Luggage check in Chicago

[Everydaymatters]

A friend is hoping to take a trip to see her son in DC. We'd like to get together on her return trip back to Montana, since it would give us more time between trains than the trip to DC.

I'd like to meet her at the station and then take the trolley to Navy Pier or maybe Water Tower Place.

Does anyone know if there's a place she can check her luggage for a few hours at Union Station in Chicago?

It's my starting point when I take trips and I never noticed if there were lockers or if there was a check room.

 

[Anthony]

You should be able to check your bags at the baggage counter for a couple bucks each -- at least I've done that in New York. Amtrak gives you claim checks and as long as you come back before they close the counter, you're fine.

 

[The Metropolitan]

You should be able to check your bags at the baggage counter for a couple bucks each -- at least I've done that in New York. Amtrak gives you claim checks and as long as you come back before they close the counter, you're fine.

I'm glad this was asked, as I had planned on posing this very question soon as well, since we arrive at 1030am on Monday and don't check into the Hotel until 3:00pm, I was hoping that there would be a parcel check available to avoid dragging this roller case all through Chitown for my first few hours there, and as well on our departure date to store our cases until we depart on the Capitol Limited.

Similarly, does anyone know if PITTSBURGH offers such a service? We have a one day layover there, arriving at 4:15am (cough, cough) on the Capitol and not checking in until 3:00pm. I'd like to be able to leave the bags at this station until its time to head to the Hotel.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Yes, I would think there would be a baggage counter in Chicago, but I've never seen it. I know that in the first class passenger lounge there is a room for luggage, but that's only for the first class passengers.

I'm mentally looking at every place I can think of in Union Station in Chicago and I can't visualize a baggage counter anywhere.

 

[AlanB]

The baggage counter is at the end right end of the ticket counter. However, in Chicago they will not hold your bags for you.

What you'll need to do is to walk around the corner from the ticket counter, towards the great hall and then turn left, to the baggage claim area. In that are there are day lockers that you can use to store your bags. The lockers will take cash or credit cards. They're not exactly cheap, I think 10 bucks for the day, but it's still better than dragging your luggage all around town.

 

[The Metropolitan]

They're not exactly cheap, I think 10 bucks for the day, but it's still better than dragging your luggage all around town.

Yikes, what a warm welcome! :blink: In Philly, the baggage check is only $2!

 

[Everydaymatters]

The baggage claim area is probably the only place I haven't visited at Union Station in Chicago. Thanks, Alan. I know exactly where it is. I just always walked past it!

There used to be lockers in the waiting room - not the Grand Hall - the smaller Amtrak waiting room. Are those still there?

 

[AlanB]

I'm glad this was asked, as I had planned on posing this very question soon as well, since we arrive at 1030am on Monday and don't check into the Hotel until 3:00pm, I was hoping that there would be a parcel check available to avoid dragging this roller case all through Chitown for my first few hours there, and as well on our departure date to store our cases until we depart on the Capitol Limited.
Similarly, does anyone know if PITTSBURGH offers such a service? We have a one day layover there, arriving at 4:15am (cough, cough) on the Capitol and not checking in until 3:00pm. I'd like to be able to leave the bags at this station until its time to head to the Hotel.

Metropolitan,

If you are arriving and departing in a sleeper, then head to the Metropolitan Lounge and show your tickets/stubs. Then you will be able to use the free storage facilities within the lounge, although the Red cap manning the room will still appreciate your tip. But that's a heck of a lot cheaper than the lockers. If you are not traveling first class, then you could consider leaving your bags at the hotel in question. Most hotels will day check bags for their guests for free. Some will even deliver the bags to your room, once it's ready even though you haven't officially checked in.

If that's not practical, then you'll have no choice but to use the lockers that I mentioned in the post above.

As for Pittsburgh, I'm not sure. Up until the Madrid bombings most Amtrak stations with baggage rooms would daycheck bags for passengers for a fee. Many still do, but my buddies from OTOL and I got caught last summer in St. Louis where they refused to do it. This despite the fact that one member had called them just the week before to confirm that they would. Pesonally, I got the impression that the redcap wasn't around and the ticket agent didn't want to be bothered, especially when he saw like 10 of us.

I would also again suggest considering the hotel though too. Waiting in their lobby might even be a nicer place to wait, as opposed to the train station.

 

[AlanB]

The baggage claim area is probably the only place I haven't visited at Union Station in Chicago. Thanks, Alan. I know exactly where it is. I just always walked past it!
There used to be lockers in the waiting room - not the Grand Hall - the smaller Amtrak waiting room. Are those still there?

