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I'm still working on my additional SE capitals trip and wondered if anyone can help me: Is Birmingham a nice city downtown? Where is the Amtrak station? Is Montgomery nicer? Any advice on what hotels to stay in in these cities? Remember, I'll be a female traveling solo, and will not be renting any cars. Thanks!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sojourner- While I have spent little time in Birmingham, Montgomery has a great downtown and very walkable. The Capital was also, of course, the capital of the Confederacy and Jeff Davis' home is nearby. Also several civil rights museums. Some antebellum houses and a small part of the downtown has been saved from developers.
I would recommend the Embassy Suites. I saw a Sat. night rate of $109 in mid April and I think it's worth it for the full breakfast, advice from a concierge, help with local travel and above all its location directly across from the beautifully restored L&N train station. One of the few stations in the country still standing with the full shed roof over the tracks. You should be able to walk to most places including the riverside park that includes a great minor league baseball stadium. If you are lucky you might catch a Montgomery Biscuits game on Sat. night.
Birmingham is a more prosperous city, but can't speak to the downtown area although they have demolished the train station to make way for a new intermodal station to include bus and new trolley system.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Thanks, Palmland. Montgomery sounds very nice, but what has me worried is its Greyhound station. Since posting, I spoke with someone who told me it's not so safe there, and that I should take a taxi there "right before the bus leaves"--but you really can't do that, because Greyhound reserves the right to dump passengers from buses even when they have tickets.
I think I will forget visiting Montgomery for now and see if I can find more info about getting there some way other than Greyhound.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Yes, Greyhound can be a grim way to travel. I wonder if there is an airport shuttle from Montgomery Airport to Atlanta. Montgomery does not have very good air service so a lot of the residents just fly out of Atlanta. You might try this: Airport Shuttle Services (Montgomery) - (334) 279-6662
Birmingham is closer at 90 miles but less likely to have public transportation to Montgomery.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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There is something called Birmingham Door to Door which may have services between Birmingham and Montgomery; the office is closed weekends so I could not find out. And I will check the shuttle you mentioned as well. The thing is, whether I use the shuttle from Atlanta or Birmingham to Montgomery, I would still have to take it BACK to Birmingham or Atlanta. That means a different trip that the sojourn to Tallahassee.
It also means going to Tallahassee from Jacksonville, where there will be a long layover (hopefully making the connection, since I don't want to spend yet another overnight in a hotel! esp in Jacksonville!) This capitol-visiting scheme with trains and buses is starting to cost me big bucks! I mean, I could take a nice cruise or Canadian train trip for what I'll be spending to visit Tallahassee and Montgomery; I'm not sure it's worth it!
What I would have liked is to knock off Montgomery on the same trip, instead of wasting time in Jacksonville, which I've already visited. For instance, I could Amtrak to Birmingham (or Atlanta) and catch a Greyhound same day to Montgomery, overnight 1-2 nights there, and then catch a Greyhound to Tallahassee. The times aren't prohibitive, but if the Montgomery bus station is such a dump where I need to worry about my safety, I don't think that's much of a vacation, is it?
What I really need to is to find out more about the Montgomery bus station from more people who have been there. One person's comments may be inaccurate; but I don't know reliable sources on this info.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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On the Montgomery bus station you might try calling a Visitor Information Center in Montgomery......then maybe a couple of random calls like to the local newspaper and maybe a local automobile dealership. Yeah, the people who answer the phones in those places aren't supposed to know the answer to that question BUT you may be able to make some judgements based on their initial reaction. Just a thought.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by palmland: Birmingham is a more prosperous city, but can't speak to the downtown area although they have demolished the train station to make way for a new intermodal station to include bus and new trolley system.
Mr. Palmland, while this station (SRY) has long since been chopped down (well before A-Day), did this one used by Amtrak also get the treatment?
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Well, Mr. Norman, I think that is what I heard - that the L&N station is gone. Was getting a book on Birmingham railroads autographed by the authors. So I would think they would know but may have misunderstood.
I'm not sure what part of that station Amtrak still uses. Hopefully someone can give us an eyewitness report.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I was there just over a year ago and the old L&N station was still standing but Amtrak used the little waiting room in what appears to be an old baggage room next door. That's the same as it was back in 1976 when I lived in B'ham for a few months.
Ms. Sojourner: I do hope you will visit our city (Tallahassee) and do check my earlier post on the other thread you started.
If that shuttle from Montgomery to the Atlanta airport indeed worked, note that the MARTA rapid transit trains run from ATL airport to a stop not terribly far from Atlanta Amtrak and is connected via local bus.
As for checking into the Montgomery Greyhound safety...call the Embassy Suites and ask the concierge then call another time and ask for the front office manager or sales manager. I'm glad Palmland mentioned that hotel as I had forgotten...it DOES look very nice and is in a great location.
Posts: 561 | Registered: Jul 2003
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The photo Mr. GBN has attached is of the L&N station......an entirely serviceable 1960's affair which would certainly have had as much life left in it as the Milwaukee station had it been properly cared for.
I was last in Birmingham on a Crescent daytrip from Gainesville, GA about 4 years ago. This building stood empty and, as others have reported, Amtrak had a small waiting room which you entered through a corridor from the old baggage room. This was beside this building and Amtrak's 'station' was at the mouth of the concourse going back under the tracks. Amtrak is using the platform of this station but it has been some years since passenger facilities were located inside.
It's sad if this building has been demolished. I thought it to be relatively new and soundly built. It would have been a good candidate for renovation rather than replacement.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Actually, come to think of it, the L&N station does kind of look like a 1965 public library. I can't say that the architecture is 'attractive' per se BUT perhaps it warranted rehabilitation as an example of what the 60's contributed.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Silver Star, I hope I can come! See other thread re hotels etc, and thanks so much for all the info!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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