Lansing Forum: Chicago to Mt Pleasant

You might also consider looking at Tri City airport. (MBS) This will be close to Mt. Pleasant. The cheapest flights to Michigan are usually into Detroit DTW.

Flint's Bishop airport has some of the cheapest fares available.

http://www.bishopairport.org/rental-cars.htm for rental cars.

Another option---Look into taking the Amtrack train from Chicago to East Lansing, than renting a car and driving to Mt. Pleasant (about 1 hour drive). They have one direct train from downtown Chicago to East Lansing (Blue Water 364), leaves Chicago 4:10 pm, arrives E. Lansing 9:29 pm, depending on how far you book in advance, day traveling I saw 1 way ticket as low as $22 (Sept 26), other dates were under $50 each. They also have 2 other trains that you can take, but you will get off train in Battle Creek, and than they put you on a bus that will take you to the East Lansing Train station. Those times were may actually be better for you.

The key is to book early---as the train fills up, prices go up. Also, check "hot deals" sometimes you can find a fare actually cheaper there than on the regular website. But those are kinda of a hit or miss. My daughter took the train last fall (had to take bus from East Lansing, to Battle Creek, than train) had direct train back. No problem--other than train was late coming in to Chicago---they share tracks with freight so trains can be delayed.

Anyways, this may be a less costly way, you will have to get a hold of Amtrack to find out how to get a rental car in East Lansing.

Renting a car in Chicago can be costly (son lives there) tax's are very high. And driving out of the city can be a real pain.

P.S.

The Amtrack train is very nice, however I would recommend taking food on the train with you (plenty of places to buy sandwichs, around and in train station). There is a dining car, the food is not very good (like vending machine pizza, sandwhich) and $$$. I took the train last month to Chicago, and got a great sandwich in the food court @ train station.

Firstly thanks to everyone for all this help! If this is anything to go by Michigan will be a friendly place.

The cheap flights I found on a comparison site from Chicago to Flint actually turned out to be to Detroit. I suppose that might be worth considering.

The train sounds good but we are tight for time both for planning and the actual time there (10 days).

Does anyone know about continuing on to Niagara and Toronto. Would we be best to drop the car in Niagara and if so is it easy to get to Toronto by ferry? Is it easier to hire a car from Detroit to Niagara or Toronto?

My niece lives near Chicago and went to school in Mt. Pleasant. She found that the best way to get back and forth was to fly through Detroit. However, since you are continuing on to Toronto, I would recommend renting the car in Chicago, taking it to Mt. Pleasant and then seeing Niagara before dropping the car in Toronto. You'll wind up saving a fair amount over the train plus the short rentals, but you do need to find an agency that will let you take the car into Canada. Or, you could drop the car in Niagara and take the boat to Toronto.

Be sure to do search for discount and specials at the major rental agencies.

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