Chicago to Atlanta - best way to go?

[CelticWhisper]

I'm planning a trip to Atlanta in early April and am wondering the best way to do it. I have about 50K AGR points so I should be able to get one way free, but I'm curious about routes. As I understand it, ATL is serviced by the Crescent, which runs from NY to NOLA. This means that, in theory, I could connect via either the Cap or the CONO. Amtrak's site is only showing me the Cap-->Crescent as a single bookable trip.

I'm fine with this if it's the best way to go, but is there any advantage to riding the CONO and connecting in New Orleans instead of DC? Scenery, rolling stock, stations, sleeper pricing, etc?

 

[DennisInGeorgia]

No advantage to the CONO option unless you wanted to go partying in NOL before the 7am departure of the northbound Crescent. You're out dinner and a hotel night too. The Cap-to-Crescent is a good trip with good scenery and the Acela Lounge in DC is nice. It's much better for you IMO. Enjoy.

 

[CelticWhisper]

Awesome, sounds like a plan. Thanks!

 

[Seaboard92]

Depending on your days you can take the Cardinal and connect in CVS which had a very nice downtown. And then you get to go try the new river gorge in daylight

 

[niemi24s]

If you can depart Chicago on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday you could take the Cardinal to Charlottesville VA and transfer there to the Crescent. Some say the train trip through West Virginia and Virginia is very scenic - calling it the Grand Canyon of the East. But for some reason, going with the Cardinal is almost always a fair amount more expensive (coach or sleeper) than using the Capitol Limited. In addition, I hear the food on the Cardinal is not as good as that on the Capitol Limited.

Maybe the tie breaker would be whether to fritter away 5 hours in Washington DC or Charlottesville VA.

 

[Lonestar648]

I have made a similar trip many times Chicago to Greenville, SC and back. I found the connection in Washington, DC about right, especially if the CAP was delayed arriving. Union Station is so big I had no problem stretching my legs some before settling down in the Acela Lounge to get some work completed. Also, I always enjoy the scenery on the CAP.

 

[CelticWhisper]

I've done the full length of the 29/30 route a couple of times so the Cap would be a known quantity. Comfort in the familiar and all that. Never done the Cardinal or the Crescent, so that would be new scenery to behold. Also never ridden in a Viewliner. If I were to do Cap/Crescent one way and Cardinal/Crescent the other, is there a time of day that would be preferable with regard to sights to see? Also, is there a side of the train I should try to sit on?

Also, because this is me, the inevitable tinfoil-hat question: I know APD are all over at WAS (and PVD, which isn't on this trip), but generally it's just APD with K9s. I know of the infamous TSA incident in Savannah back in 2011. Anything to note regarding searches/screening/privacy at CVS or ATL?

 

[niemi24s]

Just toss your stash out the window into the bushes at some safe location before the train gets to the station. :giggle:

 

[CelticWhisper]

Just toss your stash out the window into the bushes at some safe location before the train gets to the station. :giggle:

Roffle.

Nah, nothing like that. I'm just rather...absolutist...when it comes to privacy and freedom from searches. JoeBas can back me up on that one - I discovered Amtrak along with a group of others who boycotted airlines after the Great Engropenment began in 2010 and so I'm kind of hypervigilant about making sure my rail travels are free from screening.

 

[looshi]

I've done the full length of the 29/30 route a couple of times so the Cap would be a known quantity. Comfort in the familiar and all that. Never done the Cardinal or the Crescent, so that would be new scenery to behold. Also never ridden in a Viewliner. If I were to do Cap/Crescent one way and Cardinal/Crescent the other, is there a time of day that would be preferable with regard to sights to see? Also, is there a side of the train I should try to sit on?

The gorge will be dark going westbound this time of year. I'm not sure about April, but it might be borderline. You will get better daylight scenery going eastbound. The best scenery on 50 is the left side until Hawk's Nest and then you usually cross over to the other side of the gorge, putting the best scenery on the right until Clifton Forge.

 

[CelticWhisper]

I've done the full length of the 29/30 route a couple of times so the Cap would be a known quantity. Comfort in the familiar and all that. Never done the Cardinal or the Crescent, so that would be new scenery to behold. Also never ridden in a Viewliner. If I were to do Cap/Crescent one way and Cardinal/Crescent the other, is there a time of day that would be preferable with regard to sights to see? Also, is there a side of the train I should try to sit on?

The gorge will be dark going westbound this time of year. I'm not sure about April, but it might be borderline. You will get better daylight scenery going eastbound. The best scenery on 50 is the left side until Hawk's Nest and then you usually cross over to the other side of the gorge, putting the best scenery on the right until Clifton Forge.

Okay, so taking the Cardinal there and the Cap back might be the optimal solution here. I know the scenery on the westbound Cap as you leave DC is pretty great.

 

[Seaboard92]

The cardinal has the second to worst dining experience of the long distance trains. The Silver Star is the worst. If you are good with a late lunch the Cardinal arrives in CVS around three. Could do a late lunch and a dinner in CVS. There is a Wild Wing last time I was there in the station.

 

[PaulM]

I'm planning a trip to Atlanta in early April and am wondering the best way to do it. I have about 50K AGR points so I should be able to get one way free,

I believe CHI to ATL is 2 zones which costs 20,000 points for a roomette. So if you book prior to the changeover, you should be able go RT for free and have 10,000 left over.

