Chicago Union Station - arrival & luggage

[michelle]

Hi !

We are first time Amtrak riders planning a trip out of Chicago at Christmas (Southwest Chief to NM). I was wondering about getting to the train station with our luggage.

We are planning to stay at an airport hotel (hotel room with 14 days of parking is cheaper than other parking options I have seen?). We are departing on a Sunday - is it feasible to ride the "L' from the airport to the train station with luggage on a Sunday morning (i am guessing the L will be less crowded then)?? Or should we just pay for a taxi? (how many suitcases can fit in the truck of a Chicago taxi - husband, myself & 2 kids will fill car)?

I have read on here that we should plan to arrive about an hour before train departure - but I am thinking about arriving sooner....as hotel checkout is at noon. How early can we check our suitcases? Once we check them, we would have some more mobility - maybe even pay for locker for carryon luggage so we could explore a little while waiting????

(and no we do not have a sleeper - so are not able to use first class lounge for stuff - and yes I have read how wonderful the sleeper service is - but in interest of buying a few Christmas gifts and paying my mortgage we are in coach (so un-American to pay my own mortgage instead of letting the gov't but then we are old-fashioned!)

Thanks!

 

[yarrow]

as far as taking the el (blue line) from o'hare, we recently did this 2 parents, 2 kids and our luggage and it worked fine. takes about 40 minutes and then about a 15 minute walk (with luggage) to union station

 

[RRrich]

Hi !
We are first time Amtrak riders planning a trip out of Chicago at Christmas (Southwest Chief to NM). I was wondering about getting to the train station with our luggage.

We are planning to stay at an airport hotel (hotel room with 14 days of parking is cheaper than other parking options I have seen?).

Thanks!

I would think of driving my car to CUS on Saturday and checking my bags then - they can either store them until Sunday or put them on the train on Saturday. Then on Sunday all you will have to schlep will be your carry-ons.

My limited experience is that Amtrak personnel are willing to cut folks a little slack as in taking bags a day early - not like airline folks with the TSA watching them

 

[AlanB]

Hi !
We are first time Amtrak riders planning a trip out of Chicago at Christmas (Southwest Chief to NM). I was wondering about getting to the train station with our luggage.

We are planning to stay at an airport hotel (hotel room with 14 days of parking is cheaper than other parking options I have seen?).

Thanks!

I would think of driving my car to CUS on Saturday and checking my bags then - they can either store them until Sunday or put them on the train on Saturday. Then on Sunday all you will have to schlep will be your carry-ons.

My limited experience is that Amtrak personnel are willing to cut folks a little slack as in taking bags a day early - not like airline folks with the TSA watching them

Heck they could even do that on Sunday morning, then drive back park the car, and take the Subway in.

 

[RRrich]

Heck they could even do that on Sunday morning, then drive back park the car, and take the Subway in.

No Way Jose - Sunday mornings are for sleeping and Buffets

 

[the_traveler]

Heck they could even do that on Sunday morning, then drive back park the car, and take the Subway in.

No Way Jose - Sunday mornings are for sleeping and Buffets

Who says you can't sleep and eat while driving? I do it all the time! :lol: (Sometimes when someone else drives too! )

 

[Guest]

Just be sure to have all your essentials in your non-checked baggage including a blanket/medicines. My mom recently took Amtrak and even though she had a light jacket she was cold the entire trip and could barely sleep. (It was still relatively seasonable outside) She did not have any additional items to put on since it was all in her "checked" baggage. The blanket/throw may not be necessary but it is a good thing to have in case it's chilly. Some times they can adjust the temp and some times you just have to accept it.

 

[RRrich]

Who says you can't sleep and eat while driving? I do it all the time! :lol: (Sometimes when someone else drives too! )

When I go, I want it to be in quietly, in my sleep - like what happened to my Grandpa.

