Taking the AMTRAK from Chicago Union Station | US Train Travel 2021! | Southwest Chief Coach Class
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- čas přidán 5. 08. 2024
- Travel Vlog #72 | Chicago, Illinois
We are back, and we are finally on our final leg of our journey home from Mexico! We decided instead of flying as usual, we would take the Amtrak from Chicago to Kansas! We've done a lot of train travel in Europe, and were curious to see how the US train travel measured up, especially in 2021!
After a delicious breakfast at Cupitol Cafe and grabbing snacks for the journey at Trader Joe's, we headed towards Chicago Union Station! This train station is so beautiful, and we spent some time sitting in the main lobby enjoying the architecture.
We were taking the Amtrak Southwest Chief, which is a train that runs from Chicago to Los Angeles, and of course, we sat in coach class! We boarded our train around 2pm, to start the 12 hour long (or so we thought) journey home. The first 10 hours were uneventful, we got out when the train stopped, spent a lot of time in the observation deck, and even bought an overpriced microwavable cheeseburger. But at around 1am, things changed! The train stopped (neither one of us noticed right away because we were asleep) and no one told us why. So after Christian looked for the train attendants and couldn't find any, he called Amtrak, just to find out that the switch on the rails wasn't working, so we would be stuck indefinitely until the train coming directly at us had passed. 3 hours later, our train started rolling again, and we arrived at our stop at 5am! After basically hitch-hiking onto a bus, we arrived in our city's main bus station, caught an Uber, and finally made it home.
We had no problem with the train having to be stopped, you can't do much about that, we just wish Amtrak would have let us know what was going on instead of avoiding the situation. We want to take more US train journeys in the future, so we will absolutely be giving them another chance!
Thanks for watching, and don't forget to subscribe! We head off to Iceland THIS WEEK!
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We're Ashley & Christian, a newly-wed, mid-20’s couple on a mission to see at least 100 countries, slowly! (We have a 10 year goal) & possibly every country..?
We'll be uploading the vlogs from our trips over the past year as well as new vlogs, FAQs about frequent travel, packing videos, how to plan your own trips, etc.
While we currently work full-time jobs to support our passion, we will be working towards a year of FULL-TIME travel in the future!
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Time Stamps (click to skip)
00:00 - Whitehall Hotel
00:54 - Cupitol Coffee and Eatery
01:58 - Willis Tower (Sears Tower)
02:16 - Union Station
03:54 - Boarding the Amtrak
04:41 - Snack Haul!
05:05 - Bathroom Tour
06:02 - Observation Deck
07:33 - Coach Class Tour
08:49 - Snack Car Review
09:25 - When Things go Bad
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Thanks so much for watching, let us know if you have any Amtrak questions! Don’t forget to subscribe for our next trip that starts on Thursday: Iceland/Europe!
When I was a kid in Chicago, the Sears Tower used to be the tallest building in the world. :(
Ive taken the Amtrak to Chicago from Michigan several times because its cheaper then driving and paying for parking but there is ALWAYS a delay and they NEVER communicate the delay. So I'd say you had a pretty normal experience.
It's funny because we checked the arrival times for the past month on this specific line, and it had arrived on time over 90% of the time. My sister was picking us up and of course the time they have a major delay is when we're on it hahah
@@AshleyandChristian that seems to be how it goes lol
Just be informed that Amtrak has quiet hours between 10pm to 7am, so no announcements are made over the intercom during those hours. These quiet hours apply to pretty much any long distance Amtrak train.
Delay by how much? I'm going from chicago to MI says it arrives at 125pm
Gah…so frustrating. Just glad you guys made it home! Honestly the, the observation deck is just beautiful! You guys are so right about taking it through some scenic states!
We really think taking it through the PNW would be amazing!
Ashley & Christian great video and I'm glad you had a mostly great trip. Most likely you were stopped for something to do with a freight train in front of you. Because the freight railroads own the tracks that Amtrak runs on they are often subject to delay for a number of reasons. More than likely the reason no announcement was made is that they have quiet hours at night where they don't use the PA system so as not to wake anyone up. As well the car attendants and the Cafe car staff are off duty from 12am to 6am. The only staff on duty at night are the conductors and they often hangout in the crew car at night as well may have been busy during the delay on the phone or the radio or in some cases even off the train.
