Trains from Indy
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There are some trains to New York from Indy three times a week. The Cardinal departs Indy on Wed, Fri, and Sun., mornings at 1:45 AM, and arrives in New York Penn Station at 11:30 PM. I've heard this is a pretty scenic route through KY and WV. The train also makes stops in Cincinnati, Washington DC, and Phily.
Also daily trains run from Indy to Chicago. That would be a fun day trip if you want to roam Chicago. You can depart Indy at 6:50 AM and arrive in Chicago at 10:40 AM. Returning, you leaving CHI at 7:45 PM and arriving in Indy at 1:35 AM.
This is pretty much the same train that takes you to New York, but it only goes past Indy three times per week.
I'm sure you'll get some other info from people who have riden this route. I plan on riding this route, from Indy to Washington DC next spring.
Chris
Also daily trains run from Indy to Chicago. That would be a fun day trip if you want to roam Chicago. You can depart Indy at 6:50 AM and arrive in Chicago at 10:40 AM. Returning, you leaving CHI at 7:45 PM and arriving in Indy at 1:35 AM.
This is pretty much the same train that takes you to New York, but it only goes past Indy three times per week.
I'm sure you'll get some other info from people who have riden this route. I plan on riding this route, from Indy to Washington DC next spring.
Chris
I hope to meet more people on this board who has traveled trains a lot. I don't know many people who do that any more. We live in Illinois (Peoria) and we would take the bus to Indy and then to NYCity and back.
I wonder if we should drive, save money on the train by taking the cheapest passenger option or try to get sleeping quarters. This is for a family of four but they are all over l4 (no freebies unless we can get some deals).
Thanks
I wonder if we should drive, save money on the train by taking the cheapest passenger option or try to get sleeping quarters. This is for a family of four but they are all over l4 (no freebies unless we can get some deals).
Thanks
What saxman has posted above is pretty much it. There are more choices available if you go via Chicago. For example, it would also be possible to travel to Chicago, then board the Capitol Ltd., and then board yet another train when you arrive in Washington DC. The Capitol Ltd has historicallyhad a higher rate of sleeper availability. I would recommend the sleeper over spending the night in coach any time. Its just that I have been more comfortable sleeping while laying down than I have while in a sitting position. One advisory about the standard sleeping "roomettes": They are small. When the bunks are down, they will take up all of the floor space. The "roomette" is actually fairly spartan in its accomodations. Come to think of it, there are a lot of things on the train that are much smaller than their "shoreside" counterparts. Another thing: you aren't taking the American Orient Express, so don't expect super luxury surroundings. If you want to be waited on hand-and-foot, then the AOE is what you should be looking at, not Amtrak. The sleeper is Amtrak's version of first class, so expect to pay rates comparable to airline first class.
The route that goes via Indianapolis then proceeds through Cincinnati, and then via the New River Gorge in WV. What you heard about this route is correct - the section throughout WV is very scenic.
One additional item, as long as I'm on the topic: The frieght RR's own the tracks, do all of the traffic control, and pay for all of the upkeep for the tracks. The freight RRs also have been experiencing extremely high levels of traffic volume for the past several years. All of these factors come into play when dealing with Amtrak, and can affect the punctuality and quality of your experience. In many ways, these factors are out of Amtrak's direct control. For example, the landlord RR can "downgrade" their own tracks, or perform maintenance. both of these items can result in Amtrak getting delayed because the landlord RR has reduced the speed limit over that stretch of rail. Some dispatchers will also give priority to their own trains over Amtrak, making Amtrak take a side track to get out of the way of the freight. Your experience can be affected by items out of Amtraks control.
I will also point out that it's inaccurate to judge the entire operation based upon one ride of one train. I've had good bus rides and bad ones, as well as uneventful flights, and flights from Perdition. Don't judge things based upon one experience.
I enjoy taking the trains, and have taken several trips over the years. I also do a considerable amount of camping in Wilderness Areas, so spartan accomodations don't bother me. I do like having someplace to lay down overnight, though.
The route that goes via Indianapolis then proceeds through Cincinnati, and then via the New River Gorge in WV. What you heard about this route is correct - the section throughout WV is very scenic.
One additional item, as long as I'm on the topic: The frieght RR's own the tracks, do all of the traffic control, and pay for all of the upkeep for the tracks. The freight RRs also have been experiencing extremely high levels of traffic volume for the past several years. All of these factors come into play when dealing with Amtrak, and can affect the punctuality and quality of your experience. In many ways, these factors are out of Amtrak's direct control. For example, the landlord RR can "downgrade" their own tracks, or perform maintenance. both of these items can result in Amtrak getting delayed because the landlord RR has reduced the speed limit over that stretch of rail. Some dispatchers will also give priority to their own trains over Amtrak, making Amtrak take a side track to get out of the way of the freight. Your experience can be affected by items out of Amtraks control.
I will also point out that it's inaccurate to judge the entire operation based upon one ride of one train. I've had good bus rides and bad ones, as well as uneventful flights, and flights from Perdition. Don't judge things based upon one experience.
