Chicago Union Station discussion

[John Bredin]

CVS by Ogilvie Station (Madison St. @ the river) is a lot closer than that Target. There used to be a CVS right across from Union but it closed fairly recently.

The French Market a few blocks north (also by Ogilvie) has good food but I'm not sure what they've got for takeaway booze now. At least the Belgian place with beer and cider is still there.

 

[MARC Rider]

I always tell people to take the bus (which stops right across the street on Jackson) to Dearborn or State (where there are also elevators.) I'm not sure why everyone on this site always recommends the subway station at Clinton, inferior as it is. Heading towards Union Station, head west on Adams from the L, as the streets downtown are one way.

If you want the Blue Line to O'Hare, use the Subway on Dearborn. The Subway on State is the Red Line, which takes one to the North Side or the South Side.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Mariano's at Halsted & Monroe - full service (Kroger) supermarket. Plus/minus 6 blocks. Whole Paycheck block further north.
H Mart at Jackson and Desplaines - small urban outpost of suburban Asian supermarket - I think they have alcohol. Two and a half blocks west of CUS.
South Loop Market (pricy) on Van Buren between Wells and Franklin. Small local market. About four blocks.
Jewel (full line grocery - Albertsons) - just south of Roosevelt on Canal - about 7 blocks (just shy of a mile). Whole Paycheck on Canal on north side of Roosevelt. Also Binny's (local liquor purveyor) is on Jefferson just north of Roosevelt (weird middle of the block location).

I think there may be some other small grocery type places like South Loop Market closer, but I don't know the area on that side of the river as well.

 

[Dan O]

I plan on visiting a shrine in the 3100 block of Jackson Street. It's about 3.5 miles west of Union station. The blue line and some busses go fairly close to the shrine. Does anyone know if this area is a safe section of town? Also, would it be safe to spend an hour or so walking either to or from the shrine?

10 years ago we went to Chicago and wanted to see the museum of science and industry. The red line went close but required maybe a half mile walk. A local advised I take the bus directly to the museum as the nearby neighborhood wasn't very safe.

Thanks.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I plan on visiting a shrine in the 3100 block of Jackson Street. It's about 3.5 miles west of Union station. The blue line and some busses go fairly close to the shrine. Does anyone know if this area is a safe section of town? Also, would it be safe to spend an hour or so walking either to or from the shrine?

10 years ago we went to Chicago and wanted to see the museum of science and industry. The red line went close but required maybe a half mile walk. A local advised I take the bus directly to the museum as the nearby neighborhood wasn't very safe.

Thanks.

Generally the West Side is sketchy - I would not walk from either the Blue or Green line without knowing more about the specifics of the area. It looks like there is a bus that goes right to the door - the issue with buses in Chicago is too few drivers and 'ghost' buses, i.e./aka scheduled buses that disappear because they are scheduled but are removed due to no available driver.

Neither the Red or Green lines are that close to MSI - the Green is about 1.3 miles and the Red 2.5 miles both as the crow flies. There's a direct bus from the Red Line Garfield station, but the express bus from downtown is quicker and, for other's information, there is a seasonal direct express bus from downtown to the doors of the Museum. The neighborhood immediately around is fine.

 

[Dan O]

Generally the West Side is sketchy - I would not walk from either the Blue or Green line without knowing more about the specifics of the area. It looks like there is a bus that goes right to the door - the issue with buses in Chicago is too few drivers and 'ghost' buses, i.e./aka scheduled buses that disappear because they are scheduled but are removed due to no available driver.

Neither the Red or Green lines are that close to MSI - the Green is about 1.3 miles and the Red 2.5 miles both as the crow flies. There's a direct bus from the Red Line Garfield station, but the express bus from downtown is quicker and, for other's information, there is a seasonal direct express bus from downtown to the doors of the Museum. The neighborhood immediately around is fine.

Thanks.

 

[rs9]

I plan on visiting a shrine in the 3100 block of Jackson Street. It's about 3.5 miles west of Union station. The blue line and some busses go fairly close to the shrine. Does anyone know if this area is a safe section of town? Also, would it be safe to spend an hour or so walking either to or from the shrine?

10 years ago we went to Chicago and wanted to see the museum of science and industry. The red line went close but required maybe a half mile walk. A local advised I take the bus directly to the museum as the nearby neighborhood wasn't very safe.

Thanks.

At this point, bus service is pretty consistent (as tracked by the CTA Bus Tracker) and ghost buses and trains are a lot more infrequent than in the past. Taking the bus from Union Station to the shrine is eminently reasonable. As a Chicago resident, I generally feel safe on buses.

I wouldn't recommend walking from Union Station to the shrine. West of the United Center is a bit riskier in terms of walking alone, though we should recognize that many residents do walk around there every day.

