Pere Marquette With Kids: Chicago to Grand Rapids Stops and Tickets

11 min read

Short answer: yes, the Pere Marquette is an easy train to try with kids. It runs about four hours between Grand Rapids and Chicago, with only three stops in between, at St. Joseph, Bangor and Holland, and it's timed for a day in the city: out of Grand Rapids at 6:00 a.m., home from Chicago at 6:30 p.m. Kids 2 to 12 ride for half the adult price, and lap babies under 2 are free, one per adult. One rule is unusual here: Amtrak doesn't allow unaccompanied minors on this route at all.

The short version

• One round trip a day: Grand Rapids at 6:00 a.m. to Chicago at 9:08 a.m., then Chicago at 6:30 p.m. to Grand Rapids at 11:34 p.m.
• St. Joseph station is on the Lake Michigan shore, across from Silver Beach County Park.
• Holland station is right next to Windmill Island Gardens, with tulip beds by the depot in spring.
• Teens 13 to 15 can't ride alone anywhere on the Pere Marquette.
• You switch from Eastern to Central time between Michigan and Chicago, which confuses everyone at least once.
• St. Joseph, Bangor and Holland stations are old Pere Marquette Railroad depots, the railroad this train shares its name with.

From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

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Pere Marquette at a glance

Runs between

Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Chicago Union Station

States

Michigan, Indiana (no stops) and Illinois; financed mainly by MDOT

Distance

about 176 miles

End to end

about 4 hours

Trains

One round trip per day

Train cars

Single-level Siemens Venture cars from the Midwest fleet

Upstairs seating

No

Quiet Car

Not listed by Amtrak for this train

Food

Amtrak lists cafe service on Michigan trains, but amenities vary by train

Sleeper rooms

None

Kids riding alone

Not allowed on this route

Time zones

Eastern in Michigan, Central in Chicago

Look inside the book

Pere Marquette day trip? Bring Rally for the ride home.

Rally Takes the Train ends with a wave on the platform, a lot like pulling into Grand Rapids. Five minutes, start to finish.

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Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

In this post

1. Kids tickets on the Pere Marquette
2. Every Pere Marquette stop
3. What kids can see
4. Where to sit
5. Best first ride
6. Food, bathrooms and naps
7. A train book for the ride
8. Questions parents ask

Do kids need a ticket on the Pere Marquette?

Every child 2 and up needs a ticket on the Pere Marquette, and on this route teens 13 to 15 can't ride alone.

On the Pere Marquette, a child 2 to 12 rides for half the adult fare with an adult 18 or older on the same reservation. One baby under 2 can sit free on the lap of each adult paying full fare. Our Amtrak with kids hub explains the rest.

Rules and deals that are specific to the Pere Marquette:

• No unaccompanied minors. None. Amtrak names the Pere Marquette as one of four routes where 13 to 15 year olds can't ride alone between any stations. Even the short hop from Holland to Grand Rapids needs an adult along.
• No state kids promotion right now. MDOT pays for most of this service, but in October 2026 we found no Michigan "kids ride free" deal. You can still use Share Fares for group savings, and Amtrak advertises a 15 percent student discount on Michigan routes.
• Multi-Ride tickets. The Pere Marquette is on Amtrak's Multi-Ride list, useful for a parent who rides between West Michigan and Chicago often.
• Buy a seat for every child 2 and up, and buy early. With one train each way, a sold-out day means waiting until tomorrow. Book ahead for holiday weekends.

Free for train families

Free Pere Marquette printables for the ride

Print it the night before. Kids color in each of the 5 stops as the train pulls in, check off things to spot out the window, play window bingo and finish with an “I rode the Pere Marquette” certificate.

Get the free Pere Marquette activity book

Every Pere Marquette stop, from Chicago to Grand Rapids

Five stops: four in Michigan, then Chicago Union Station at the end. The train passes through Indiana without stopping, so the next stop after St. Joseph heading west is Chicago.