I believe that those are gone, especially since they shrunk the size of the north waiting area to increase the size of the Metro Lounge.

And just to be clear, the lockers and the baggage claim room are not in the great hall. One walks towards that area from the ticket counters, but turns left before entering the doors to the great hall. It's on the opposite side from the METRA ticket counters.

 

[AlanB]

They're not exactly cheap, I think 10 bucks for the day, but it's still better than dragging your luggage all around town.

Yikes, what a warm welcome! :blink: In Philly, the baggage check is only $2!

Well it's a concession service run by a private company, that I'm sure pays rent to Amtrak for the space.

However, consider the options that I mentioned in my specific post to you.

 

[Trogdor]

I believe that those are gone, especially since they shrunk the size of the north waiting area to increase the size of the Metro Lounge.

I'll admit that I haven't noticed one way or the other whether the lockers in the south boarding lounge are still there or not. However, I'm inclined to think that maybe they are.

In any event, I don't think there were any in the north boarding lounge, even before the Metropolitan Lounge was expanded.

 

[gswager]

I don't know how far is your hotel from the train station. You might want to call the hotel to see if they will hold the baggage for you until you'll come back for check-in later in the day.

 

[GG-1]

I'd like to meet her at the station and then take the trolley to Navy Pier or maybe Water Tower Place.

Aloha

Six years ago I arrived at Chicago Union Station and stayed at a hotel in sight of the Navy Pier. I dont remember any trolley or bus service from the station and either location.

The Taxi service was excelent.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Thanks, Alan. One more question about Union in Chicago. Years ago, around 1960, there was a small bar on the west wall of the station. I think it was called the Red Lion. Is there still a small bar at that location? At that time, there was an exit nearby that you could use to go to Jackson.

I sometimes sit awhile in the Great Hall, but other than the Metro and Amtrak sides, I haven't explored beyond that.

 

[AlanB]

I'm not real sure about the bar question, as I'm not that frequent of a visitor to CUS. I do know that there is one on the upper level on the river side, but don't recall what it's called. I also think that there is a bar/resturant in the hallway that leads from the great hall to the main station, but again I'm not positive and no clue about its name. Sorry.

 

[stlouielady]

Try this address: http://chicago.citysearch.com/feature/15395/

It will give you more information about Union Station, including shops and restaurants. Not sure how current it is, but, it does have a map included.

 

[Trogdor]

Six years ago I arrived at Chicago Union Station and stayed at a hotel in sight of the Navy Pier. I dont remember any trolley or bus service from the station and either location.
The Taxi service was excelent.

There is frequent bus service available from Union Station to both Water Tower Place (route 151, with route 125 providing extra service during rush hours) and Navy Pier (route 124). Since the (fake) trolleys are run by a different company, I'm not familiar with their service, but I do know they serve Union Station and Navy Pier (maybe on the same route, maybe not) and Michigan Avenue (Water Tower).

 

[GG-1]

Six years ago I arrived at Chicago Union Station and stayed at a hotel in sight of the Navy Pier. I dont remember any trolley or bus service from the station and either location.

The Taxi service was excelent.

There is frequent bus service available from Union Station to both Water Tower Place (route 151, with route 125 providing extra service during rush hours) and Navy Pier (route 124). Since the (fake) trolleys are run by a different company, I'm not familiar with their service, but I do know they serve Union Station and Navy Pier (maybe on the same route, maybe not) and Michigan Avenue (Water Tower).

Glad for everyday maters that my memory is wrong on bus route. Never considered the fakes as trolleys so I just didn't remember trolleys.

 

[Anthony]

Those lockers in the south lounge are indeed still there -- I saw them two weekends ago.

 

[AmtrakWPK]

If she is arriving on the train, and she has checked baggage, why not just defer picking up the baggage until after you make your brief tour around Chicago, and THEN pick up her bags. Won't the Amtrak station hold those bags until she claims them? Seems like that makes more sense than claiming the bags immediately when she arrives and then paying to check them into lockers.

 

[skeets50]

Thanks, Alan. One more question about Union in Chicago. Years ago, around 1960, there was a small bar on the west wall of the station. I think it was called the Red Lion. Is there still a small bar at that location? At that time, there was an exit nearby that you could use to go to Jackson.
I sometimes sit awhile in the Great Hall, but other than the Metro and Amtrak sides, I haven't explored beyond that.

There is a bar on your right as you approach Grand Hall coming from Amtrak section and also there is a bar on the second level near the food court.