With four days for fun on my calendar, getting dropped off smack dab in downtown Chicago seemed like a great idea. No $60 overnight parking, no hunting for spots during the day. After all, in a city with fantastic public transit and plenty of cabs and ubers at my fingertips, an Amtrak journey seemed like stress-free weekend-away perfection!
I’ve taken my fair share of trips on Via Rail in Canada, and from a young age, have loved to travel by train. I was eager to see how Amtrak would measure up. It was a six-hour, early morning trip there, putting me in Union Station around noon. Plenty of daylight hours left for playing. Off to a good start!
As the person who usually does 100% of the planning on all trips I take, the train is a welcome break. I can sit back in comfort and relax. I can enjoy the journey. No watching the road, the gas tank, the traffic, airport queues, border crossings… I buy my ticket and unwind. And if I get a chance to ride in a sleeper car, all that x10, plus the bonus of getting lulled to sleep by the sway of the car and the soft rattle of the tracks.
Union Station in Chicago
The small-town train station I was departing from was busy for 5:30 in the morning, but as the starting place of the train, there were still lots of seats onboard. I bought my ticket in advance online, so all I had to worry about was getting a coffee on the way. As I booked in advance, I was able to get a Saver fare for my trip there. It’s the lowest of the four fair options, and not surprisingly, comes with some restrictions—purchase online, 14 days in advance, and there are a limited number of these tickets. For my trip home, the Saver and Value fares were sold out. I got a Flexible fare, the third-tiered price, and there was quite a difference– $31 vs $76. The only discernable difference is that the Flexible fare is fully refundable, where the Saver fare is only refundable for an eVoucher. Tip: buy your tickets early to get the cheaper fares! Worth noting if you are a last-minute planner, in some instances you can buy your tickets onboard, but you will pay the highest fare rate.
One thing I worry a bit about when travelling on trains in Europe is carry-on baggage theft. I’m not talking about your personal bag, but the bags/suitcases you leave at the end of the car when boarding. No worries on the Amtrak. I carried a carry-on sized bag and it fit easily in the above-head bins. Larger bags would have to go at the end of the car, but I didn’t get the feeling that anyone was concerned about theft.
Bike racks in the food car
Once on board, I found the seats comfy with plenty of leg room. The train was on the older side, but was comfortable. I was hitting the town with five girlfriends, so it would have been nice if we could have flipped our seats into foursomes like on Via Rail, but that wasn’t an option. Worth noting if you get motion sickness, though, is that half the car faces forwards and the other half faces backwards. Get there early if these things matter to you.
The morning selection in the Bar Car
After we settled for a bit, it was off to the bar car! Well, at 6 a.m., it is more aptly called the café car, but you get the point. The tables there accommodate 4, so you can sit with your travelling partners and plan your adventures. I did notice that a third of the tables had been removed to make way for bike storage, so space was limited. As for the offerings, you’ll find nothing unexpected– coffee, tea, juice, water, and easy packaged carbilicious snack foods. Later in the day you can also get drinks with more of a kick. Prices are reasonable and they take debit and credit cards, and of course, cash.
The free onboard Wi-Fi was a plus, but I found it spotty at times. Still, it’s certainly better than nothing. Don’t expect to be streaming the latest episode of Orange is the New Black, though. Checking email and basic surfing is about all you’ll be able to accomplish.
An interesting option on this train was the Quiet Car. It’s just what it sounds like– a library-like car for those who want to work or rest. Seats can’t be reserved, so get there early if you want to ride in peace. And if you’re a rowdy bunch, you better also get there early so you don’t get stuck on it!
Union Station in Chicago
I would definitely recommend an Amtrak journey as an alternative to driving. In fact, I’m considering booking one for a trip to the west coast. Did I mention that I love sleeper cars?
