Midwest dominates Amtrak's FY 2016 station customer survey

Four Midwestern Amtrak stations – two in Missouri and two in Michigan – are in the top ten list for overall station experience in FY 2016, according to an Amtrak station customer satisfaction survey.

According to Washington, Missouri’s newspaper, The Missourian: Kirkwood, Mo., placed second overall with a 96 percent rating – fractions of a percentage point behind Norfolk, Va. – followed by Dearborn, Mich., with 95 percent. Durand, Mich., was fifth, a fraction of a percent behind Dearborn, and Washington, Mo., was eighth, with a 94 percent score.

Rounding out the top ten are Durham, N.C. (fourth), Edmonds, Wash. (sixth), Saco, Maine (seventh), Wells, Maine (ninth) and High Point, N.C. (tenth).

The survey did not cover all Amtrak stations nationwide; only stations that produced at least 100 respondents to the survey were included.

“We're excited to see two of our station stops ranked in the top ten of all U.S. stations. These rankings are reflective of the communities they serve and the stations have always been a gateway to them,” said MoDOT Administrator of Railroads Eric Curtit. “The stops add to their economic development and overall prosperity.”

Tim Hoeffner, Office of Rail administrator at the Michigan Department of Transportation, agreed.

“Stations are the gateways to the communities. It is great to see two stations from Michigan make the list as we have opened four new stations, including Dearborn, in the past three years,” he said. “Historic Durand Union Station always has been a crown jewel for rail travelers since it was built in 1903.”

Customers gave the Kirkwood and Washington stations high rankings for friendliness of staff, ease of train boarding process, cleanliness of station and personal safety. During MIPRC's 2016 annual meeting, MIPRC officers, commissioners and partners traveled to Kirkwood and learned about that station's volunteer program in detail from Station Manager Bill Burckhalter (see photo above).

Kirkwood and Washington are stops along Amtrak’s state-supported Missouri River Runner route which travels twice daily between St. Louis and Kansas City.

Dearborn is a station on the state-supported Wolverine route (three trips daily between Detroit/Pontiac-Chicago); Durand is along the state-supported Blue Water route (daily Port Huron-Chicago), as part of Amtrak's Michigan services.

Amtrak specials are currently available for winter trips on all three lines, and in Illinois. See all Midwestern fare specials here.