Amtrak

I was asked to switch seats for families 3 times before the Amtrak train left the station. The first time, no problem. The second time, oh well. The third time the Amtrak officer singled me out and made a really angry speech to any single passengers that they must switch seats because she is not going to separate a MOTHER AND CHILD. At which point I felt so humiliated that I just sat in my seat and hoped they approached one of the other single passengers. She didn’t. Way to put me in my place Amtrak. I know I paid the same amount for my ticket as that woman paid with a kid under two but… Clearly women with out children have no feelings and deserve no respect. So as I was walking, humiliated, to find another seat with one of the many other people who had open seats next to them, I told the Amtrak man about how many times I had to give up my seat and he laughed in my face. Really, really, rude.

What to expect from Amtrak it gets you from point A to B for a good price with comfortable seats

Some guy in the greyhound side was extremely rude to me. Old guy, balding with a mustache. Would go out of my way to avoid

Today was Amtraks national train day so I thought I would take the Amtrak to Chicagos Union station and make a day of it. First off this is a 200 mile round trip. This is a relaxing way to get to Chicago with out the traffic and parking hassles for which Chicago is known for and trust me because I spent the first ²⁄₃ of my life living there. I do love train travel but since ⁹⁄₁₁ Amtrak just like the air port you can’t explore the station completely even if you have a ticket. I wanted to take pictures of the trains and I was quickly shut down by Amtrak employees even on national train day. Even though you can see all the platforms you can’t get access for picture taking. This is still the best way to return Chicago for visits.

Long-​distance relationships suck, but Amtrak has definitely eased the pain.
$ 24 for a traffic-​free ride to Chicago? Sounds like a dream compared to driving. On a few occasions, I had to drive to Chicago, and trust me when I say this: taking out my wisdom teeth was a breeze compared to the monstrosity that is Chicago traffic. Amtrak takes about an hour and a half to arrive at Union Station, whereas driving will take about two to three hours, depending on traffic and parking.
The station itself is nice. Plenty of windows and ample seating. I’d skip the café and go to Stone Creek Coffee across the street. As for the trains, they’re usually clean, and the seats are comfy enough to sleep in.
I recommend buying your tickets beforehand and, if you have a smart phone, an e-​ticket is the way to go. No fees, and no waiting in lines. There’s Wi-​Fi in the station and the trains, so you can browse your email and find your e-​ticket. The trains also have 120 Watt outlets in every row so you don’t have to worry about wasting any of your battery life.
Headphones are a must because there will be children, and they will not stop until they get their apple juice. There will also people talking on their phones… and they’re pretty evil, too. These circumstances don’t always happen, but prepare yourself for the worst. Not even the quiet car can save you.
Understandably, during the wintertime, delays are more prevalent. However, all the delays that I’ve experienced have never been their fault. On a couple of instances, when it was below zero degrees outside, we had to wait until some of the tracks were defrosted. Again, it was out of their hands but this has only happened 2% of the time.
So thank you, Amtrak, for making my love life so much easier. And if you’re thinking about planning a trip down to Chicago, save yourself the headache and opt for Amtrak because this is, hands down, the best way to do it.

I’ve taken the Hiawatha Amtrak between Milwaukee and Chicago more times than I can recall. Having gone to school at MU, it was nice to know that home was only a 90 minute train ride away.
This station is architecturally beautiful and well kept. The bathrooms are clean, the staff of the Amtrak are always super friendly and helpful, I don’t know that I could ever say anything bad about them or their service. Only once in the last five years have I ever had a train delay, and it was due to a fire on one of the tracks because of bad weather, otherwise, they have always been prompt with their time schedules. Always being on time with these guys makes it an easy choice between greyhound/​megabus and amtrak. You don’t have to deal with the traffic of the city during peak hours, and it’s basically guaranteed that you will make it to your destination on time or before the estimated time.
My only gripe is that they have a sub par café in the station, which is understandable taking into account that it’s only a small city train station…
Thanks for a great time amtrak!

I wish the US had more trains. This is something I love about Europe. I was super excited to take the train from Milwaukee down to Chicago for the day. Ticketing was super easy as was boarding. Seats were a little dingy, but nothing gross. The ride was smooth and just a few stops between Milwaukee and Chicago.
Each set of seats has in-​seat power plugs! I could charge up my iphone and camera on the way for a day of mapping, researching, and Unilocaling in Chicago!

