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I posted this on another Amtrak board but I figured two is better than one.
Has anyone been to the Columbia, SC Amtrak station?
I am thinking about taking the Silver Star down from Columbia to Tampa. It says there is free parking near the station. Is the station in an area of town where it'd be ok to leave one's car unattended for two days? I've never been to Columbia, but from the looks of it, the station is pretty close to downtown. It looks like a decent area from pictures, but of course pictures can be deceiving.
Thanks for any advice!
palmland Member # 4344
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I live near Columbia and the station is a step better than the usual AmShack. It was built in the late 80's when the city worked with the NS and CSX to relocate the Amtrak station from the former Seaboard station a few block away to share a right of way with the NS. It's not open at night but lately the Star has been close to on time.
For dinner I highly recommend the Blue Marlin restaurant which is in the old Seaboard station. One of Columbia's best restaurant's that of course has a nice ambiance. For lunch, I suggest California Dreamin' that is in the old Southern RR station. Excellent salads (and bloody Mary's).
The station is about as safe as any downtown location and does have free parking, although not a lot of it.
NativeSon5859 Member # 2993
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Thanks for the advice!
palmland Member # 4344
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Correction - meant to say the station is not open during the day. Of course it is open at night for train time.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Ditto with Palmland - Columbia, SC's train station is OK. Access is off a side street on the 'other side of the tracks' from downtown BUT I think this would make it a little safer to leave a car than at the former SAL station which is located right on one of the main streets.
Although the outside of the Columbia station looks different, the inside looks about like the Amtrak stations in Florence, SC and DePew, NY.
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