I don't want to be screaming and yelling like the passengers in the car Grandpa was driving. :blink: :lol: :unsure:

 

[michelle]

Just be sure to have all your essentials in your non-checked baggage including a blanket/medicines. My mom recently took Amtrak and even though she had a light jacket she was cold the entire trip and could barely sleep. (It was still relatively seasonable outside) She did not have any additional items to put on since it was all in her "checked" baggage. The blanket/throw may not be necessary but it is a good thing to have in case it's chilly. Some times they can adjust the temp and some times you just have to accept it.

THANKS everyone - sounds like a decent plan to check the bags early - I never even considered Amtrak taking them Saturday!, but either Saturday or Sunday morning would be a better solution than a $50 taxi ride. I have been reading the other 'first timer' posts to get an idea of what to take in carryons.......after years of airplane travel we always take enough on a carryon to cover an extra day of travel when stranded somewhere (airlines always strand us somewhere!) - - - and have read that layers of clothing are important as it can be cold or hot depending on the coach we get.........will be nice to take food on board..........always looking for more good tips about Coach travel or tips for departing out of Chicago!

Is one airport closer or easier? O'hare versus Midway? After reading above post now see that the "L" is a walk from union station - is there not a commuter train that goes from an airport directly to Union station?

 

[MrFSS]

Is one airport closer or easier? O'Hare versus Midway? After reading above post now see that the "L" is a walk from union station - is there not a commuter train that goes from an airport directly to Union station?

O'Hare El is the Blue line and you can exit at Clinton Street and walk two blocks north to CUS.

Midway is the Orange Line and it goes to the elevated loop. Exit at Quincy/Wells and walk two blocks on Jackson (west) to CUS.

There is no direct El service to CUS. There is Metra service from a number of places outside of downtown Chicago that go right into CUS. See Metra's website for details.

 

[AlanB]

THANKS everyone - sounds like a decent plan to check the bags early - I never even considered Amtrak taking them Saturday!, but either Saturday or Sunday morning would be a better solution than a $50 taxi ride. I have been reading the other 'first timer' posts to get an idea of what to take in carryons.......after years of airplane travel we always take enough on a carryon to cover an extra day of travel when stranded somewhere (airlines always strand us somewhere!) - - - and have read that layers of clothing are important as it can be cold or hot depending on the coach we get.........will be nice to take food on board..........always looking for more good tips about Coach travel or tips for departing out of Chicago!

Just make sure that you've got one desginated driver, in case you can't find street parking and don't want to pay to park in a garage, and one adult who can check in the luggage.

Is one airport closer or easier? O'hare versus Midway? After reading above post now see that the "L" is a walk from union station - is there not a commuter train that goes from an airport directly to Union station?

I believe that Midway is actually a bit closer, but not by too much. However there are no elevators or escalators at the Quincy/Wells station, which could make it harder on you to carry your luggage down the stairs. The Blue line station at Clinton, does have an escalator to help get the luggage up most of the stairs. The final 12 or so you'll have to carry things. There's probably a lot more hotels though out by O'Hare and the Blue Line. It's also a slightly shorter walk from Clinton to Union Station, than from Quincy/Wells.

And yes there is a commuter train that does make stops at O'Hare, but it's schedule is very sparse on weekdays and it doesn't run at all on weekends. So no help there.

 

[fizzball]

O'Hare El is the Blue line and you can exit at Clinton Street and walk two blocks north to CUS.

EDIT: I sit corrected. Sure enough, the Clinton I was thinking of was on the green line, not the blue.

Alternately, you could take the Blue line to Jefferson Park and hook up with Metra there into Ogilvie. Could be more hassle than it's worth.

 

[p&sr]

South! Walk south! And it's about 4 blocks to CUS; CUS and Ogilvie Transportation Center are right next to each other, and Ogilvie is the one closer to Clinton.

When I got off the Blue Line at Clinton last summer, Union Station was located 2 blocks to the North. Chances are, it still is.

 

[AlanB]

South! Walk south! And it's about 4 blocks to CUS; CUS and Ogilvie Transportation Center are right next to each other, and Ogilvie is the one closer to Clinton.

