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I haven't been to the Durham one, but went to both Cary and Raleigh within an hour of each other two weeks ago. The Cary one had about 2 open spots and the Raleigh one had none. We circled and one opened up. Maybe Durham is better? For what it's worth, I felt less skeezed out at the Cary station, but you can't actually buy tickets there if you're wanting to do that too.
Where do you live? There's also a station in Wilson, which is the same distance from our house as the one in Raleigh. When my nephew came to visit from Charleston, we found that the fare was cheaper to Wilson than to Raleigh, plus it arrived sooner. Depending on where you're going and where you live, Wilson might be another option to look at.
I would say Cary. I've never seen it more than half full (or half empty if you're a pessimist). I've only been there on weekends, though so maybe it's busier during the week.
When I lived in Cary four years ago, there were always spots at the Amtrak station. It might even be better now that there is no DMV office sharing the station.
The station in Durham has plenty of parking. There is a ~30-space paved lot, and then an unpaved overflow lot that has about 40 or so more spaces. I have plenty of friends that have left their car there for the weekend.
If you're headed to Virginia and points north, the Amtrak station at Rocky Mount is another option. Because of the circuitous routing of Amtrak trains Raleigh-Selma-Wilson-Rocky Mount, you can almost always drive and outrun the train between Raleigh and Rocky Mount. Don't count on outrunning it north of Rocky Mount, though.
Hmmm, I'm headed west so the Wilson/Rocky Mount stations would be out of the way (but good to know for future reference).
So it sounds like Cary is a better option than Raleigh.
I was on the train a little over a month ago.... I wouldn't travel in or out of the raleigh stop. Crowded at the boarding... people are rude and it is inefficient.
Cary seems calmer and more polite, but I have never boarded/disembarked there.
I usually go in/out of the Durham station. It has never been overly crowded but even if it were, the flow is smooth and the Amtrak employees are polite.
Cary used to have plenty of parking, but there is some major construction going on over there now, so a large part of that lot has been taped off.
I have boarded and disembarked in Cary on numerous occasions, and I can't complain at all. Only a handful of people at most and no seedy crowds like you might see at the Greyhound station. Since there is no luggage check-in, the porters are generally very helpful in stowing large suitcases in the back of the cars near the bathrooms.
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