Amtrak is a great way to travel long distances.  Business travel can be accomplished via train, rather than by plane or personal vehicle.  This allows a much lower emissions level per trip, and it is a relaxing option for travel.  Business trips by train are also opportunities to relax or work during the trip, with plenty of space and few distractions.

University employees are entitled to discounts on Amtrak. Discounts are offered Monday through Friday for business travel only. There is no discount code and reservations cannot be made online. Contact Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) or TDD/TTY (1-800-523-6590). Be sure to identify travelers as State of Illinois employees. Government issued identification (i-Card) is required. Discounts are not offered for all city pairs.

Inter-campus travel: In order to facilitate sustainable and convenient travel between campuses, meeting organizers are encouraged to schedule meetings around the Amtrak schedule. For Chicago meetings, start after 10:30, end by 3:30; in Springfield start after 10:45, end by 4:30; in Champaign, start after 11:00, end by 6:15 (as of October 2013 Amtrak schedule)

Sustainability drivers:

• Economic – less expensive
• Environment – reduces emissions and energy consumption
• Society – you can work while in transit – benefits office