Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Getting from NYC to Chicago..

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-12-2010, 02:51 PM:

What is the best cheap way to get from New York City to Chicago? I will consider bus, rail or air.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-12-2010, 03:03 PM:

Have you gone online to check out travel services between the two cities?

Greyhound would be the main bus service. AMTrack be the train run and we know that air flights are the most expensive (but, sometimes deals are dealt with air travel between certain cities. That you have to research out online..)

Good luck-Monte

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 07-12-2010, 03:07 PM:

Good, fast, cheap--pick any two.

I would go by air. Takes about three hours. You have your choice of airports: JFK or LGA in New York and ORD or MDW in Chicago. Consider the cost of transportation between airports and whereever you want to go in the cities as well.

Second option would be the train. It would be cheaper, but I wouldn't want to sit in a seat for ~20 hours, personally, and a full cabin on the train would be cost-prohibitive, especially for only one traveller. You would have to check to see if there would be a dining car and/or lounge car on that route, either or both of which would make the trip more pleasurable. Both train stations should be downtown, which would be an advantage if that is where you want to go, anyway.

I would avoid Greyhound Bus Service if at all possible.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-12-2010, 03:31 PM:

When I was going to school in Indiana, I would take the Twentieth Century Limited from NY to Chicago -- a great ride -- and then a local line to South Bend. Yeah, it was 20 hours, but bring reading material, some sandwiches and snakes, a thermos so you don't have to buy and if you catch a few hours sleep as well, the time passes quickly.

There is nothing like a train ride. I don't know if it's the rhythmical sound of the wheels on the tracks or the swift movement but without the sound of an engine that makes it so relaxing, but whatever it is, nothing is quite like the train.

I have also gone many times from New York to Houston by Greyhound. Death by the mile. Actually I was somewhere on a long, desolate interstate in Louisiana on one of those trips; it was December 31st at 11:59:59pm. The driver, in a totally uninterested, monotone voice said, "Happy New Year and thanks for riding Greyhound." Whoopie.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-12-2010, 03:44 PM:

quote:
bring reading material, some sandwiches and snakes,

Snakes?

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 07-12-2010, 03:45 PM:

quote: Frank Angel
Yeah, it was 20 hours, but bring reading material, some sandwiches and snakes, a thermos so you don't have to buy and if you catch a few hours sleep as well, the time passes quickly.

Snakes on a train Frank?!

I'd recommend flying too. NY to Chicago has a lot of good deals and flights available. From either ORD or MDW, transportation to anywhere in the city is pretty simple.

That South Shore line still runs from Chicago to South Bend and back too. Love it!

AJG

Posted by Fred Georges (Member # 505) on 07-12-2010, 03:47 PM:

You never heard of "SNAKES on a TRAIN"!!?? [Big Grin]

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-12-2010, 04:41 PM:

I think I've ruled out Greyhound; I would be more likely to use that for a shorter trip. I do London - Bradford by coach several times each year, that's not too bad, but it's only five hours; Chicago's going to be much longer. It's also only not too bad if I get an empty seat next to me; If I'm sitting next to somebody then there's not much room.

Amtrak is surprisingly cheap, unlike their fares between New York and Washington DC. It actually seems to be cheaper than flying.

Flying would be quickest, but it's a pretty horrible way to travel, and it would mean making three flights in just a few days; I don't like the idea of that.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 07-12-2010, 05:58 PM:

Amtrak is really overpriced in my opinion. I just checked into train travel from Iowa to Philly, with a sleeper cabin only on the Iowa to Chicago leg, and it was quite a bit more expensive than flying. I was very surprised and disappointed.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 07-12-2010, 06:59 PM:

I too recommend Amtrak. Six years ago I was able to circle the entire country visiting relatives (including bus fare from LA to Vegas through Amtrak) for less than $1000. No way you could do it that cheap through the airlines.

Dining on salmon while crossing the Great Divide is rather snobbish, but absolutely unforgettable.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 07-12-2010, 08:17 PM:

The train from Chicago to NYC passes though Erie. [Big Grin]

There's a brew pub right in the train station. I'd buy you a beer... if the one train per day didn't stop at 3:00 in the morning. [Frown]

Anyhow... I like traveling by train even if it takes longer.

There are no security gates. No X-ray machines. No asshole TSA agents to hassle you. No baggage carousels. No surly ticket agents.

Just show your ticket and your ID. Walk on, put your luggage into the compartment, sit down and relax. When you arrive, just pick up your luggage, get off the train, walk outside Penn Station and you're there.

It's a lot more relaxed atmosphere and, if you get a compartment instead of riding coach, the porters will actually be nice to you!

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-13-2010, 01:11 AM:

You guys! Snakes on a train indeed! I meant "sandwiches, snacks and a thermos....snacks... on a train." Although I must say, Snakes on a Train does sound like there's a really bad movie in there just itching to be made! And in 3D no doubt. [thumbsup]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-13-2010, 02:48 AM:

quote: Frank Angel
And in 3D no doubt

You watch..they will since it's a scary story ... gotta have the snakes jump out of the screen into the audience ... [Big Grin]

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 07-13-2010, 10:10 AM:

quote:
Snakes on a Train does sound like there's a really bad movie in there just itching to be made!