Hiawatha trains now have WiFi. I get back to Chicago fairly frequently and I’ve been subjected to driving myself, Greyhound, Riteway, Megabus, Craigslist carpooling, and Amtrak is hands down the most comfortable and cost effective way to go. The major problem is that they don’t have a late night train coming back to Milwaukee, a secondary problem is that they don’t allow bicycles. At $ 25 one way, it’s more expensive than driving or the bus, but if you add in Chicago parking rates and the horrors of Chicago metropolitan area automobile traffic, you come out ahead on the train. The buses are cheaper, but Megabus is highly unreliable, I’ve had buses run very late, a bus with a faulty latrine (think of «Apocalypse Now» The horror, the horror…), and on one final occasion, the scheduled bus never came all the while customer «service» insisted it would. To maximize your comfort on the train, get your ticket ahead of time online, get to the station way early so you have time to grab coffee across the street at Stone Creek (there is a coffee shop in the Intermodal Station but it’s not very good or fast). Bring sound blocking headphones or earbuds, usually there’s a couple of annoying loud talkers on every car, even the «quiet» car — it’s not policed by the crews. Bring something to read or music to listen to. Be alert for pickpockets in Chicago’s Union Station, travel light enough that you can always have a hand on all of your belongings. The station workers in Milwaukee are very nice, but not so in Chicago. For your return trip, get into Union Station a good 20 minutes or more, ahead of the schedule, it’s not always obvious where you have to line up, they aren’t very nice about explaining gates or procedures, and they cut off access to the platform a few minutes before the departure time, even if you’ve been waiting in line. Before you get to Chicago, use the CTA homepage, and google maps to figure out how to use Chicago’s mass transit, the cabs are very expensive and too often unreliable. You get a wide range of attention, most not very helpful, sometimes quite inappropriate and unwelcome, if you ask random people (even workers) for directions in and around Chicago’s Union Station. It helps considerably if you can use your Smartphone to access Google Maps, and remember, the lake is East. Don’t talk to anyone in the men’s room.

I finally took the amtrak down to Chicago. I don’t know why I have been driving all of these years with this amazing service in my backyard.
The station is clean, has food, vending machines, and is similar to an airport terminal.
The train was also really clean with amble about of room to fit a large duffel bag and back pack up top. The staff was really talkative and professional.
This a great service that everyone should experience when traveling.

Very nice building, I came in with my girlfriend on the Amtrak train from Chicago.
The agents at the Amtrak desk were really nice.
There was a nice restaurant in the station, and many vending machines, and most important of all, lots of seats.
The only bad thing I’d say about this station, is there are some people wandering around the outside of the station who are a bit scary.

I can walk here from my house, then get off a train at Union Station in Chicago and go have a fun time in Chicago for about $ 50 round trip — no traffic, no worries… other than the terrible waiting room on the other end which sucks, but hey, it is the butt end of the Chicago trip so why worry, and the Milwaukee Amtrak is nice. Good taxi service out front, and mass transit stops a few blocks east or north.
I wish they had secure covered bike racks/​parking spaces for cyclists since dumb Amtrak does not let bikes on the trains, but what do I know.

Train ride. TRAIN RIDE??? E’rybody got time fo’ that!
I want to take a train to everything. Why do I not live in Europe? My fellow Americans, we do at least have the option of Amtrak. It’s so easy to book a ticket online, or show up at the station, act like you’re on the run, and buy a ticket last minute! It’s like your own mini-​adventure! I say mini because I guess they don’t really allow you to run after a train as it starts moving to jump on at the last second which, as we all know, is a collective dream we all share. I blame classic film.
I minused a star for the lack of cupholders on the Hiawatha line. Yeah. A whole star.
My dream train ride would be one of the National Park Service routes. Did you know there’s one from Milwaukee all the way to Glacier National Park, and beyond? Now that would be an adventure!

83 minutes from Chicago to Milwaukee.
Plenty of room to spread out.
Only 4 stops.
Had diet pepsi and cheese tray for a snack.
All for 24 dollars.
Tip-​the last car is the quiet car.

