Ride the bus for the most direct route. Amtrak offers thruway service between St. Louis and Carbondale, which takes about 2 1/2 hours and costs about $35 to $50, depending on the season.
Catch the Illini or Sluki to Chicago. These two Illinois trains offer one morning and one afternoon departure out of Carbondale.
Consider booking the Texas Eagle out of Chicago. The Texas Eagle is a viewliner train that continues on to San Antonio and Los Angeles. Your 5 hour, 30 minute trip will be more comfortable aboard the viewliner than on any of your other choices.
Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak's web site in the "Resources" section below. On the web site, you can book your train reservations via Amtrak's Fare Finder. You can also navigate the site if you have a PDA, Blackberry or other handheld device.
If you ordered your tickets online or by phone, pick them up at a ticket agent or at one of the Quik-Trak kiosks that can be found at many Amtrak locations (you'll need to enter your reservation number). If you've booked your trip far in advance, you can also request that your tickets be mailed to you.
Have a plan. Train travel from St. Louis to Carbondale will take about 10 hours, so plan what cities you want to see along the way. Train vacations are a great way to spend time with the family and see the country at ground level.
