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Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States
Photo: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Quad Cities is a metropolitan area of five, not four, closely-entangled cities and their suburbs on either side of the Mississippi River between Iowa and Illinois. It is part of both the Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa regions.
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By car
The Quad Cities are accessible from the east by Interstates 80 and 88, from the west by Interstate 80, and from the south by Interstate 74.
By train
Amtrak plans to provide one train each day with direct service between Chicago and Moline. No start date has been announced as of Dec 2021.
By bus
Public transportation via city buses is available, but not widely used. The Illinois side of the metro area is served by MetroLINK buses. The Iowa side is served by two separate bus systems.
By water taxi
A unique way to see the Quad Cities is from the Channel Cat Water Taxi, an open air boat that transports people and bicycles to the Iowa and Illinois shorelines.
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Moline · Regional · MLI
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Davenport is one of the Quad Cities, in Eastern Iowa. This Midwestern city on the bank of the Mississippi River has seen a great deal of action throughout history.
Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, in Eastern Iowa.
Le Claire is part of the greater Quad Cities area, in Eastern Iowa.
Moline is one of the Quad Cities in Western Illinois. Moline's downtown serves as one of the civic and recreational hubs of the Quad Cities; many events take place at the 12,000-seat TaxSlayer Center (formerly known as The MARK of the Quad Cities and iWireless Center) and at John Deere Commons.
Rock Island is one of the Quad Cities in Western Illinois. Downtown Rock Island has art galleries and theaters, nightclubs and coffee shops, and restaurants of all flavors.
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