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Wife and I are off on another Amtrak excursion. This time from Indianapolis to Chicago for a nice day trip. Anyone know about parking options around the station. I heard the station is also a hotel now and that parking is somewhat expensive. The Colts are also playing in town that day (Sunday) and that might also prove to be a problem. Any help is always appreciated. Thanks Railroad and Mrs. Bill Posts: 87 | From: Ohio | Registered: Apr 2007
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The original Union Station in Indianapolis has resisted becoming a wildly successful shopping center with fancy restaurant. It's more like a just hanging on shopping center instead.
The hotel you speak of is a block or two west of the original Union Station (going towards the RCA Dome) and it faces north towards downtown. Some of the hotels rooms are in old pullman cars which are parked on what were once tracks leading into the original Union Station.
The Amtrak trains stop directly behind this hotel and use a station (shared with Greyhound) located mostly underneath the railroad overpass. It's a dim, institutional kind of place. Entrance to this station faces south (away from downtown) and there is no direct passage to/from the hotel. One must actually walk a block east or west, walk underneath the spooky railroad underpass, and then retrace their steps on the north side of the tracks to merely wind up 100 feet from where you started.
Parking......there are acres of parking for the RCA dome in that area. Whether there is any for Amtrak passengers I don't know. I'd check station information on the Amtrak website and give the Indy station a call early some morning while they are still there. Ask the agent there what the parking situation around there is these days. It's complicated because the new stadium which will replace the RCA Dome is already under construction.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Bizarrely, though the hotel (it's Crown Palace, or Crown Royal, or whatever that chain is called) is fairly upscale and the nearby Dome etc all quite nice and modern, strangely, when you go around to the Amtrak/Greyhound side as David describes, you suddenly come into a "bad neighborhood" where in fact I heard there is some crime. Thankfully, there is a guard in the station at night, but when I sat in the middle of the night waiting for the eastbound Cardinal, I was a little anxious and would not go to the station ladies' room alone--made sure I teamed up with another lady waiting for the train for the trip to the bathroom.
My point being, be wary where you park your car. I'd spend the money on a better place, if need be. Your best info might be if you phone that hotel, or the Indianapolis tourist office (visitors bureau, whatever it's called) for advice.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Rich B-767 owner "wunderkids" to the rescue.
The hotel chain Ms Sojourner notes is Crowne Plaza, an Intercontinental Hotels Group brand.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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