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Question about taking the train
My DH and I grew up near Kalamazoo, MI and now live in Houston. When going home, we usually take a direct flight from Houston to Grand Rapids. This year at Christmas the flights are well above $400 each.
If we fly from Houston into Chicago, it will be more like $250 each. We're thinking about taking the train (Amtrak) from Chicago to Kalamazoo after the flight.
I haven't taken that train since I was a little girl, and I don't remember much about the experience.
Can anyone give me any advice or suggestions about this process? We'll be coming into OHare and need to get to Union Station. Then we'll need to check our bags on the train.
We were thinking of trying to check our bags early and spend a few hours in downtown Chicago. Does anyone know if that's possible to check them hours before the train leaves?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Re: Question about taking the train
I am from MI originally and I take the train back frequently. It is a really easy way to get there.
When you get to O'Hare you can take the Blue Line (It's a CTA Line that runs right into the airport) to the Clinton stop. When you get off and Clinton (about a 40 minute ride I'd say...) you're a few blocks from Union. It's $2.25 per person each way, so it will be cheap to take the Blue Line to and from Union.
I'm not sure about checking your luggage on the train. Generally speaking, in the front or back of each car they'll have wracks for large suitcases, and then above the seats is storage for carry on size luggage. Check with Amtrak about that.
I hope this helps! I'm not on the Chicago board much, but I'll check back to see if you have any follow up questions.
Thank you for that advice.
I seem to be hearing from a lot of people who think that we will be able to take our luggage on the train with us. We travel with very large bags (often right at 50 lbs) at Christmas, because we have both clothes and gifts.
Because it will be a long day of travel, we're talking about taking the last train out of Chicago (6:00). We'll be getting into OHare a little before noon. We had hoped that we could spend some time between our three hour plane ride and our three hour train ride in downtown Chicago, getting lunch, looking at the windows, shopping for last minute stocking stuffers, etc.
If we do take a lot of time between the plane and train but we can't actually CHECK the luggage, we'll need to store it until we can get it on the train car with us.
Any suggestions for how to deal with the luggage?
I thought about calling ahead to see if one of the bigger hotels near Michigan Ave. would let us store our luggage there for a few hours while we shopped. We could also cross our fingers that the storage lockers at Union Station are big enough for our luggage. My mom mentioned sending our luggage FedEx ahead of us so we wouldn't have to deal with it.
Can you suggest routes for the following, in case it works out that we'll need to do this: OHare > Miracle Mile and Union Station >Miracle Mile?
Hmmm...it's going to be interesting making this all work.
I'm also from MI and used to ride Amtrak all the time to get home
I know it's possible to check bags, but it depends on whether or not the stop you're going to has baggage service.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Content_C&pagename=am/Layout&cid=1241267293829 This is the baggage information page on Amtrak's website, and it explains very specifically what you can and can't do. Kalamazoo does not have checked baggage service, so you'll have to carry your bags on. The good thing is, you can bring up to 2 bags each on the train- but they all have to be under 50lbs. This doesn't include purses or briefcases, though, so if you have a big purse or something, that doesn't count towards your 2 pieces. I always used to bring 2 large bags, a backpack and a purse and no one said anything.
http://www.chicagounionstation.com/lockers.html This is information about Union Station's storage lockers. They have a "jumbo" size, which may fit what you need. That might be your best bet for your luggage.
Hope this helps!! And have a blast while you're here! (and in MI!)
You'd be better off skipping the Mag Mile area and sticking to the Loop shopping district. You could leave your bags at the Hotel Burnham and having lunch at the Walnut Room at the State Street Macy's (used to be flagship Marshall Fields) or at the restaurant overlooking the skaters at Millennium Park. Or check out the Kristkindlemarket at Daley Plaza.
The Mag Mile isn't on the train line between the Loop and O'Hare, and you'll waste time in transit.