Getting Around the Midwest and Great Plains

Road Network, Traffic

Car, RV

Rental

Bus

Two Wheels

Motorcycle

Bicycle

Trains

While the Amtrak network serves the Chicago area well, things are different heading west/southwest. There are only four main train lines and a few secondary ones, which limits options. Among the trains and lines operating in or crossing the region (see details):

• Chicago - Denver - Glenwood Springs - San Francisco: California Zephyr

• Washington - Pittsburgh - Cleveland - Chicago: Capitol Limited

• New York - Washington - Cincinnati - Indianapolis - Chicago: Cardinal

• Chicago - Memphis - New Orleans: City of New Orleans

• Chicago - Milwaukee - St. Paul/Minneapolis - Spokane - Portland/Seattle: Empire Builder

• Oklahoma City - Fort Worth: Heartland Flyer

• Milwaukee - Chicago: Hiawatha

• Indianapolis - Chicago: Hoosier State

• Chicago - Quincy/St. Louis/Carbondale: Illinois Service

• New York/Boston - Albany - Chicago: Lake Shore Limited

• Chicago - Grand Rapids - Detroit - Pontiac: Michigan Services

• St. Louis - Kansas City: Missouri River Runner

• Chicago - Albuquerque - Los Angeles: Southwest Chief

• Chicago - St. Louis - Dallas - San Antonio: Texas Eagle

Peripheral networks in major cities, such as the "greater Chicago" area, are also added. These are connected to the Amtrak network where possible.

Boats

Beyond cruises or purely recreational outings, the Great Lakes offer two or three interstate routes designed to help motorists avoid long detours, such as across Lake Michigan. For example, there’s a car-ferry line between Ludington (Michigan) and Manitowoc (Wisconsin), as well as Muskegon (Michigan) and Milwaukee (Wisconsin).

Domestic Flights

In Town

Taxis

Other Means

Urban bus:

Trams:

Subway:

Which Transport to Choose?

If there’s one region in the U.S. where a car is essential, it’s the Midwest. If you want to explore beyond the major cities, given the distances between (few) tourist spots and the limited public transport, you’ll have little choice.

Distances Between Cities

Distances (km) between the main cities in the region:

As a reminder, distances in the United States are measured in miles, with 1 mile = 1.607 km.