water service began one day later. Ridership immediately jumped 20 percent and growth has continued.

The Blue Water and the International have now provided continuous daily service to Durand, East Lansing, Flint, Lapeer and Port Huron since 1974, carrying about 3.8 million passengers.

This service is one of two, state-supported routes in Michigan. From 2002 to 2008, Amtrak ridership on all three train routes in Michigan - Pere Marquette, Wolverine and Blue Water - grew by a combined 60 percent. In fiscal year 2009, ridership on the Blue Water service was down slightly from the hard-to-beat high point in 2008, when soaring gas prices lured additional passengers to public transportation. There were 132,851 riders on the Blue Water in 2009.

Michigan is among 15 states that pay Amtrak for service, including the Midwestern states of Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin.

About Amtrak

As the nation's intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company's history. With 21,000-route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day - at speeds up to 150 mph - to more than 500 destinations. Amtrak also is the operator of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for four commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

Blue Water westbound (Train 365 schedule) Daily, read down, all times local		Blue Water eastbound (Train 364 schedule) Daily, read down, all times local
6:00 a.m.	Depart Port Huron, MI	4:10 p.m.	Depart Chicago, IL
6:45 a.m.	Depart Lapeer, MI	---	Depart New Buffalo, MI
7:11 a.m.	Depart Flint, MI	6:51 p.m.	Depart Niles, MI
7:47 a.m.	Depart Durand, MI	7:03 p.m.	Depart Dowagiac, MI
8:28 a.m.	Depart East Lansing, MI	7:42 p.m.	Depart Kalamazoo, MI
9:54 a.m.	Depart Battle Creek, MI	8:17 p.m.	Depart Battle Creek, MI
10:23 a.m.	Depart Kalamazoo, MI	9:29 p.m.	Depart East Lansing, MI
10:54 a.m.	Depart Dowagiac, MI	10:15 p.m.	Depart Durand, MI
11:09 a.m.	Depart Niles, MI	10:40 p.m.	Depart Flint, MI
---	Depart New Buffalo, MI	11:09 p.m.	Depart Lapeer, MI
11:59 a.m.	Arrive Chicago, IL	12:11 a.m	Arrive Port Huron, MI

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