Already been done. You gotta hand it to Asylum Pictures. No bar is ever too low to get under.

Getting back OT, I personally love Amtrak. I'm taking the Maple Leaf from NYC to Toronto on Sunday, as a matter of fact. It's a long haul, but the trick is to pop for business class, if available. Much more room and your usually right next to the cafe car. Plus it's ten hours of nothing to do but read, listen to music and unwind, or sleep. Beats the hell out of flying and all the hassles that brings.

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 07-13-2010, 11:22 AM:

Look up airtran. Depending on the day , anywhere from the high 90s to 200 one way. It is not non-stop. It is one stop.
There is a sale going on right now on www.airtran.com

You can also try direct flights. Keep trying. A sale fare will open up and you could get a fare in the 100-120 range. Bus and train aint much cheaper, if at all.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 07-13-2010, 11:53 AM:

Private rooms on Amtrak actually aren't all that expensive if you have 2-4 people in your party and if you think of the trip as being comparable to transportation+hotel costs and if you think of the train trip as entertainment. Think of it as a trip on a cruise ship, rather than on an airplane.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-13-2010, 01:29 PM:

As always, I will be traveling alone, which would make it rather expensive, so I don't think it's an option I can consider. Also, I can never sleep on any form of transport.

I'm leaning towards going by train at the moment, but I've been warned that the trains can get full. Does anybody have a proper telephone number for Amtrak, i.e. something that's not 1-800-USA-Rail, or anything else with 800 in it, but something that's dialable internationally?

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 07-13-2010, 04:05 PM:

Amtrak International Sales: 001-215-856-7952, between 8:30AM and 5:00PM US Eastern Time (they are in Philadelphia).

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-13-2010, 05:29 PM:

Well, I would suggest Southwest Air Lines, a discounter. They fly from Republic Airport(Farmingdale) out on Long Island, but they fly directly to Chicago Midway (in the heart of the city.). A bit like RyanAir. Louis

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 07-13-2010, 06:22 PM:

Visit Amtrak's Website and plug in from NYP to CHI and the date you want to travel. Its about 19 hours and a low of $134.00.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 07-13-2010, 06:50 PM:

When I was in college I took an overnight Amtrak trip from Penn Station in NYC down to Jacksonville, FL. It was an overnight trip. Kind of fun from New York down to Virginia. The train passed through the Marine Corps base in Quantico, VA where I lived during high school.

South of Richmond the ride got boring. No scenery. Just lots of trees close to the tracks and fleeting glimpses of roads and industrial sides of small towns. I had my own cabin, but had a hard time getting any sleep. I was too worried about oversleeping and missing my stop. It's one thing to oversleep on the Staten Island Ferry and end up going back to Manhattan and back to Staten Island again. It's another thing to oversleep on the train and end up way down in Miami instead of Jacksonville.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 07-13-2010, 09:50 PM:

I took that same route in December 1995. I missed the original connections out of Washington DC because the train I had to first catch in Pittsburgh was stranded by snow in Toledo, Ohio. By the time I got to DC the sun was setting and did not come up again until I was near Brunswick, Georgia.

The strangest thing about that particular trip was how much it reminded me of train travel in the Nineteenth Century. The cars were filthy, overcrowded and poorly heated.

Its much more better now, I assure you.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-14-2010, 05:59 AM:

Louis,

I looked at that, but it's not much cheaper than going by train; by the time I've paid the tax, and got to the Airport, it's probably no cheaper.

Getting to the airport is also difficult, it's over 40 miles away, and not easy to get to. There's a Long Island Bus route that goes close to it, but I'd have to take PATH, then walk, then train then bus to get to the airport. Also, that airport looks like it can only handle small aircraft; because of my leg problems I really need to be able to stand up and walk around from time to time. If I was going to fly I think it would have to be from LGA.

I think I will probably go be train; flying is not good for my legs, and this would be just two or three days after a long flight from London, and a few days before another long flight back to London. The train takes longer, but much of that time will be overnight, when I wouldn't have been doing anything useful anyway.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-14-2010, 06:14 AM:

Stephen: all Southwest flights use Boeing 737 aircraft. I would think that there is a train from NYC to Farmingdale with perhaps a taxi the last 2 miles. Perhaps a Long Island person knows better.

Godd chance of a direct flight, too. Louis

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 08-08-2010, 02:01 PM:

Thanks for the replies; after looking at the options I've decided to go by train. The only real disadvantage compared to air seems to be that it takes longer, but since I'll be on the train overnight it will save me one night's hotel bill.

Any Idea how far ahead I'll need to book my ticket? I can't do it yet as I don't yet know the date I'll be going.

Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 08-09-2010, 07:33 AM:

I usually use Southwest when going into Chicago. They are pretty cheap and have larger seats for bigger guys like me. It all depends on where you need to go. If you are heading north then find an airline going into O'Hare. Southwest only goes into Midway which is right in the middle of town and it is a huge pain in the butt to go north and avoid traffic jams on the freeways. The tolls will also cost you some dough. The Chicago politicians LOVE their tolls. [Roll Eyes]