Serving Chicago, East Lansing, Flint, Port Huron, and intermediate points

Amtrak train numbers: 364 and 365

Predecessor railroad train numbers: Canadian National/Grand Trunk Western Various

Until the start of Amtrak in 1971, Canadian National Railways and its U.S. subsidiary, the Grand Trunk Western, had run several trains a day between Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal, crossing the U.S./Canadian border between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario.

The discontinuance of these trains meant that Amtrak's Chicago-Detroit service was the only passenger rail in Michigan, leaving cities such as Battle Creek, Lansing, and Flint without train service.

The state of Michigan decided to fund a restoration of train service over the route between Chicago and Port Huron, on September 14, 1974, Amtrak inaugurated the Blue Water Limited, a day train running from Chicago to Port Huron.

In 1982, the train was extended to Toronto as a joint venture with VIA Rail and was renamed the International.

Condensed historical timetables:

  READ DOWN                           READ UP
(1975)  (1980)                    (1980)  (1975)
 3:15P   4:15P Dp Chicago      Ar 11:35A  12:10P
 9:20P   9:22P    East Lansing     8:10A   8:20A
10:35P  10:13P    Flint            7:22A   7:07A
11:55P  11:35P Ar Port Huron   Dp  6:15A   5:45A

The Amtrak Train Names Project