Trains are a great way to travel while remaining in your wheelchair. I take the Milwaukee to Chicago Amtrak route several times a year. It’s easy, accessible, and once you get the hang of it you will wonder why you never did it before. I’ve also taken a much longer overnight journey from Milwaukee to Portland in addition to a shorter LA to San Diego trip.
Amtrak has some very spacious areas on their trains for chairs. They’ll also coordinate getting you on board with manual lifts. The Milwaukee and Chicago Amtrak crews are amazing at making this easy for me.
When you want to reserve a wheelchair space on Amtrak, it’s as easy as selecting the correct option on their home page. After you enter your train options, just make sure you specify wheelchair space. Click on the “Adult” link in the Traveler box.
Then select “Passenger with a Disability” under the discounts area. If you are traveling with a companion you can get a discount for them too. Just make sure you select two adults and make one a PWD and one the Companion.
It’s a small discount but it’s definitely better than nothing! In the pages that follow you will be asked about your chair and any service animals. Then you’ll buy your ticket.
You Should Go Anyway 