Starting in 2018 Amtrak will no longer stop in Williams. The junction existed to shuttle people to the Grand Canyon Railway and its hotel.
The Grand Canyon Railway has run a shuttle service between the train stop and its hotel for almost 20 years. Xanterra Parks and Resorts, the company that now owns the hotel and train to the Grand Canyon, said the Amtrak train schedule between Chicago and Los Angeles was too unpredictable and the shuttle became too much of a burden.
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said the Williams junction, located 3 miles outside of town, was also unstaffed.
“Instead of stopping at a platform in the woods, we will be taking care of people where we have staff in Flagstaff,” Magliari said. “We believe in the end this will turn out to be a longer trip for people from Flagstaff to the canyon, but once they’re off the train they’ll have more options.”
In Flagstaff there are hotels and restaurants within walking distance of the Amtrak station. But those who use the shuttle don’t want to see Williams bypassed all together.
