Toronto to Chicago

[Bill]

Looking into a rail trip by a tour company...starts in Chicago..a western trip with the ride back thru Canada..I can get to Chicago easy by the Cardinal...after 10 days we end up in Toronto..from there,I am on my own,no longer with the tour, what would be the best way to get back to Chicago so I can catch the Cardinal back to Cincinnati.The tour company can arrange something for me but I would like to hear an option or two...Thanks.

Never been in Canada and never took a ten day escorted rail trip..being single it is a bit more expensive but after looking into all the things included...actually not too bad...perfect timing...Feb 1st to the 10th...my time off of work...anybody ever been on an escorted rail adventure before?

 

[the_traveler]

I've never been on an escorted tour. Nobody dares to be around me for that long!

From TWO back to CIN, you could return to the Cardinal via CHI or NYP. If you CHI, I would take the ML to a city like ROC, SYR or even UTA to connect to the LSL westbound. (It's better then sitting in BUF (Depew) for hours and hours.) But if you connect in NYP, you would have the expense of a hotel stay AND a VERY early departure after a late night arrival!

 

[amtrakwolverine]

You could catch the maple leaf from Toronto to Buffalo-Depew (BUF) then catch the Lake shore limited back to Chicago.

 

[Mackensen]

There's no longer any kind of direct connection at Port Huron/Sarnia. You'd have to go Toronto-Sarnia, spend the night there, and then catch the Blue Water Port Huron-Chicago with a 6 AM departure. There's a cab company that offers Sarnia-Port Huron at a flat rate. Last time I checked it was $30-$40. You're much better off with the Maple Leaf/Lake Shore Limited, even with the 11 hour layover in Buffalo.

 

[kal-tex]

Another alternative would be to travel by VIA to either Sarnia or Windsor. You would have to cross the border on your own (taxi, bus, or on foot). You could then catch one of the Michigan trains to Chicago. A Sarnia border crossing would put you in Port Huron. A Windsor border crossing would put you in Detroit. The trip from Toronto to Windsor is about 4 hours; from Toronto to Sarnia: about 4 1/2 hours. There is a single train per day from Port Huron to Chicago, departing Port Huron at 6 AM - probably necessitating a hotel overnight in either Sarnia or Port Huron. There are three trains per day from Detroit to Chicago (departing 6:05 AM, 10:40 AM, 5:35 PM), so you could probably manage it all on the same day.

The Port Huron train (the Blue Water) used to run all the way to Toronto, but the Canadian portion was eliminated a few years ago.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

A same day trip between Toronto and Chicago is quite doable (I’ve done it a couple of times) Depart Toronto on VIA at 12:05pm and into Windsor at 4:05pm. Taxi transfer to the Amtrak station in Detroit.....it’s about $40. You may have to call a couple of cabs as not all are authorized to cross the border. Amtrak #355 departs Detroit at 6:15pm and into Chicago at 11pm.

You could also use VIA departing Toronto 7:35am arriving Windsor at 11:30am. Then you would have plenty of time to use public transit. Windsor Transit and the “Tunnel Bus” to Detroit…..then Detroit Transit to the Amtrak Station.

A google search will get you all the info you need.

http://www.citywindsor.ca/001209.asp

 

[Ranke]

As NS Via fan notes, a direct, same-day Chicago-Toronto trip is feasible, despite the cumbersome tranfer between Windsor and Detroit; and having paid for a rail tour, you probably won't mind the additional $40. taxi fare. But should you be short of funds by then, and for others looking to save, there's also a public transit option: from the Windsor station, go one block south to Wyandotte Ave.; take westbound #2 bus (4x/hr - $2.45) to Goyeau St.; take Tunnel Bus from nearby tunnel entrance (2-3x/hr - $3.75) to Beaubien/Jefferson in downtown Detroit; take northbound DDOT bus #53 (7-8x/hr.- $1.50) 3 miles to Amtrak Station (Woodward/Baltimore).

 

[jimhudson]

Be careful if you go in the dark, h34r: the area is definitely not Park Avenue, the station is kept locked, must have ID and or a ID to enter, security guard is on the premises! :help: I would suggest taking the taxi, Detroit is a pit except along the River!Can't stress this enough, ive crossed the border here numerous times (family lives in windsor) and they all follow this! Especially targeted are people alone and with luggage or lots of stuff that look like "tourists!" Take the Maple Leaf to rocjester, then the Lake Shore!

 

[Bill]

Thanks guys...no easy way back..the trip is on the Empire Builder west and then the Canadian back...sounds exciting.Will see if tour company can get me to Chicago easier.