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Amtrak train 6 arrives Mount Pleasant at 9:54 (AM). From Mount Pleasant to Iowa City, Burlington Trailways operates a bus leaving at 14:55 (2:55 PM). The Amtrak station is at 418 North Adams Street in the center of Mount Pleasant. The Burlington Trailways bus stop is at 2005 East Washington Street close to the freeway access ramp. The distance between the two is 3.2 km (2.0 mi). Although it would be possible (just not very comfortable) to walk this distance with my luggage (unless the train is very late, I will have enough time), from Google Streetview I get the impression it's not very suitable for walking.

What are my alternatives to get from the Mount Pleasant Amtrak station to the Mount Pleasant Burlington Trailways bus stop? Is there any local public transportation? Any taxis that I can call or expect to be there? Is there a service through Amtrak to book local connecting transportation? Any other options I'm not thinking of?

P.S. I'm aware that Amtrak trains often run late, but this has improved in recent years, and I'm betting a 4⅘-hour transit is sufficient.

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  • Just like walking on a normal rural road. You might be able to find a cab or just ask someone to give a you a ride. Interestingly enough Google's Transit directions are a 39 minute walk. :)
    – Karlson
    Mar 7, 2013 at 22:13

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Mt. Pleasant is a small town of fewer than 9,000 residents in a rural county; there is no municipal mass transportation available. I do see listings for two or three taxi companies (A2z and Barnes, and sometimes others), so you might call ahead to see if they will have cars waiting for the train.

Mt. Pleasant is the nearest Amtrak station to Iowa City, home to the huge University of Iowa, but Iowa City taxis may not be interested (or licensed) to give you a ride locally within Henry County.

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  • Is there any smarter way of seaching for taxis than googling "taxi mount pleasant iowa"? I get listings from quite far from Mount Pleasant if I search with this string.
    – gerrit
    Mar 7, 2013 at 22:37
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    You could contact the Henry County Tourism Board (henrycountytourism.com) for a recommendation. I checked the Chamber of Commerce listings as well, but found no taxi companies that are members. Henry County is a rural county, so many services may be based quite far away, at least by European standards.
    – choster
    Mar 8, 2013 at 0:02
  • In Scandinavia, even very rural places often have taxi companies, where 99% of their job is to transport kids to school and patients to hospital (so the government is their main customer), but will take the occasional call from tourists even if only twice a year (at least so is my experience).
    – gerrit
    Mar 8, 2013 at 10:35
  • @gerrit I'm not saying there won't be taxi service. I'm saying that it wouldn't be unusual for taxis to be based 100 km away.
    – choster
    Mar 8, 2013 at 14:48
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    I received an answer: A 24 hour taxi service in Mount Pleasant can be reached at 319-986-5431. Please feel free to contact the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance with any additional questions- 319-385-3101.
    – gerrit
    Mar 13, 2013 at 15:48
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Aside from the taxi service that you noted in a comment, which may or may not still be in operation, since it appears to be someone's mobile phone...

By looking at your map, I see that you can walk nearly the entire distance on residential streets, leaving you about 350 meters through an industrial area and about 100 meters on US 34 where there is a right-turn lane but no shoulder. I would have no qualms about making this walk with rolling luggage.

Also, in rural areas, the taxi service(s) if any will typically know the bus and train schedules and often will arrange to be at the station when a bus or train arrives, in case a departing passenger needs a taxi. Or the taxi phone number will be available from the staff at the station.

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