The Metra Electric district has train service from Millennium Park Station to 55/56/57th St, which is near the Museum of Science and Industry. However, non-rush hour train service wouldn't be as frequent as CTA bus service.

 

[Dan O]

At this point, bus service is pretty consistent (as tracked by the CTA Bus Tracker) and ghost buses and trains are a lot more infrequent than in the past. Taking the bus from Union Station to the shrine is eminently reasonable. As a Chicago resident, I generally feel safe on buses.

I wouldn't recommend walking from Union Station to the shrine. West of the United Center is a bit riskier in terms of walking alone, though we should recognize that many residents do walk around there every day.

The Metra Electric district has train service from Millennium Park Station to 55/56/57th St, which is near the Museum of Science and Industry. However, non-rush hour train service wouldn't be as frequent as CTA bus service.

Thanks. If I go, I'll take the bus to the shrine.

 

[MikefromCrete]

I plan on visiting a shrine in the 3100 block of Jackson Street. It's about 3.5 miles west of Union station. The blue line and some busses go fairly close to the shrine. Does anyone know if this area is a safe section of town? Also, would it be safe to spend an hour or so walking either to or from the shrine?

10 years ago we went to Chicago and wanted to see the museum of science and industry. The red line went close but required maybe a half mile walk. A local advised I take the bus directly to the museum as the nearby neighborhood wasn't very safe.

Thanks.

Take Metra Electric to the MSI. Trains to 57th Street and 59th Street are within a reasonable walk. Metra is safe and the neighborhood around the MSI should not present any problems.

 

[MisterUptempo]

Thanks. If I go, I'll take the bus to the shrine.

CTA's 126-Jackson route will get you from Union Station to Our Lady of Sorrows in about 20 minutes.

Depending on the time of day, the 126 runs every 12-20 minutes. If the CTA Downtown Map is correct, you'll pick up the 126 on the north side of Adams (north side of the Great Hall), between Canal and Clinton. Drops you off on north side of Jackson Blvd., just west of Albany (3100 west), right across the street from Our Lady of Sorrows.

For the trip back to Union Station, pick up the 126 on the south side of Jackson, just east of Albany. Should drop you off on Jackson, between Canal and the Chicago River, in front of the 300 South Riverside Plaza building.

If you decide to take the bus, don't get concerned when you find yourself traveling west on Van Buren instead of Jackson. Because Jackson runs one way east through downtown, the bus motors west on Van Buren until Damen (2000 west) then north to Jackson.

CTA 126-Jackson Route Schedule

CTA Downtown Stops Map

 

[NorthShore]

I plan on visiting a shrine in the 3100 block of Jackson Street. It's about 3.5 miles west of Union station. The blue line and some busses go fairly close to the shrine. Does anyone know if this area is a safe section of town? Also, would it be safe to spend an hour or so walking either to or from the shrine?

10 years ago we went to Chicago and wanted to see the museum of science and industry. The red line went close but required maybe a half mile walk. A local advised I take the bus directly to the museum as the nearby neighborhood wasn't very safe.

Thanks.

You're, of course, talking about the historic Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows, still staffed by the Servites. It's an amazingly beautiful and huge church building which is good to have around, as so many others are closing. It was a major site, especially, for local pilgrimage during WW2. Of course, the neighborhood population was a lot different then: Irish and Italian Catholics. Today it serves as a center for the West Side African American population and Latinos.

While the west side isn't the nicest part of town these days, I'd have no problem taking either the 82 Kimball or 126 Jackson bus there, especially during the day. You could take the Blue Line to Belmont and get on the 82 going south there, if you want to wait/board in an area where you may feel a bit safer, but I think you'd need to walk a couple of blocks extra east at Jackson. The 126, alternately, should take you right there. There is a bus garage across the street from the church on Kedzie where a lot of drivers wait outside to change shifts. Take the Jackson bus a few blocks west to Central Park after visiting the church and walk north to see the grand old park district headquarters gold dome (go inside too), then continue north under the Green Line L tracks to the Garfield Park Conservatory. The spring flower show should be ongoing, assuming your visit is within the next couple of months. Take the Green Line (right at the corner) back downtown (if that's where you're staying.) You can get off at Clinton and walk back to Union Station, if you need to return there.

As others have noted, you want to watch where you're going and stay aware on the west side. But, I wouldn't be too scared of it, either. Act like you belong, know where you're going, and set out to get there, and everything ought to be ok...particularly during daytime. Between downtown and just a bit east of the basilica, around Western, it has significantly revived and regentrified along Jackson. The further west one continues, though, the more poverty you'll witness.