Illinois

1. Chicago Union StationLook for: Show them the Great Hall, which Amtrak calls the station's best-known room. Its hours changed on September 30, 2026, so check them before you plan a long wait there.

Michigan

1. St. Joseph-Benton HarborLook for: Beach alert: the station sits on the Lake Michigan shore, right across from Silver Beach County Park, in an old Pere Marquette Railroad depot.
2. BangorLook for: Tell them this 1926 brick depot was built for the Pere Marquette Railroad, the train's namesake. Now there's a cafe inside.
3. HollandLook for: Windmill Island Gardens is right next door, and in spring, bright tulip beds greet riders at the depot.
4. Grand Rapids (Vern Ehlers Station)Look for: Watch for the slim clock tower. Its top glows at night, and it has become a city landmark.

What kids can see from the Pere Marquette

A 6:00 a.m. train means a very early wake-up, but it also means you're in Chicago by 9:08 a.m.

What kids will notice

This train runs early in the morning and late in the evening. For much of fall and winter, that means riding in the dark. In late spring and summer, the evening train out of Chicago has more daylight for the run through southwest Michigan.

So the best sights are at the stations. In St. Joseph, the station is on the lakeshore across from Silver Beach. In Holland, the windmill garden is right next door, and in Grand Rapids, the glowing clock tower is easy to spot when the late train pulls in.

Pere Marquette facts

• Named for a railroad. The train shares its name with the old Pere Marquette Railroad, which built the depots now used at St. Joseph, Bangor and Holland.
• Made for Chicago day trips. The morning train gets to Chicago at 9:08 a.m., and the evening train leaves at 6:30 p.m. That's more than nine hours in the city.
• The city owns the depot. The City of Holland bought its old railroad depot in 1989.
• A newer station at the end. Grand Rapids has a newer station with a textured outside and a tall, thin clock tower.
• Clock tricks. The ride is about four hours each way, but the clock says three going to Chicago and five coming home, because Chicago is on Central time. Expect questions.

Where to sit with kids on the Pere Marquette

Getting everyone aboard at 6:00 a.m. is the hard part. Inside, the Pere Marquette is one level, with no stairs to climb.

The Pere Marquette uses the same single-level Siemens Venture cars as the other Midwest trains. That means no stairs, wide aisles, big windows and an outlet between each pair of seats. Coaches also have room for wheelchairs and bags.

Amtrak doesn't list a Quiet Car or carry-on bikes for this train, and it says seats and amenities vary by train. Some seats ride backward and you don't get to choose, so board early if your child gets queasy.

The morning train leaves Grand Rapids at 6:00 a.m. If you have a toddler, sit together near a restroom. Let sleepy kids finish the night with a pillow and a jacket over their legs.

Not sitting together on the Pere Marquette? Try this

Get the whole family on a single booking. Coach seats on most Amtrak trains aren't assigned, so the line at the door matters. At 6:00 a.m. in Grand Rapids, be dressed and on the platform early. For the 6:30 p.m. ride home, Chicago Union Station is busy, and Amtrak staff there often call families with young children forward first.

Full train? Walk through to the next coach, where an open pair may be waiting. Until then, park one parent beside the youngest and keep the rest close by.

A seat swap goes best if you ask right away, before the pillows come out. Explain briefly ("We have a 3-year-old") and offer a seat that's no worse than theirs: a window for a window, the same direction of travel. Thank them either way.

The conductor knows where the empty seats are, so speak up when you board or as tickets are checked, and mention the kids' ages. They can ask riders to free a seat that's holding luggage, since luggage doesn't get a seat, but the person sitting in a seat keeps it. For the whole four hours, keep a young child beside an adult.

The best first Pere Marquette ride with kids

Worried about a long day? The Pere Marquette is about four hours with only three stops between the ends, so the countdown is short.

With one train each way, the Pere Marquette is a day trip line or an overnight line. These ideas use Amtrak's current timetable.

