Parking at Centralia and Effingham, IL

After a bad experience trying the Carbondale shuttle bus, I'm looking to either board the CONL at Centralia or Effingham. What is parking like at either station? They appear largely equidistant to me.

Any help is appreciated..

Can't help with your questions, but I hope you don't mind me asking what problems you've had with the STL-CDL Thruway? Never used it myself, but been tempted to and may in the future.

It wasn't awful, but it almost was. They require paper tickets for all legs of the trip with a thruway bus. First I almost didn't receive them because they're delivered to the home, requiring a signature; I lucked out making it home from work in time on the third delivery try. Then I almost couldn't find the return tickets while in New Orleans (fortunately they turned up in time). No one with Amtrak could replace the tickets, even for the train portion. You don't get an E-ticket, period.

The wait time at STL and CDL stations was also an issue. I actually departed from Alton and transferred, so this was a major wait. The van trip itself was so-so. Freezing air blew on me throughout the return due to a broken ceiling vent, and the driver had the A/C cranked.

Overall, if not for the lack of e-tickets I'd do it again.

There used to be a website with everything you wanted to know about all the Illinois stations. But I couldn't find it.

Amtrak.com shows quite a few long and short term parking spaces at both Centralia and Effingham. My experience parking long term at Il and IA stations, including Champaign, has been uniformly positive.

Effingham station is a block from downtown. Parking is available. I have never left a auto there. Not the worst area, but its a railroad diamond crossing so the nearby housing are not mansion.

I have walk in and out of the station area in the dark never had any issues. Well other than a Railfan taken pictures of the trains, and wonder why I was so early for my train.

YMMV

There's ample free parking at Effingham. I parked overnight there for one night last fall with no issues.

You will be perfectly fine leaving a car at either station. Both have ample parking for their needs.

Many thanks for the responses.

I live close to Centralia and use the station now and then. The only thing to remember when parking at Centralia is to be sure you in the "long term" parking which is to the "left" of the station. The right side is for only several hours. When they first did that they hadn't enough room on the long term side but recently they expanded it into the adjoining Recreation Center parking lot. If you park in the short term and leave for some time you will find a ticket on your window on your return. Unfortunately the city was short sighted and torn down the origin ICC station which was very nice still. Now they have a tiny waiting room but its better than nothing.

Larry H. said:

I live close to Centralia and use the station now and then. The only thing to remember when parking at Centralia is to be sure you in the "long term" parking which is to the "left" of the station. The right side is for only several hours. When they first did that they hadn't enough room on the long term side but recently they expanded it into the adjoining Recreation Center parking lot. If you park in the short term and leave for some time you will find a ticket on your window on your return. Unfortunately the city was short sighted and torn down the origin ICC station which was very nice still. Now they have a tiny waiting room but its better than nothing.

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Is the parking free in the long term option at Centralia?

Free parking at both. More paved area at Centralia. If you arrive at Effingham during a heavy travel time, you'll be parking on the dirt/grass...but there is plenty of it!!!

Another consideration: Both are flag stops for the CONO, so buy your ticket a few days in advance to insure the conductor has the stop on the manifest.

One more thing: I assume you are going southbound and it is a night train so it is nice to get on the train about an hour earlier at Effingham. Upon return you will get off of the train an hour later, closer to breakfast time!