Chicago Metropolitan Lounge for Hiawatha Departures

[WIBarb]

I’ll be arriving to Chicago on a Texas Eagle sleeper car and departing 2 hours later on the Hiawatha coach. Would appreciate input on the following.

- Will I be able to wait in Metropolitan Lounge for the Hiawatha and, if so,

- Will there be priority boarding from the Metropolitan Lounge for the Hiawatha?

It’s been several years since I’ve taken the Hiawatha from Chicago.

Thank you!

 

[neroden]

I’ll be arriving to Chicago on a Texas Eagle sleeper car and departing 2 hours later on the Hiawatha coach. Would appreciate input on the following.

- Will I be able to wait in Metropolitan Lounge for the Hiawatha and, if so,

Yes. Show your incoming ticket.

- Will there be priority boarding from the Metropolitan Lounge for the Hiawatha?

....sort of? It's been a while, but I believe they send you out to the track at the same time as they start releasing the line of customers from the coach waiting area. So you don't have to wait in the obnoxious line in the coach cattle pen, but you're not really boarding before them either.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ask for a Redcap when you check in to the Lounge to help you get from the Lounge to the Platform so you can beat the herd to the Train.Worth the few $$ tip that is customary.

 

[dogbert617]

Yes. Show your incoming ticket.


....sort of? It's been a while, but I believe they send you out to the track at the same time as they start releasing the line of customers from the coach waiting area. So you don't have to wait in the obnoxious line in the coach cattle pen, but you're not really boarding before them either.

I had the impression that even the Amtrak Midwest regional trains out of Chicago Union Station had some first boarding call for business class passengers, and those needing assistance in Chicago, before the rest of the regular coach passengers get the boarding call announcement that they can start boarding the train. Guess not.

 

[tim49424]

I’ll be arriving to Chicago on a Texas Eagle sleeper car and departing 2 hours later on the Hiawatha coach. Would appreciate input on the following.

- Will I be able to wait in Metropolitan Lounge for the Hiawatha and, if so,

- Will there be priority boarding from the Metropolitan Lounge for the Hiawatha?

It’s been several years since I’ve taken the Hiawatha from Chicago.

Thank you!

Yes to both questions.

 

[bratkinson]

Yes, your inbound sleeper ticket will get you into the Metropolitan Lounge and they will give you priority boarding for the Hiawatha. I did exactly that one week ago today!

I wasn't sure if the Hiawatha would be announced, so I asked that they do so, but was assured they would. I and one other person were called to board as the inbound trainset was still finishing unloading! For what it's worth, the Hiawatha seems to be using track 1 (closest to the Metropolitan Lounge) instead of 23 or 25 like they usually do/did. The rest of the passengers were still in the glassed in 'Hiawatha waiting area' (as I call it) adjacent to track 23 & 25.

 

[tim49424]

Yes, your inbound sleeper ticket will get you into the Metropolitan Lounge and they will give you priority boarding for the Hiawatha. I did exactly that one week ago today!

I wasn't sure if the Hiawatha would be announced, so I asked that they do so, but was assured they would. I and one other person were called to board as the inbound trainset was still finishing unloading! For what it's worth, the Hiawatha seems to be using track 1 (closest to the Metropolitan Lounge) instead of 23 or 25 like they usually do/did. The rest of the passengers were still in the glassed in 'Hiawatha waiting area' (as I call it) adjacent to track 23 & 25.

I’ve never not heard a Hiawatha being announced and I’ve used the ML several times per year since the new one opened and have actually ridden it a couple of times myself.

 

[WIBarb]

Thanks very much for the helpful replies. I will let you know how it goes. Very much looking forward to an overdue train adventure.

 

[Milw6166]

"For what it's worth, the Hiawatha seems to be using track 1 (closest to the Metropolitan Lounge) instead of 23 or 25 like they usually do/did. Trk 1"

Platform for Trk23-25 is blocked with construction....hence using Trk1 for hi's and putting Empire Builder in position along the south platforms(making for a monster walk to the 27 cars) on thru trk 28 imho.

