Bloomington/Normal Illinois To Charge Amtrak Customers Parking Fee

[AmtrakBlue]

WIL has several garages & lots within walking distance. I know one of them charges up to $8/day. I think another one is $12/day.

Walked by the parking garage tonight and it's $8 for 12 hours & $11 for 24 hours.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

I don't know what I would do if Solana Beach had paid parking. On the other hand, it would be helpful in many cases. The summer is horrible, as almost all spots are taken by non-transit riders (Coaster, Amtrak, and local buses). Fiesta del Sol is our local street fair, located along the closest-to-ocean street (Sierra) and continuing on portions of Lomas Santa Fe(Plaza) which are all blocked off. It is very very fun, and takes place the first weekend of June. I am looking forward to it, because my tae-kwon-do demonstration team (me included) is performing there again this year. Plenty of free, very good concerts are provided, with names such as Donovan Frankenreiter and others. The main issue is, where to park? It is frustrating when I am trying to go to LA on that weekend or someone in my family is, and they basically end up walking the mile to the station since they know it would take half an hour to find parking a half mile away anyways. This same situation occurs during the San Diego County Fair or the racing season since the Fairgrounds provide a free straight-from-London double-decker shuttle from the station to the fairgrounds. The parking lot and all surrounding residential streets are jammed with the people who would rather not pay $10+ parking rates for a lengthy walk to the entrance anyway. However, I still don't believe that the parking here should be regulated and paid. The hundreds of commuters on Coaster, which currently has ridership swelling to almost 6,000 per day, are already paying to ride on the train, and I don't feel like we should penalize them for HAVING car if they are choosing to take the train in the first place. I just think tat it's wrong to charge commuters further. LD train riders, I see no problem with it, because many of the smaller stations are community-run and need the revenue. One of the best parking deals I know about though is at LAX. Whenever we go to Hawaii, we fly out of LAX because we have points on American. The flights we have taken in the past leave at around 8:00a, and so we would have to leave the house by 4:30 to provide enough time for anything. Many of the airport hotels have a "spend one night, get a week of parking free deals" which are really helpful. If you're paying $15 per day in the long term Lot C which has infrequent and very crowded shuttles, you might as well get a free night anyways. I have said my piece. Hopefully some of it was on topic

 

[Gingee]

Right now you don't even need a ticket to put in your window when you park at the Amtrak parking lot. They said it isn't necessary since things are changing.

 

[Exiled in Express]

At the current St. Paul, MN depot there is plenty of free parking. But when they move back to the downtown to the renovated Union Depot there will be zero free parking. I don't even think there will be parking dedicated to the Depot. There are plenty of parking ramps in the area, but as of right now, I don't think those ramps have any long term rates. I am sure that will all change once the Depot, light rail and the new transportation hub get up and running in the next year or so.

I was afraid that would be the case, luckily the nearby ramps and lots have plenty of <$5/day options, not sure if they allow stays of more than 24 hours. Galtier does but those rates are astronomic. SPUD will be walkable for me so it is more of a question of selling my suburban friends on rail.

My first thought on $8/day in Bloomington seemed high, especially now that we know the airport is free.

 

[gatelouse]

The parking lot at the Lorton and Sanford Auto Train stations don't seem to....um, never mind.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

The parking lot at the Lorton and Sanford Auto Train stations don't seem to....um, never mind.

Like button Me gusta mucho.

If they could only get one going over here!!! SoCal-NorCal screams for at least some overnight service, with auto rack being BIG bonuses.

 

[Everydaymatters]

When the new Intermodal center is opened later this summer, the city of Normal will charge $8 per day for long term parking. Frequent long-term users can purchase a monthly permit for $40. The first hour will be free.

Thanks for this new information! We will be leaving our car parked at BNL for about 2 weeks next winter while on a cruise, in which case it would be cheaper to purchase the monthly permit. Do you know if we will need to purchase the permit in advance, or will we be able to get it when we arrive at the station, and before we board the train?

Cindy

I don't know, Cindy. The city of Normal will be moving their offices to the intermodal center in June, but Amtrak won't move until later this summer. I believe the parking passes will be handled by the city of Normal and you could contact them to find out. Also, they are discussing the possibility of free long-term parking on the upper level of the College Avenue deck. I have no idea where that deck is. Neither the present, nor the future Amtrak station is on College Avenue.

 

[RampWidget]

When the new Intermodal center is opened later this summer, the city of Normal will charge $8 per day for long term parking. Frequent long-term users can purchase a monthly permit for $40. The first hour will be free.

I've enjoyed free parking at BNL and various other stations for many years and am not very happy about this.

Is this the norm for Amtrak parking lots? Do you have to pay to park?

Depends on the location. Of course, then there are places like ATL, where parking is pretty much non-existent at any price. I usually end up at the Piedmont Hospital garage about 1 mile north of the station and hop the bus back to the station. Back on topic, pretty much everything I'm familiar with in NC, SC, GA, & FL doesn't have a parking fee. Having said that, if a parking fee would offer me something such as more security, I'd be willing to consider paying it.

You have obviously missed my multiple postings about the covered, secured parking in underground lot just one block north of the ATL station. $9/day last year when we used it.

Doh! Yes, I forgot about that completely - thank you for the reminder. I may have to turn in my ATL tour guide credentials now!

 

[Ozark Southern]

When the new Intermodal center is opened later this summer, the city of Normal will charge $8 per day for long term parking. Frequent long-term users can purchase a monthly permit for $40. The first hour will be free.

Thanks for this new information! We will be leaving our car parked at BNL for about 2 weeks next winter while on a cruise, in which case it would be cheaper to purchase the monthly permit. Do you know if we will need to purchase the permit in advance, or will we be able to get it when we arrive at the station, and before we board the train?

Cindy

I don't know, Cindy. The city of Normal will be moving their offices to the intermodal center in June, but Amtrak won't move until later this summer. I believe the parking passes will be handled by the city of Normal and you could contact them to find out. Also, they are discussing the possibility of free long-term parking on the upper level of the College Avenue deck. I have no idea where that deck is. Neither the present, nor the future Amtrak station is on College Avenue.

College Avenue is one block north of the new intermodal station.