 

[NorthShore]

Take Metra Electric to the MSI. Trains to 57th Street and 59th Street are within a reasonable walk. Metra is safe and the neighborhood around the MSI should not present any problems.

Or one can take the #6 bus from downtown, as many locals do.

 

[trampy]

No Parcel Check available today. The reason given was that they don't have an area to secure the bags. Kinda lame.

The ticketing guy recommended an app called StoreMe, but there were no nearby locations.

Fortunately an app called Bounce has a similar service, and one of the locations was a UPS Store 2 blocks from Union Station. Easy, and a few bucks cheaper than the $10 Amtrak fee.

 

[joelkfla]

At Union Station now, waiting for SWC after coming in on CL this morning. Good selection of breakfast snacks this morning, including chocolate-frosted donettes and Milan cookies. Usual gang of chips in the afternoon. Looked like everything was open in the food court.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

Today, at the wye for the racetrack at Chicago's Union Station, I've noticed that the trains shunting have come out on other tracks, but head back into the north/south tracks on the track closest to the cam that is usually utilized by BNSF freight. Any ideas on this? (pictured below)




(I can tell this one is the Lake Shore Limited)

Are there any Chicago Amtrak railfans out there with any info on this?

 

[NES28]

Turning trains at CUS requires use of BNSF tracks as part of the wying movement. Most Amtrak trains, both long distance and regional, require turning in Chicago.

 

[Eric in East County]

What is CUS’ current Red Cap situation? When we were last there in June-July 2021, there were only two (2) Red Caps with carts to transport people from the Metropolitan Lounge to the long-distance trains’ loading platforms. This was not enough to accommodate all those who wanted this service and, as a result, many people who really did need to use a cart had to walk to their trains.

 

[Steve4031]

I think the tracks closer to the camera allow them to enter the switches ti get into the yard. The tracks closer to the bridge are for wb trains. The tracks closer to the camera are for eb trains.

 

[Burns651]

Like Grand Central, the main hall is gorgeous, but the actual train areas are dilapidated, cramped, devoid of light, stinky, and very loud, especially in CHI with all-diesel services. I don't understand what's so difficult about having a complete ceiling with no holes, a welcoming waiting area that doesn't look like a Greyhound terminal from the 80s, and employees that don't bark at you right and left.

You can thank sleepwalking city officials in 1969, and management of the Penn Central, Burlington, Milwaukee Road and GM&O which destroyed the skylit original concourse. Ever since then we've been crammed into the basement of a bland office building, smothered with low ceilings and a forest of columns. Not only does it make it hard to find your way around, it absolutely sets an oppressive tone which probably rubs off on the employees. As with Madison Square Garden at NYP, the mess will never have a true chance to be fixed until 222 S. Riverside Plaza is demolished.

 

[joelkfla]

I've seen reports on Facebook that all seating has been removed from the concourse, and passengers are being told to wait in the Great Hall. Is renovation in progress? Has seating been added to the Great Hall?

 

[NES28]

I assume that this is due to the start of construction on the project to open up the concourse, as recommended in the CUS Master Plan. The old ticket office and various other stuff will be removed, enabling people to see through from the north track gates to the south track gates for the first time since demo of the historic Concourse Building in 1968.

 

[carjaq]

I live across the street from Chicago Union Station. Lot’s of activity going on with material being disposed of from upper floors. Looks like they’re being gutted. Someone on here probably knows what’s up.

 

[dlagrua]

Closest place to Chicago Union Station to buy groceries, food and wine would be Marianos at 40 S Halsted street Chicago 60661. It is a large full service market, with a bakery, meat section, pizza stand, prepared food and they stock wine and other drinks. There is an ice cream stand on the first floor. Elevators are available. Marianos is in the old Greektown section about 4 blocks from Union Station (10 minute walk). That area also has a large pharmacy, a Starbucks, a few restaurants and some fast food places.

 

[TransitTyrant]

You can thank sleepwalking city officials in 1969, and management of the Penn Central, Burlington, Milwaukee Road and GM&O which destroyed the skylit original concourse. Ever since then we've been crammed into the basement of a bland office building, smothered with low ceilings and a forest of columns. Not only does it make it hard to find your way around, it absolutely sets an oppressive tone which probably rubs off on the employees. As with Madison Square Garden at NYP, the mess will never have a true chance to be fixed until 222 S. Riverside Plaza is demolished.

This era of remote work and and a surplus of more modern class A office space presents the perfect opportunity to tear down 222. An opportunity to truly fix Union Station and perhaps create a regional rail system in Chicago.

 

[Jay Aitchsee]

Are there Red Caps available curbside on Canal St to assist passengers being dropped off? (From Eric's unanswered question above, it doesn't sound like it)