The only issue I have with Amtrak is that I can’t get places faster. And that isn’t their fault. They can only go so fast.
I’m going to be honest, if Scott Walker hasn’t killed high speed rail, and I had a faster option from here to Chicago, I’d use it.
But I don’t, so Amtrak kicks ass.
It’s always on time, and clean.

Call me un-​American, but I hate driving to Milwaukee. The traffic on a Friday evening is like a slow rat race; Sunday evening I just want to chill when I return. I visit friends; so I don’t need a car. Goes straight downtown to both cities (check out the great hall in Union Station in Chicago – from when the train was an important part of life). The Milwaukee station is clean & comfortable.
Very roomy seats on the train, with power outlets for my iPhone to rock my world (and not make it tragic when its battery life crashes the rockin’). I often get two seats to myself.
When I’m cheap, I take Megabus (almost half the price, depending on when you buy your ticket), but that is cramped, often filled to capacity, and you’re stuck in traffic rather than flying by away from it.

Amtrak Hawathia route from Milwaukee to Chicago, 90 minutes for $ 23. Quicker and cheaper than driving if your traveling solo.
Things run pretty smoothly here. However, it is a little crowded inside before the train is allowed to board. Most people stand in line, there aren’t a lot of open places to sit if you arrive within 20 minutes of a departure. I’ve bought my ticket online as well as at the station. bother cost the same. If you buy tickets online your locked into the departure time you selected.
It gets especially crazy crowded outside when a train arrives and everyone gets off tries find their getaway car out front. There is a small circle drive… which is always congested with taxi’s and other cars looking for newly arrived passengers. Word of wisdom: don’t drive into the circle drive looking for your passenger… it’s a black hole you may never get out of.

Hiawatha to Chicago = 1 hr 29 minutes
Hiawatha to Chicago one way = $ 23 dollars (times two round trip, smarty pants…)
Hiawatha starts in MKE and stops at General Mitchell, Sturnevent, Glenview, and then, Union Station in CHI. If you’re coming from CHI, flip it up, switch it, and reverse it.
The station’s clean, open, and bright, and the staff has always been kind and helpful, in my experience.
Easy, convenient, cheap, and fantastic. Five stars, total win.

I ride the Hiawatha to Chicago regularly for work and appreciate the convenience. I don’t have to fight traffic or pay for parking (parking is beyond exorbitant in Chicago!).
The station is freshly remodeled and clean and bright. There is free Wifi, a big bonus! Also, if you love the Alaeddin stand at the Public Market, they run the All-​Aboard Café here.
Tip — use the kiosks to buy tickets, way faster than waiting at the counter. Also, the 8am train is packed with moms, girls and grannies headed to the American Girl store. That can be a plus or minus, depending on your mindset.

If you’re travelling down to Chicago for a few days nothing beats Amtrak’s Hiawatha service. In a city where a car is not necessary (provided you’re staying in the city proper), why bring a car and worry about parking, parking fees, chicago traffic, tolls, and gas? The ride is about 90 – 100 minutes — so the time you may save driving down there is somewhat negligible. Highly recommend the $ 46 round-​trip fare if you’re travelling by yourself or with one other. And it’s just plain easier than driving.
If you’re travelling with three or more people, or have a hook-​up with free parking, it may be a good idea to ignore everything I’ve typed.

Despite having lived in Milwaukee for just over five years, I hadn’t utilized Amtrak trains until just this past year. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to give it a shot. Traveling by train is SO quick and simple, it’s ridiculous that I ever thought to drive through Chicago in the first place.
I’ve now taken Amtrak from Milwaukee to Grand Rapids, MI, twice, and both times have had excellent service with the staff, especially regarding the Milwaukee portion of the trip. The trains are well-​maintained and clean, travel on time, and provide excellent napping opportunities.
Parking is available at the Milwaukee station for $ 5/​day (midnight-​midnight) or $ 10/​overnight. There is a small café inside, along with several vending machines. The Milwaukee train does not go to O’Hare airport, but the Milwaukee Intermodal Station gives a variety of suggestions for connecting from Union Station to the airport as needed.
The only downside is that Amtrak doesn’t seem to run as many specials for Milwaukee-​Chicago as it does for routes in other regions. Nevertheless, it’s worth checking the website for any deals that may pop up. Book early or risk price increases as the train fills up!