Amtrak / Amtrak Lincoln Service to Alton
MCT Trails Edwardsville / Alton
Madison County trail network near Alton with Amtrak access and lots of route-shaping options.
Field Trip Needs recheck 5h 5m to good stuff 40 mi 2/5 intervals
Decision
Field Trip overnight option, cool dry weather, Amtrak bike space available
Avoid hot windy day, no return plan, limited services
Workout trail network exploring / endurance
Surface Mixed: Mostly trail-network riding; not technical, but car-light and route-rich.
Access
Chicago Union Station to Alton 4h 55m typical train time
10 min roll to the useful riding
The Alton train makes the concept possible, but this is a long-day or overnight candidate.
Confidence
Geometry Generated
Surface Inferred
Access Needs recheck
Last checked 2026-05-28
Scouting card: verify trail status, access, and route shape before treating the GPX as ride-ready.
Hazards
- Long access · medium Better as a mini-trip than a same-day impulse.
Effort Windows
- Madison County trail network · 20-80 min Choose steady endurance loops rather than precise intervals.
Most useful as a route-network idea: once you are down there, the possibilities multiply.
Planning note: this entry was added as an off-road possibility. Treat the GPX and map line as scouting geometry until replaced with a ridden or sourced route file.
Ride Sheet
Amtrak Chicago Union Station to Alton
Access 5h 5m to good stuff
Workout trail network exploring, endurance, amtrak experiment, low-traffic miles
Bailouts Alton, Edwardsville, MCT access points
Water Alton, Edwardsville, trail towns
Bathrooms MCT trailheads when open
Best When overnight option, cool dry weather, Amtrak bike space available
Avoid hot windy day, no return plan, limited services