Chicago Metro Lounge

[Donald M]

Arriving at the Chicago station 2 hours before departure, can reserved tickets be picked up in the Metreo lounge or do I have to get them first in the main lobby?

 

[manderson]

In the lobby, either at the ticket counter or from the Quiktrak machine. In fact, you can't get into the Metro lounge without the tickets in hand.

 

[the_traveler]

Right next to the ticket window (actually in the middle of the hallway by the fountain or whatever it is), there are 6 or 8 QuikTrax machines!

 

[amamba]

So they won't print out your sleeper tickets in the metropolitan lounge? They will in the Club Acelas on the east coast. I have had them print many of my tickets for me at the one in NYP.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Because the QuikTrax machines and the human ticket agents are just a step away from the CUS Metro Lounge, it would seem overkill to have those things in the lounge itself. NYP probably has far more riders than CUS (someone please correct me if I am wrong) and so it may be more efficient to have ticket-issuing ability in the Club Acela.

 

[the_traveler]

Both are steps away at NYP also!

But I think the main difference is that most of the east coast riders are on Acela First (which go every hour or two), while CHI handles mostly LD trains. On the east coast, most enter the CA 1 or 2 at a time. In CHI, when a train comes in 30-50 people or more enter the ML at once!

 

[RailFanLNK]

I really like the ML in CUS but also find it very packed from time to time. If you have any kind of disability where you need to sit down after arriving, you may want to get there earlier than later. I really enjoy that room though compared to the regular lobby.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago is preferable to the generic cattle call waiting areas, but it is also very plain and often very packed. It would be nice if it had a design and amenities list more befitting long-haul first class accommodations. Preferably with a location that allowed folks to watch some of the track-side action. Any number of airline lounges aimed at first class long-haul passengers blow the Metropolitan lounge away. Were there first class lounges prior to Amtrak and if so what were they like?

 

[Bierboy]

In the lobby, either at the ticket counter or from the Quiktrak machine. In fact, you can't get into the Metro lounge without the tickets in hand.

Well, actually you can. I was in Chicago last week for a couple of Cubs games and took Metra in from the suburbs with a friend of mine. I wanted to show him the lounge that we've used many times before we caught the Red Line to Wrigley. So we just walked in and stood near the counter so I could show him the lounge area.

 

[AlanB]

The agents in the Metro lounge have ticket printing equipment, I've seen them reticket passengers when there are problems. I'm not sure how receptive one might find them if you just walk in and ask them to print your tickets, some probably would while others will make up excuses about why they can't.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The agents in the Metro lounge have ticket printing equipment, I've seen them reticket passengers when there are problems. I'm not sure how receptive one might find them if you just walk in and ask them to print your tickets, some probably would while others will make up excuses about why they can't.

I've actually Upgraded to a Sleeper in the ML in CHI @ the Counter when a Room opened up on the LSL that had been Sold Out! ^_^ No Problem! Another time I heard one of the Desk Queens tell a Pax that asked about Changing their Tickets: "We don't do that here, you'll have to go out to the Ticket Counter or Customer Service!" YMMV, I just wish they would Retire some of theses Cranky Old Hands in the ML and give some Fresh Young Blood a Chance! :help:

 

[the_traveler]

Cranky Old Hands in the ML

Oh, you mean the agents! I thought you were talking about yourself for a minute!