I enjoy taking the trains, and have taken several trips over the years. I also do a considerable amount of camping in Wilderness Areas, so spartan accomodations don't bother me. I do like having someplace to lay down overnight, though.
If you go via Chicago, you can also take the Lake Shore Limited directly to New York. This train operates via Cleveland, Buffalo, and Albany.
Amtrak also operates a coach-only train from Chicago to New York via Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. However, that train will be discontinued in March (at least, the Chicago-Pittsburgh segment anyway).
It is certainly possible to survive a night in coach. I have done it many times, and many others do so as well. The seats are far more comfortable than those you'd find on a bus, and offer more legroom than airlines do. The two main drawbacks to coach travel are the lack of a flat bed, and the lack of privacy. If that doesn't bother you, then coach travel is a very economical way to travel, and you get the same scenery that sleeper passengers get.
When are you planning on making this trip?
Amtrak also operates a coach-only train from Chicago to New York via Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. However, that train will be discontinued in March (at least, the Chicago-Pittsburgh segment anyway).
It is certainly possible to survive a night in coach. I have done it many times, and many others do so as well. The seats are far more comfortable than those you'd find on a bus, and offer more legroom than airlines do. The two main drawbacks to coach travel are the lack of a flat bed, and the lack of privacy. If that doesn't bother you, then coach travel is a very economical way to travel, and you get the same scenery that sleeper passengers get.
When are you planning on making this trip?
My suggestion is to go to http://www.amtrak.com and check the fares they have there. The relevant station codes are IND for Indianapolis, CHI for Chicago, and NYP for New York.
This would give you the fares for the Capitol Limited (to DC) with a connection to New York, as well as the Lake Shore Limited directly to NY. Both the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited run out of Chicago Union Station in downtown Chicago, "not exactly" close to O'Hare, but for $1.75 (possibly $2 next year) you can take a Blue Line elevated train from O'Hare to two blocks south of Union Station (Clinton stop).
While schedules will change in April, long-distance trains generally don't experience significant shifts in their schedules (though, anything is always possible). Currently, the Lake Shore Limited is due out of Chicago around 7:30 PM (I can't think of the exact time offhand, but it's around there), and arrives at New York Penn Station (NYP) the next day at around 3:30 (though, depending on the level of freight traffic, the train may be late, sometimes by an hour or two).
The Capitol Limited leaves Chicago at 5:30 PM, and gets to DC the next day, around noon or so (around there, maybe a little bit later). There is frequent service between DC and New York (hourly or better), and on a conventional ("Regional") train, the trip takes about 3 to 3.5 hours.
The Cardinal, as you probably checked, leaves Chicago after 8 PM, goes through Indianapolis at around 1 AM, and gets to New York at 11:30, if on time. However, the Cardinal can suffer delays due to congestion (as noted earlier) and you may find yourself getting in well after midnight.
If you're starting in Peoria, it's probably easier for you to get to Chicago than Indianapolis anyway. You can take a train from Bloomington-Normal to Chicago to connect with the trains out of Chicago, or you can drive directly to Chicago and start there.
I personally would recommend a train out of Chicago as opposed to Indianapolis, simply because of the better departure times and faster trip times to New York. However, if you're interested in scenery, the Cardinal is probably the most scenic long-distance route in the east (though the Capitol Limited isn't really that far behind).
If you have any more questions, post them here. There probably isn't a route in the system that someone on this board hasn't ridden (in fact, there are very few routes that I personally haven't ridden, and come January, that number should be even lower).
This would give you the fares for the Capitol Limited (to DC) with a connection to New York, as well as the Lake Shore Limited directly to NY. Both the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited run out of Chicago Union Station in downtown Chicago, "not exactly" close to O'Hare, but for $1.75 (possibly $2 next year) you can take a Blue Line elevated train from O'Hare to two blocks south of Union Station (Clinton stop).
While schedules will change in April, long-distance trains generally don't experience significant shifts in their schedules (though, anything is always possible). Currently, the Lake Shore Limited is due out of Chicago around 7:30 PM (I can't think of the exact time offhand, but it's around there), and arrives at New York Penn Station (NYP) the next day at around 3:30 (though, depending on the level of freight traffic, the train may be late, sometimes by an hour or two).
The Capitol Limited leaves Chicago at 5:30 PM, and gets to DC the next day, around noon or so (around there, maybe a little bit later). There is frequent service between DC and New York (hourly or better), and on a conventional ("Regional") train, the trip takes about 3 to 3.5 hours.
The Cardinal, as you probably checked, leaves Chicago after 8 PM, goes through Indianapolis at around 1 AM, and gets to New York at 11:30, if on time. However, the Cardinal can suffer delays due to congestion (as noted earlier) and you may find yourself getting in well after midnight.
If you're starting in Peoria, it's probably easier for you to get to Chicago than Indianapolis anyway. You can take a train from Bloomington-Normal to Chicago to connect with the trains out of Chicago, or you can drive directly to Chicago and start there.
I personally would recommend a train out of Chicago as opposed to Indianapolis, simply because of the better departure times and faster trip times to New York. However, if you're interested in scenery, the Cardinal is probably the most scenic long-distance route in the east (though the Capitol Limited isn't really that far behind).