@Mark Del Monte thank you! That makes so much sense that they just weren’t at work at that time. No one has mentioned that yet, thank you!
Whoa, that yogurt dish! We spent a couple days in Chicago recently and LOVED it - but yeah, we feel ya on the cell service. Really cool that you did a train trip in the U.S., but sorry for the delays you had to endure. Thanks for sharing!
We just did a day in NY as well on an accidental layover and we felt the same about there too! I wonder though if we got lucky since tourism is still down due to covid.
@@AshleyandChristian It gets hotter in America and Canada during the summer months so there are heat restrictions (slower speeds) of the steel rails (tracks). They apply for both freight and passenger trains. When weather goes above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, or 32 degrees Celsius, heat restrictions kick in. While this doesn't happen much in the UK or Germany, this can happen in Southern European nations. The Italians paint their tracks white to avoid heat restrictions, but it gets hotter in America than it does in Italy....
I love Amtrak mainly because of the leg room too not to mention low price. Delays often come as part of the experience so I'm never in a hurry to get any where.
@jeff stowe they definitely have a ton of room on them which we loved! I think next time we take Amtrak, knowing there will be delays, will be better!
wow. great👍👍
I have been on that train on all my Amtrak Trips. I have been to Chicago IL Kansas City Trinidad CO and Flagstaff AZ I hope y’all had a blast on Amtrak
@Amber Hargues We did! We’d love to do more trips :)
Union Station opened in May 1925 making it 98 years old and going strong.
10p-7a or so is quiet hours. They're don't make announcements unless it's an emergency or something major...like if the train is cancelled. People riding in a sleeping compartment (and coaches) are probably sleeping and very much appreciated not being awoken to be told of a delay that they can't do anything about. I can't imagine how annoying it would be to be repetitively awoken just to be told the train is delayed. The attendants are off duty overnight. The conductor is always on duty.
Coach seat accommodations well presented - one thing, if riding solo, BOTH seats are yours! (quite comfortable that way). Railed SWC many times (esp NM/AZ to KC) in coach and always a great ride!
We’d love to do the trip up north too! It was pretty comfortable
Unfortunately, freight trains take priority over Amtrak with the use of the rails, so delays often occur when they have to wait. Amtrak does not like to make this information known (for obvious reasons). It is rare to get a route that isn't often late in arrival, it just all depends on the freight movements in the area. Amtrak is not ideal if you have to be somewhere at a very specific time, but great for leisure trips!
@Aubrye Ellzye that makes complete sense! I just wish they communicated it better, or gave you resources to find delays. We travel on European trains a lot and they’re very open about what’s going on, so this threw us off guard. We had a good experience overall with the train, they’re very well taken care of!
@@AshleyandChristian Yes, I guess maybe they feel full disclosure might cause them to lose revenue. I also loved traveling with them! It's a great alternative to flying, even with that little hiccup in their system. Great vlog, thank you for sharing.
@Aubrye Ellzye I definitely understand that from a business perspective haha. Thank you!
Wow I did not know that!! But I understand why railroads operate like that, cause commerce has to keep moving and not be delayed..
I will give one small correction, This Union Station was opened in 1925. and was replacing one built in 1881 that was located. on the same spot
I have no idea where I got 50 years, I think I was looking at the history of the wrong union station!
The vlog was well prepared. As always, this channel gives out the relevant information needed for travelers like me. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much, what a nice comment!
Gah!! So frustrating. I hope the rest of your trip is smooth. I’m hoping to take Amtrak cross country but will definitely make sure not to build in any tight turnarounds!
Thank you! I still think it's worth doing, it was so comfortable, but I think having a loose schedule is very helpful!
@@AshleyandChristian With Amtrak especially during the hot summer months with heat restrictions of the tracks, plan to get to your destination and any railroad connections a day early. I do the same with any mode of transit, then you won't sweat any delays. I rather spend a day in Chicago than miss a train and a wedding or birthday.
Hey, I enjoyed the Amtrak video. Two things for you. It is not THE Amtrak. It is just Amtrak. You can say The Amtrak Train. Also, Union station is not 50 years old. It is 96 years old. :)
Yes a few other people pointed out the age issue! I think I was reading the wrong union station history 😂
I'm going to start saying "THE Amtrak" just to piss off people like you.
