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My children (ages 8,6,&1) will be traveling from Champaign-Urbana Illinois to St. Paul in late summer. Where do I begin? From what I can tell we would be traveling from about 6am until 10:30pm. We stop in Chicago. What kind of accomodations would be best for us? I don't think I have enough $$ for Deluxe. Would Standard work for us? Should I book online? How much $$ would I need on the train? Who gets tipped? ANY information or helpful hints would be greatly welcomed.
Posts: 2 | From: Rantoul IL 61866 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Glad to hear you chose to take the train! I think you will all enjoy it. Since you will be traveling just during the day, just getting coach seats would be the cheapest. They are very comfortable and have plenty of room for you and the kids. If you want more privacy or a little bit of room for the kids, then get a sleeping compartment. Standard would probably be too small for your group, so if you can afford one, I'd get at least a deluxe sleeper, family would be largest and best. Looks like you'd be taking the City of New Orleans to Chicago and then changing to the Empire Builder. There's plenty of time in there so that if your first train is late, you should have plenty of time to make the connection. There are a few shops and a food court at the Chicago Train Station and depending on how well your kids travel you could go out and check out downtown Chicago or the Sears Tower skydeck which is nearby. Both of these trains have Superliner equipment, which means they have two levels. Each train also has coaches, sleepers, a diner, and a sightseer lounge car. The kids would probably enjoy going to the lounge car and looking out the big windows. At night they usually play a movie or two. Your meals are included with the price of a sleeper. If you go coach, you can pay for the meals in the diner or get a lighter fare in the lounge car. You are also welcome to bring food aboard. If you get a sleeper, tip the attendant for good service. Tip coach attendants if you wish, but no need to tip the conductor. As for getting tickets, you can go though Amtrak's website www.amtrak.com, call 1-800-USA-RAIL and talk to the computer or a live agent, go to a station and see an agent, or go to a travel agent, although many don't know much about trains. If you are on a budget there are plenty of ways to get really cheap seats if you plan ahead and take advantage of all the discounts they offer. Feel free to check out my website at www.geocities.com/coachseats for info. on train travel and how to get cheap fares. There is also a trip report and pictures of Chicago and the train to St. Paul. Let us know if you have any further questions!
Posts: 78 | From: Des Moines, IA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Coach would be fine for you trip as it is mostly daylight and would save you a ton on money you could spend once you got to the Twin Cities. For tips for train riders go to my home page and click on that topic. http://www.trainweb.org/chris
Have a great trip.
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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downtown Chicago is safe, and if you have time, it would be a treat for the kids (don't know about the baby) to walk around. Lots to see and do. Nice place. You've made the right decision. Every time I've ridden the train, I've met kids who just love the adventure of it! Posts: 171 | Registered: May 2002
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You might also consider a family room on the Empire Builder leg of your trip. Plenty of room for everyone, dinner in the dining car included in the price, windows on both sides of the train & close proximity to bathrooms. Plenty of space for the inevitable meltdown of excited kids who will probably be asleep before you reach StPaul. Have a good trip!
You might be able to upgrade to the family room from coach - ask in Chicago. I once upgraded from coach to a single sleeper for just a Milwaukee-StPaul trip & found it a great idea (a $50 upgrade gave me peace & quiet & a $25 dinner delivered to my compartment by a very helpful car attendant. If I had stayed in coach, I would have not been able to get into the diner until 9 PM since the sleeping car passengers had priority for reservations.) You may find the novelty of the coach will have worn off on your first leg of the trip.
Posts: 23 | From: Milwaukee, WI USA | Registered: May 2003
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Thanks so much ~ I have alot of research to do and you have helped me quite a bit. I am sure I will be back with more ??. Again, Thank you!!
Posts: 2 | From: Rantoul IL 61866 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I concur that coach is probably adequate for your needs. If the kids (or you) get tired, just put up the legrest, recline the seat, and you'll be quite comfortable for a nap.
There's ample legroom and, unlike an airlier or bus, you can recline your seat without putting it into the nose of the person behind you.
------------------ Sing to the tune of Humoresque: Passengers will please refrain, From flushing toilets while the train, Is standing in the station, I love you.
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I just rode on the Texas Eagle with a woman who had three small children. For the entire trip she kept the upper berth down and the little kids split their time between the seat with her below and playing in the bunk above.
Posts: 70 | Registered: Feb 2004
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