 

[willem]

As PaulM noted, you should be able to go round trip on points, but it is two zone redemption each way. Going through New Orleans would be a one zone redemption, but it isn't a published route, so it cannot be done under the current AGR rules.

If you took either the Capitol Limited or Cardinal to a zone border city (Toledo or Cincinnati, I believe), then the onward trip would be one zone and 15,000 points. An AGR agent could probably book the trip such that you stayed in the same roomette. You would need to decide if saving 5,000 points is worth the cash fare.

You could go one direction on the Capitol Limited or Cardinal and the other direction (for cash) on the City of New Orleans. Some people have said the food on the CONO is poor.

 

[keelhauled]

Normally I appreciate the hands off moderation on AU, but the lack of action on this particular subject is getting tiresome.

 

[niemi24s]

Do you feel a micturition contest brewing too?

 

[jebr]

Normally I appreciate the hands off moderation on AU, but the lack of action on this particular subject is getting tiresome.

The best way to alert staff of an issue with a post is by using the report feature. This alerts all moderators and admins when we log in, and most if not all of us get emails as well whenever something is reported. We then will discuss it and determine whether the post should be hidden or not.

With that said, I have hidden a few posts in the thread that, to me, are obviously off-topic.

This is also a reminder to please keep this on-topic. This is not a thread to discuss the overall merits of whether the Cardinal route is a route worth having; we've hashed that out numerous times on other threads. If there is additional information to discuss on the topic, please revive one of the many topics discussing it. This topic is for discussing the practical aspects of travel from Chicago to Atlanta.

 

[Palmland]

Let me be a lone voice for the New Orleans option. Of course I'm biased. That city is one of our favorites any excuse to spend a night or two there is worth the detour. We're don't party but do enjoy the great food, music and architecture in that city. It is unique. We recently took the CONO and it was ok if you eat dinner in Chicago, which is also a treat, and enjoy a light breakfast and lunch. The small southern towns are interesting and the crew, New Orleans based, were friendly and informative. We even enjoyed our mid morning Bloody Mary in the CCC car handled by a very professional attendant who brought her own secret ingredients (spices from the Bahamas). The Crescent trip is also interesting for similar reasons including the crossing of Lake Pontchartrain. Guess it depends on what you're looking for in train travel.

 

[CelticWhisper]

Let me be a lone voice for the New Orleans option. Of course I'm biased. That city is one of our favorites any excuse to spend a night or two there is worth the detour. We're don't party but do enjoy the great food, music and architecture in that city. It is unique. We recently took the CONO and it was ok if you eat dinner in Chicago, which is also a treat, and enjoy a light breakfast and lunch. The small southern towns are interesting and the crew, New Orleans based, were friendly and informative. We even enjoyed our mid morning Bloody Mary in the CCC car handled by a very professional attendant who brought her own secret ingredients (spices from the Bahamas). The Crescent trip is also interesting for similar reasons including the crossing of Lake Pontchartrain. Guess it depends on what you're looking for in train travel.

Good to know. I'm planning a pretty big trip in 2017 that will involve the CONO so I'll definitely be able to experience it sooner or later. Sounds like it would involve an overnight stay in NOLA though, and with the recommendations for the Cardinal I might stick with that for this trip.

That said, I'll keep it in mind in case something comes out about the Cardinal that's a total deal breaker (e.g. TSA is a permanent presence in CVS) it's good to have as an option. Thanks!

 

[me_little_me]

Let me be a lone voice for the New Orleans option. Of course I'm biased. That city is one of our favorites any excuse to spend a night or two there is worth the detour. We're don't party but do enjoy the great food, music and architecture in that city. It is unique. We recently took the CONO and it was ok if you eat dinner in Chicago, which is also a treat, and enjoy a light breakfast and lunch. The small southern towns are interesting and the crew, New Orleans based, were friendly and informative. We even enjoyed our mid morning Bloody Mary in the CCC car handled by a very professional attendant who brought her own secret ingredients (spices from the Bahamas). The Crescent trip is also interesting for similar reasons including the crossing of Lake Pontchartrain. Guess it depends on what you're looking for in train travel.

Good to know. I'm planning a pretty big trip in 2017 that will involve the CONO so I'll definitely be able to experience it sooner or later. Sounds like it would involve an overnight stay in NOLA though, and with the recommendations for the Cardinal I might stick with that for this trip.

That said, I'll keep it in mind in case something comes out about the Cardinal that's a total deal breaker (e.g. TSA is a permanent presence in CVS) it's good to have as an option. Thanks!

More reasons for going via New Orleans in 2017.

The streetcar will take you cheaply to the hotels near the French Quarter.

Lots to do in the evening in that area.

Both the SL going west and the Crescent going northeast to Atlanta are often at bargain prices. For the Crescent, ATL is a daytime trip and you can get included meals and a roomette for pretty cheap (assuming Amtrak still includes meals in 2017).

It's possible (okay, a dream) that the SL will extend to Florida so it would be a cheaper way to get there.

 

[neroden]

Given your interests I'd do a loop using the trains you haven't taken before:

Cardinal, Crescent / Crescent, CONO or CONO, Crescent / Crescent, Cardinal.

 

[CelticWhisper]

Aaaaand it was much ado about nothing, I'm afraid. AGR was only willing to book me via the Cap and Crescent, so it's looking like it'll be those routes both there and back. Dangit.

Will have to plan to experience the other routes on my 2017 trip.