@@RoguePhysicist makes about as much sense as saying your hungry and gonna eat a McDonalds.
No one likes a smart arse.
She said Union Station was about 50 years old. It was built in 1925. That makes it ALMOST 100 years old.
DUH. It's the middle of the night. It's called quiet hours. They don't make announcements during quiet hours.
Train travel is honestly the best way to travel.
We agree! It's honestly our favorite mode of transportation
Slowest and dirtiest you mean.
@@jeffdur1330 for your information amtrak is is super clean and super fast it went 90mph show some respet
@@Ratstronot118 my experience has been different, so I'll have to disagree. Respect is earned and they haven't earned it. Shrug.
@@Ratstronot118 in another comment you said your train was 40 hours late. Which is it? You're obviously confused.
How long should you arrive to stations for tsa, It will be my first time on train taking an Amtrak from Longview TX to Chi union station. Idk how baggage claims and tsa/security works or what should I expect from departing to arriving in that regard.
Hello! Hopefully if you've traveled already, everything went smoothly. But if not, I'd recommend about an hour before! It's pretty quick compared to flying.
I'm taking the Southwest Chief from DC to LA on Tuesday first time on Amtrak I hear it's nice but they are always delayed, it's usually because of the freight train
it was definitely nice! We had a great time otherwise, and if we would have been more prepared for a delay it would’ve been fine
so west chief does not go from DC
They don’t have intercom from 10Pm to 7am
There are often frustrations with train travel, but we know there are none with the airlines (yes....bit of sarcasim). If you get a chance I have enjoyed the Empire Builder. Taking it again in 26 days. The views are often stunning especially day 2 out of Chicago. Someday looking to try the Zephyr.
@Bill Hanson We’ll definitely have to check it out! I’m not sure if we mentioned it but train travel is actually our favorite way to travel. Still less hang up than flying usually 🤣
@@AshleyandChristian Yep, it's not perfect but compared to flying, driving or bus. For me its not even close. For me the trip is the vacation and where I stay is just a relaxing layover. I've heard the Zephyr is very beautiful, some say more. Just have never had the money for that route when I am able to travel. As such this is my 3rd trip to Seattle and have so enjoyed the last 2. I highly recommend giving the Empire Builder a try.
the host railroads can turn a nice amtrak trip from sugar to 💩 with delays , I ride the crescent quite often I must say the crew's on there are usually pretty good about letting the passengers know what's going on
Chicago Union station is 96 years old, built in 1925, Amtrak is 50 years old, but great video
I know I seriously got those years messed up!! Thank you :)
Looking for a video of train from Chicago to Wyoming.
that delay was nothing my train got delayed for forty hours
oh geeze 😳
Kinda sweet
Plus I train spot in Newton. Lol
I wish the US government would invest more in efficient national passenger rail. If they really want to go green and encourage less car use, it would be great. Especially if they had sprinters between more major and minor city destinations. In Europe in Japan they're just perfect. Meanwhile Amtrak is an industrial era holdover. I rode the California Zephyr last summer 2021. Aside from not being on time, it way stress free. At least I made it to Reno while the sun was still up. Instead of around 8am it was almost noon.
I agree! I would love more train options for the US
The largest city Amtrak doesn't go to is Phoenix. They once did. Also Union Station is much older than 50 years!
they also don’t come through Wichita, KS, and I think they used to come through there as well. I think they’re talking about expanding though?
@@AshleyandChristian sorry for my late reply. Amtrak expansion won't be done until the 2030s
So Chicago Union Station is "about 50 years old" - no mercy, closer to 100 years old (built in 1925)
After we posted this and uploaded it we looked it up again because 50 years didn’t sound right 😬 I have no idea where I got 50 years!!
@@AshleyandChristian all good, and a magnificent station!
Imagine all the complaints they would get if they made announcements every few minutes at 3AM.....
I try not to do coach class anymore if I can help it. Hygiene is always a problem, both mine and other people’s.
