Coach boarding procedure at Chicago Union Station...

[thully]

What's the coach boarding procedure like these days at Chicago Union Station for corridor trains (i.e. the Wolverine)? I haven't departed from CHI in coach in a while - had BC or sleeper the last few times I departed there. Unfortunately, BC is sold out on the day/train I want to travel.

As I recall, it was somewhat convoluted the last time I took it (3 or so years ago), with passengers collecting boarding passes in the Great Hall, proceeding to the gate when it was announced, and then going from the gate to the proper track when it was called. I seem to be remember being given a number on boarding passes, but not sure if they used this to determine boarding order or not. Do they still do things this way, and how do they determine coach boarding order. How early should I get there?

 

[dogbert617]

As it stands right now at Chicago Union Station, if your train boards at 11:30am or earlier, you proceed right into the inside waiting area past the former ticket counter, and past the escalators up to street level. And instead of going left to the north waiting room(where Hiawatha trains board), you make a right to the south waiting room for any Wolverine trains.

I generally try to get there a little before 30 minutes from a train's departure time, so I can be among the first coach passengers to board when that train's first boarding call for boarding passengers is announced at CUS. And as I remember for business class, the first boarding call for those who upgraded to BC is a little before, I think 40-45 minutes before a train's departure? Hadn't ridden BC in forever, so I forget. I'm just positive it's 30 minutes before a train leaves for the first coach boarding call, if you're riding out of CUS.

And finally IF it's after 11:30am, you just wait in the great hall (or whatever that area is called, you know as seen in The Untouchables film) area, for your train to get its first coach boarding call(about 30 minutes before your respective train's departure time). The Amtrak employees will eventually either tell you to get into line 1, or line 2 (both clearly marked) to board. Of course if it's before 11:30am, go right into the south Amtrak waiting room(except north waiting room for Hiawatha passengers)

 

[thully]

I'd be taking a train after 11:30am (352). So there's no need to check in and get a boarding pass in the Great Hall anymore? Or does that happen when they do the first coach boarding call?

If they indeed ditched the check-in/boarding pass part in the Great Hall, that would be nice...