 

[DevalDragon]

Hiawatha trains do not offer business class. That's part of the reason they don't announce them in the Metropolitan Lounge.

 

[tim49424]

Hiawatha trains do not offer business class. That's part of the reason they don't announce them in the Metropolitan Lounge.

You're correct that they do not have business class. You're incorrect that they don't announce them in the ML.

 

[dogbert617]

Hiawatha trains do not offer business class. That's part of the reason they don't announce them in the Metropolitan Lounge.

Ah, I didn't realize that! Now I see why there isn't a separate business class boarding call for Hiawatha trains, and that it's just one boarding call for all passengers when the boarding starts.

"For what it's worth, the Hiawatha seems to be using track 1 (closest to the Metropolitan Lounge) instead of 23 or 25 like they usually do/did. Trk 1"

Platform for Trk23-25 is blocked with construction....hence using Trk1 for hi's and putting Empire Builder in position along the south platforms(making for a monster walk to the 27 cars) on thru trk 28 imho.

That's for darn sure, that those riding the Portland section of the train(like myself, when I rode #27 west to Glacier not long ago) had a longer than normal walk to board the train. Heh it's okay, since it gave me a little extra exercise!

 

[Trogdor]

Tracks 23/25 at CUS don’t exist (unless there was a very recent renumbering that I missed?). Hiawatha used to leave from 17 prior to the recent construction.

 

[NSC1109]

I had the impression that even the Amtrak Midwest regional trains out of Chicago Union Station had some first boarding call for business class passengers, and those needing assistance in Chicago, before the rest of the regular coach passengers get the boarding call announcement that they can start boarding the train. Guess not.

That is correct. Last time I went through CUS I stayed in the lounge (bought a day pass) specifically so I could get on board with the priority boarding. I knew it would be a full train and that the priority stuff would guarantee me a window seat.

 

[bratkinson]

Tracks 23/25 at CUS don’t exist (unless there was a very recent renumbering that I missed?). Hiawatha used to leave from 17 prior to the recent construction.

My lousy memory, I guess. I always know the Hiawathas and the Empire Builder are on the tracks almost the closest to the river on the North Side. While living in Milwaukee, I boarded the Hiawatha so many times in the '70s and '80s I stopped paying attention to the track numbers.

 

[NorthShore]

Now I understand why I was confused about the train being on Track 1, and instinctively turned the wrong way off the escalator, on a recent trip.

 

[lstone19]

My lousy memory, I guess. I always know the Hiawathas and the Empire Builder are on the tracks almost the closest to the river on the North Side. While living in Milwaukee, I boarded the Hiawatha so many times in the '70s and '80s I stopped paying attention to the track numbers.

17 and 19 (shared platform) are the normal north side Amtrak tracks. 17 is a stub and 19 is a run-through to 28 and 30. In addition, there is 21 which splits from 19 going north by the north concourse so while 21 does not have a platform north of the concourse, it can platform in the area between the north and south concourses. And then there is 23 which is strictly a run-through track and leads to what I believe is designated as 38 or 40 on the south side. There are boarding signs for 21 and 23 on the north concourse; I have seen 21 used when due to construction, there was no other track available for a rush-hour Metra train but have never seen 23 used for anything other than by the holiday Polar Express train as it made its way past Union Station. If they were desperate, they could board a train on 23 at a single door but it would require crossing 19/21 at grade to get to it.

 

[WIBarb]

Hi Again,

Thanks again for the very helpful responses. Here’s what happened. I had a very relaxing trip from STL to CHI on the Texas Eagle. It was a full capacity. I had a roomette in the transdorm with a wonderful SCA.

We were about 2 hours delayed so I ended up getting a later Hiawatha than originally planned. No big deal. I took the advice offered and asked the Met Lounge attendant if I would be able to pre-board. He told me to come back about 1/2 hour before 5:08 departure. I did that and he told me to head to track 30. I went directly to track 30 and was the first person to board that Hiawatha and bypassed the cattle gate.

I really enjoyed my train day and also appreciate the great input from this forum.

Thank-you!
Barb