Amtrak is the best! I'm hoping to take the SWC soon. :)
@Mr. Technician it really is! That’ll be fun :)
That really reminded us of our trip and all the things that went wrong. Our first train we took from New York to Chicago stopped in the middle of nowhere for 7 hours in the middle of the night when it was -20 C outside, they left all the doors wide open with snow and wind blasting in and turned the heating off. It was one of the hardest nights of our lives. The second one (which was a day later) wasn't much better. We took California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco, that was delayed by 5 hours and was just as cold inside, which meant it was impossible for us to sleep for the 57 hours that we were on it. The only redeeming thing was the panorama cart and the views from it. We don't often complain about travel experiences, but we definitely complain about Amtrak...
oh my gosh, your experience is much worse than ours! We were comfortable the whole time thankfully, just really confused haha
These Superliner coaches are nearly 50 years in age. Frankly, Amtrak has done a great job keeping these coaches working as well as they do considering their age. I will agree, the Superliner coaches are showing their age and should be replaced with brand new coaches.
left the doors open? really?
Trains running late?? That’s par for the course. It’s as common as fleas on a dog
It’s always delayed, they are famous for it.
Why are you traveling the country with no money?
We have money haha
Yall from Kansas? If so same. Lol
@michael wiebe Yes! Haha Wichita area
@@AshleyandChristian Sweet. Newton area for me. I go chief spotting alot. Amtraks cool.
"It's 3am and they haven't said anything over the intercom...."
Probably because people are asleep ya think?
considering the mask requirement announcement and all other requirements continued on every 15-20 minutes through the night.. i’m gonna go with no 😬🥲
@@AshleyandChristian That has changed since you said they made announcements about the masks all night long. I'm an Amtrak Guest Rewards Select member & have been on all long distance trains (except Texas Eagle) over the last 15 years with all being in sleeper car service. I've been on approximately 25 round trips total & they don't make public announcements after 10 PM in coach or sleeper cars. When it's your stop on an over night portion, they come to your room door or coach seat to let you know that your stop will be in a few minutes. Not doubting you, but am surprised about the frequent Covid announcements.
yeah it was about the mask policy going off frequently. not sure if it was supposed to or not, but the attendants were still coming around for stops to wake people up! Do you know why they wouldn’t update with changes in arrival times?
@@AshleyandChristian Not really. I just use my cell phone & call for updates. It's kind of frustrating because the airlines are mandated by the government to keep passengers informed of delays every 15 minutes at the boarding gate..........even if the update is to let passengers know there is no new info to tell. However, government owned Amtrak doesn't have to abide by that law. A bit of a double standard.
We’re pretty seasoned Europe train travelers, and they always are very on top of updating and making sure everyone knows what’s going on, I think that’s why we were so surprised when there was no update or anything. Although from the comments we’ve gotten, Amtrak customers are pretty used to this
You need to just relax. Amtrak is often delayed for various reasons such as rail congestion from freight trains or signal issues. Delays are pretty normal, as any experienced Amtrak rider will tell you. The conductor can answer any questions. They are not hiding from you...they are busy!
Well, the issue wasn’t the delay, we have no problem with that! It’s that we were stopped on the tracks for 3 hours with no one around or even one announcement. We had seen attendants every 10 minutes or so until we stopped.
@@AshleyandChristian All it takes is another train, that freight train in front of your train, breaking down one way or another. A vehicle accident, hot bearings on one axle out of hundreds of axles, locomotive mechanical issues, signals failing, etc. I have had airlines cancel flights, delays are a risk in transportation...
You wouldn't be so cold if you had a shirt on.
Hater lmfao
@@NotZachh it's the truth lol
Union Station in Chicago was built in 1925. The worn stairs show it's way older than 50 years old. 🙄
It's not that good. The whole experience is not worth the time or money. From October 6, 2020 to July 11, 2021 I traveled on 4 of the 5 cross country amtrak routes in a roomette. Air conditioning is the biggest problem next to on board sewer system. If you compare the price of flying, amtrak is not worth the money. About 50% of the amtrak employees are rude and unhelpful. Inter city routes like, New york to Washington DC are great and that's what amtrak should stick with. These cross country trains need to go.
Maybe, but there would be no Amtrak on the northeast corridor without Amtrak serving the nation coast to coast. There is not enough political support for a northeast corridor only Amtrak. As far as the price is concerned you are comparing apples with oranges. Every night on the train is one less night in a hotel.
Boring af you got me thinking i can be youtube kingpin
Am tracking bought hotel rooms for the train in Kanas for the whole train because the rail was blocked