If you have any more questions, post them here. There probably isn't a route in the system that someone on this board hasn't ridden (in fact, there are very few routes that I personally haven't ridden, and come January, that number should be even lower).
My wife and I recently flew to O'Hare and took a taxi to Union Station - $35 for both of us and luggage. There are also very regular vans and buses for about the same price (check out O'Hare's web site for details) and the ride is about 45 minutes assuming traffic is normal on the expressway.
cbender
Service Attendant
Since you're in Peoria, I recommend getting on the train in either Galesburg or Bloominton-Normal. I used to live in Urbana, and took the train to Chicago a number of times. It was fast and generally a comfortable ride. Granted, that was a different train than the Gailsburg or BN routes, but there should be pretty frequent service on those lines.
A quick check on amtrak's website shows 3 different trains that go from Galesburg to Chicago (Illinois Zepher, Cal Zepher, SW Chief) and 3 that go from Bloomington-Normal to Chicago (Statehouse, Texas Eagle, Ann Rutledge). Either of those seem like a lot easier than driving all the way to Indy, and the fares should be pretty cheap. Once you're in Chicago, you've got more options to get wherever your going.
A quick check on amtrak's website shows 3 different trains that go from Galesburg to Chicago (Illinois Zepher, Cal Zepher, SW Chief) and 3 that go from Bloomington-Normal to Chicago (Statehouse, Texas Eagle, Ann Rutledge). Either of those seem like a lot easier than driving all the way to Indy, and the fares should be pretty cheap. Once you're in Chicago, you've got more options to get wherever your going.
cbender
Service Attendant
One other thing - I have taken the mass transit train from downtown Chicago to both airports. It is cheap, easy to do, and only involves a few blocks walk. The ride does take a while (45 minutes if I remember correctly), so be sure to check timetables before booking airline tickets or you might find yourself wishing you'd left more transfer time.
Chad
Chad
cbender
Service Attendant
I haven't taken the Lake Shore or the Three Rivers, but if you're headed to NYC for a cruise, then amtrak may not be the best way to go. Amtrak is habitually late because of the freight railroads. If you're trying to schedule a connection in New York, you may miss your ship, unless you schedule in a lot of extra time. Granted, if it were me, I'd schedule in a couple of days in the city just to see things. There is plenty to do here - I've been out here for 5 years and haven't come close to exhausing the possibilities.
Others here can comment better on the reliability of the Lake Shore and Three Rivers, but I recommend caution in booking non-Amtrak connections.
Others here can comment better on the reliability of the Lake Shore and Three Rivers, but I recommend caution in booking non-Amtrak connections.
G
Guest
Guest
A few quick things:
1) Have you considered forwarding some of your luggage ahead of you via UPS? That would make traveling easer.
2) You could drive to Galesberg, take Metra to Union Station (multiple departures daily) and take the Lakeshore. While not the most scenic route on Amtrak since it is almost all overnight, you do get to see the Hudson Valley.
3) If you take the Lakeshore and want to truly arrive in style, depart at Croton and take Metro-North into the city, then you get to arrive at Grand Central Terminal. Might not be the most practical way to go, but there is no better way to first experience Manhatten.
4) Coach is not as bad as the rep it gets here. If you can sleep in a lazy boy with the tv on, you can sleep in coach. I found I never sleep better then in a coach seat with the rocking of the train.
1) Have you considered forwarding some of your luggage ahead of you via UPS? That would make traveling easer.
2) You could drive to Galesberg, take Metra to Union Station (multiple departures daily) and take the Lakeshore. While not the most scenic route on Amtrak since it is almost all overnight, you do get to see the Hudson Valley.
3) If you take the Lakeshore and want to truly arrive in style, depart at Croton and take Metro-North into the city, then you get to arrive at Grand Central Terminal. Might not be the most practical way to go, but there is no better way to first experience Manhatten.
4) Coach is not as bad as the rep it gets here. If you can sleep in a lazy boy with the tv on, you can sleep in coach. I found I never sleep better then in a coach seat with the rocking of the train.
I considered this on one trip an the price was expensive. I belive ther may be some alternates as the restricions for air travel is creating shipper's looking at this service.Guest said:
As other have mentioned, you will need to watch your luggage. Since the Cardinal from INdy to NYC does not offer checked baggage, you will have to carry on all of it. There are luggage racks at the end of each car, but Amtrak only allows 2 carry-ons plus a personal item (purse, laptop, backpack) per person. You may be able to do it as long as everyone packs a reasonable sized bag or two. If not consider getting to Chicago to take the Capitol Ltd. or Lake Shore. In May, the winter storms shouldn't be a problem. Since you are catching a cruise, plan to stay in New York at least one night. The trains could be late, but most likely not highly late. (more than 5 or 6 hours) If you only have 5 or 6 hours between your train and cruise, you could easily miss it. Thats my rule of thumb anyways. Just remember to enjoy the trip and the scenery, and its alot easier when your connection or timelyness is not an issue.
Chris
Chris