When I got off the Blue Line at Clinton last summer, Union Station was located 2 blocks to the North. Chances are, it still is.

I concur, CUS is north of Clinton and Ogilvie is north of CUS. One can actually walk along one of the north side platforms at CUS to the northern exit and find oneself catycorner from Ogilvie.

Fizzball you're thinking of the Clinton stop on the Green line, in which case you would be correct. But someone coming from O'hare would be on the Blue line and would therefore go to the Clinton stop on the Blue line. No point in making a transfer and a longer walk with luggage.

 

[p&sr]

One can actually walk along one of the north side platforms at CUS to the northern exit and find oneself catycorner from Ogilvie.

Yes, through the Train Dungeon. Along track 3, 5, 7, or 9 as I recall. A remarkable experience!

 

[fizzball]

corrected my OP. I can usually read maps, honest!

 

[AudenHoggart]

One can actually walk along one of the north side platforms at CUS to the northern exit and find oneself catycorner from Ogilvie.

Yes, through the Train Dungeon. Along track 3, 5, 7, or 9 as I recall. A remarkable experience!

How do you get to this passageway if you arrive on one of the southside platforms? I've looked for direction signs for this exit and never spotted any.

 

[AlanB]

One can actually walk along one of the north side platforms at CUS to the northern exit and find oneself catycorner from Ogilvie.

Yes, through the Train Dungeon. Along track 3, 5, 7, or 9 as I recall. A remarkable experience!

How do you get to this passageway if you arrive on one of the southside platforms? I've looked for direction signs for this exit and never spotted any.

If you arrive on the southside of CUS, you just walk north through the center of the station on the track level. There are two main passageways that can get you from the south side to the north side. Then just pick a sliding door to either track 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 I believe (I'm pretty sure the 3 is too low, might start with track 5) and walk through the open door and out onto the platform. Keep walking north along the tracks until you reach the stairs at the northern end of the Platform.

The map found on this page might give you some idea and help to understand what I'm talking about. You can certainly see the two corridors that lead from the south side to the north.

 

[p&sr]

How do you get to this passageway if you arrive on one of the southside platforms? I've looked for direction signs for this exit and never spotted any.

For the (northern) Train Dungeon at Chicago Union Station... if you arrive via the South Platforms, just enter the station, head left (west) to where the Baggage Claim is, then right (north) past the Metra Ticket Office and past the corridor under Canal Street which would lead to the Great Hall. Then you have to turn right... same as if you wanted to go up the escalators and exit at the north-east corner of the Station (Adams Street at the River). Except do not go up any escalators. All along your left, you will see the North Platforms (Tracks with odd numbers). Enter as if to board a train at one of the tracks (not the first or the last one, I think tracks 3, 5, 7, & 9 work OK). Keep walking along the platforms in the semi-darkness, past whatever trains are there boarding or de-boarding, through the rumble of countless diesels, through the fumes and crowds and commotions. Keep walking until finally the platforms end, the tracks continue on into Darkness, and you find stairs leading up to Madison Street. And there you are. To your left is Canal Street. If you cross both Madison St and Canal St, you will be right by the front entrance to the Ogilvie Station. And to your right is the River. If you cross Madison Street at the River, the building there has an entrance which leads to an indoor pedestrian bridge right into Ogilvie Station.

So you can walk between the two Stations by crossing only one single street. Put the rest of your walk Underground, and enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Chicago Train Dungeon!

Here's a map of both Stations, with their various entrances:

http://metrarail.com/Sched/md_n/chicagounion.shtml

 

[p&sr]

Then just pick a sliding door to either track 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 I believe (I'm pretty sure the 3 is too low, might start with track 5) and walk through the open door and out onto the platform. Keep walking north along the tracks until you reach the stairs at the northern end of the Platform.

I think you're right on this. I remember that the first and last platforms do not go through, but I forgot that each platform serves TWO tracks! So the platform for Tracks 1 & 3 does not go through. At least the next four platforms (Tracks 5 through 19) should go through all the way to Madison St. (underground).