1. A Chicago day from Grand Rapids or Holland. Train 371 leaves Grand Rapids at 6:00 a.m. and Holland at 6:49 a.m., and reaches Chicago at 9:08 a.m. Central time. Train 370 leaves Chicago at 6:30 p.m. and gets back to Holland at 10:33 p.m. and Grand Rapids at 11:34 p.m. It's a big day, so keep the afternoon low key.
2. Chicago to the St. Joseph beach (under 2 hours each way). Train 370 leaves Chicago at 6:30 p.m. and reaches St. Joseph at 9:14 p.m. Eastern time. Stay a night or two, spend your time at Silver Beach, and ride train 371 back from St. Joseph at 8:10 a.m. to Chicago at 9:08 a.m.
3. Grand Rapids to Holland, early (about 50 minutes). Train 371 leaves Grand Rapids at 6:00 a.m. and reaches Holland at 6:49 a.m. Spend the day by Windmill Island Gardens, then ride train 370 from Holland at 10:33 p.m. back to Grand Rapids at 11:34 p.m., in time to see the clock tower glowing.

Food, bathrooms and naps on the Pere Marquette

Amtrak lists cafe service for its Michigan trains, but it also says amenities vary by train. Don't count on it at 6:00 a.m. Pack breakfast for the morning train and an easy dinner for the 6:30 p.m. ride home.

Flat snacks, like crackers and pretzels, are easy to pass down a row. A refillable water bottle saves you from buying drinks in Chicago. For the ride home, add crayons and a few printable Rally coloring pages.

The Venture coaches have large accessible restrooms, but no changing tables are listed, so a changing pad belongs in the diaper bag. On the late train home, put pajamas on before you leave Chicago, and you may be able to carry a sleeping child straight to the car in Grand Rapids.

A train book for the ride

Rally Takes the Train ends with Rally's grand-paw-rents waving from the platform as the train pulls in. On the Pere Marquette, that moment might come under the glowing clock tower in Grand Rapids, or on the Lake Michigan shore in St. Joseph. If someone is meeting you, read that page as the train slows down and let your kids look for the wave.

Rally gets a pretzel from Mom in the book, so pack one. For everything else, the free activity pack and coloring pages live on our coloring page, ready to print for the ride.

In fall and winter much of this ride is dark, so save the window for the stations and bring books for the rest.

A bedtime book for the 6:30 p.m. trainRally Takes the Train is a rhyming watercolor picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, for ages 0 to 8. It takes about five minutes, a good wind-down on the late ride back to Grand Rapids. $13.99 on Amazon.

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Grand Rapids comes at 11:34 p.m., under a glowing clock tower. A sleeping kid carried to the car still counts as a win.

More for train families

• Every Amtrak route with kids: find another train by city or station
• The complete guide to Amtrak with kids: tickets, car seats, changing tables, family tables and what to pack by age
• Free Rally activity pack and coloring pages to print before your trip
• Wolverine with kids
• Blue Water with kids

Sources

• Amtrak: Michigan Services
• Amtrak: Pere Marquette timetable
• Michigan Services timetable, Sept 2026 (juckins.net)
• Amtrak Michigan
• Amtrak station page: St. Joseph-Benton Harbor
• Amtrak station page: Holland
• Amtrak station page: Bangor
• Amtrak station page: Grand Rapids
• Amtrak station page: Chicago Union Station
• Amtrak: Unaccompanied minors
• Amtrak: Child discounts
• Amtrak: Multi-Ride tickets
• Wikipedia: Siemens Venture
• Runway Girl Network: Midwest Venture coaches

Checked against Amtrak and partner railroad pages in October 2026. Schedules and policies change, so confirm on amtrak.com before you ride.

Pere Marquette with kids: questions parents ask

Do kids need a ticket on the Pere Marquette?

Yes, every rider 2 and up. Pere Marquette kids aged 2 through 12 ride at half the adult price with an adult, 18 or over, on their booking. MDOT had no special family fare running when we checked in October 2026. With one train each way, buy every ticket early, since a sold-out day means waiting until tomorrow.

Do babies ride free on the Pere Marquette?

Yes, one per adult. Under-2s ride the Pere Marquette for free on a full-fare adult's lap. A second infant with the same grown-up, or one placed in their own seat, costs the child fare. About four hours is a manageable lap ride, especially if the 6:00 a.m. start from Grand Rapids lines up with a morning snooze.

Should I bring a car seat on the Pere Marquette?

Only if you'll need it in a car. Nothing on the Pere Marquette's Venture seats lets you secure one, and a free lap rider can have a spare Pere Marquette seat only if no ticket holder needs it. For a Chicago day trip on foot and transit, leave it home. If someone is picking you up in Holland or St. Joseph, it can ride free in place of a regular bag.

Are there changing tables on the Pere Marquette?

None are listed for the Pere Marquette's Venture coaches, and Amtrak hasn't published a diaper-changing policy, so we can't promise one. The coaches do have large accessible restrooms, which is where we'd head with a portable changing pad. On a Chicago day trip, a fresh diaper just before the 6:30 p.m. train home makes the late ride easier.

Are there bathrooms on the Pere Marquette?

Yes, at least one per car, with an indicator light that tells you when someone's in it. The Venture coaches are one level, so there are no stairs to manage. Go with your kids, since the flush is loud and the buttons are tempting. We'd do a bathroom stop at home before the 6:00 a.m. departure, then another once you're settled.

Can I take a stroller on the Pere Marquette?

Yes. A stroller that folds rides free, standing in for one regular bag. Traveling with an under-2? Then the stroller or diaper bag is a bonus infant item on the Pere Marquette, outside the carry-on limit of two bags plus a personal item. For a Chicago day trip, a light umbrella stroller is easier on the train and in the city. Amtrak may ask you to check a large jogging or multi-child stroller.

Can I nurse or give a bottle on the Pere Marquette?

Yes. You can nurse your baby in public in any US state, so feed whenever they need it. Bottles take more planning, because Amtrak's bottle tip relies on a dining car crew, which the Pere Marquette doesn't carry, and even its cafe can vary by train. Bring formula, water and spare bottles for both the 6:00 a.m. run and the 6:30 p.m. ride home.

Does the Pere Marquette have a cafe?

Maybe. Amtrak lists cafe service for its Michigan trains, but it also says amenities vary by train. To be safe, pack breakfast for the 6:00 a.m. departure from Grand Rapids and dinner for the 6:30 p.m. departure from Chicago. Bringing your own food is allowed, and it's the easiest choice with picky eaters.

How do I keep kids busy on the Pere Marquette?

Play a station game: the Lake Michigan shore across from Silver Beach at St. Joseph, tulip beds by the Holland depot in spring, and the glowing clock tower in Grand Rapids. In the dark months the window won't show much, so print the free coloring pages and activity pack and tuck Rally Takes the Train in the bag. Download shows ahead and pack headphones.

Where should we sit on the Pere Marquette with kids?

Any coach seat works. It's one level, with seats in pairs and an outlet between each pair. Amtrak says seats and amenities vary by train, and some seats ride backward with no choice, so board early if motion bothers your child. On the 6:00 a.m. train, we'd sit together near a restroom and let sleepy kids take the window.

Is there a Quiet Car on the Pere Marquette?

Amtrak doesn't list one for the Pere Marquette, and we couldn't confirm one either way. If the conductor announces a Quiet Car on your train, skip it, since it means no calls, low voices and no sound from devices. Otherwise normal talking is fine. On the 6:00 a.m. run, people may be sleeping, so whisper voices are a kind choice anyway.

What should I pack for a day trip on the Pere Marquette?

Breakfast for the 6:00 a.m. train, dinner for the 6:30 p.m. ride back, and snacks in between, since the cafe varies. Add pajamas to change into before leaving Chicago, a refillable bottle, diapers, a changing pad, wipes, headphones and a charger. Flat snacks like crackers and pretzels pass down a row easily. Add a printable word search and coloring pages for the dark ride home. Keep it light enough for a full city day.

Will kids sleep on the Pere Marquette?

The schedule practically invites it. The morning train leaves Grand Rapids at 6:00 a.m., so a pillow and a jacket over their legs can stretch the night. The evening train reaches Grand Rapids at 11:34 p.m., so pajamas on in Chicago make the carry to the car easier. There are no sleeper rooms on this four-hour ride, only coach seats.

What's the best first ride on the Pere Marquette with kids?

Grand Rapids to Holland is the shortest, about 50 minutes: train 371 leaves at 6:00 a.m. and reaches Holland at 6:49 a.m., right next to Windmill Island Gardens. The ride home leaves Holland at 10:33 p.m., so it's a long day. For a beach trip, ride Chicago to St. Joseph instead, under two hours, and stay overnight near Silver Beach.

Can a teenager ride the Pere Marquette alone?

Not if they're 13 to 15. Amtrak lists the Pere Marquette as one of four routes where unaccompanied minors can't ride between any stations, along with the Mardi Gras Service, Downeaster and Heartland Flyer. Kids 12 and under always need someone 18 or older with them. Teens 16 and up have no restrictions.

How early should we be at the station for the Pere Marquette?

About 30 minutes, as Amtrak suggests. In Grand Rapids, that means arriving around 5:30 a.m. for the 6:00 a.m. train, so set out clothes the night before. In Chicago, Union Station is busy, and families with small kids are often boarded ahead of the crowd, so stay near the gate for the 6:30 p.m. departure. Missing it means waiting until tomorrow.

What if my child gets scared on the Pere Marquette?

Start with the horn: tell them it's coming and listen for it together. Dark windows on the early and late trains can seem spooky, so share the tunnel spread in Rally Takes the Train, where Rally rolls into the dark and comes out saying goodbye to the tunnel. The Chicago crowds can overwhelm, so pick a quiet spot to wait before the 6:30 p.m. train. With only three stops in between, the countdown is short.

Is the Pere Marquette safe for kids?

Yes, with the basics. Hold hands on the platform, especially in the early morning dark at Grand Rapids in fall and winter, and keep everyone back from the edge until the Pere Marquette has fully stopped. Inside, kids should be in a seat or holding on whenever the train is moving, with shoes on, and hand in hand between cars. At St. Joseph, Silver Beach is across from the station, so keep hands held until you're clear.

What if the Pere Marquette is delayed?

The Amtrak app shows a live train map, so check it, plus Amtrak's travel advisories, especially before the 6:30 p.m. trip home from Chicago. A delay on a train that already reaches Grand Rapids at 11:34 p.m. means a very late night, so pack extra snacks, water and diapers. Since the cafe varies by train, your own bag is the backup, so tuck in a few Rally activity pages as well.

Is the Pere Marquette good for a Chicago day trip with kids?

Yes, if your kids can handle an early start. The train gets to Chicago at 9:08 a.m. and leaves at 6:30 p.m., which gives you more than nine hours in the city. The catch is the 11:34 p.m. return to Grand Rapids, so bring pajamas and expect sleepy kids.

What if we can't find seats together on the Pere Marquette?

Don't settle for scattered seats right away. Walk to the next coach on the Pere Marquette, since an open pair may be a car away, and in the meantime keep the youngest next to a parent. Boarding early at Grand Rapids or Chicago helps most. Keep young kids beside you the whole way, including the 50-minute Grand Rapids to Holland hop.

How do I ask someone to switch seats so the kids can sit with me on the Pere Marquette?

Ask as soon as you board, before people doze off on the early train. Keep it simple ("We're traveling with a toddler, would you trade?") and offer the same kind of seat you're asking for: a window if they give up a window, facing the way they were facing. If the answer is no, smile and move on. The conductor can also help, by finding you empty seats and getting bags moved off them.