Osceola, Iowa to Chicago, IL

[DarkJustice]

We are considering taking our family to Chicago, Illinois over New Years via Amtrak. We would depart from Osceola, Iowa and ride the train to Chicago. Any input on this trip or if buying the family sleeper is necessary would be helpful. We have two teenagers, a toddler and a baby. Thanks.

 

[MrFSS]

We are considering taking our family to Chicago, Illinois over New Years via Amtrak. We would depart from Osceola, Iowa and ride the train to Chicago. Any input on this trip or if buying the family sleeper is necessary would be helpful. We have two teenagers, a toddler and a baby. Thanks.

Assume you are looking at #6, The California Zephyr. It is an eight hour trip, in the daytime, both ways. Only thing the sleeper would allow is for free meals to be included and to have some privacy from everyone else who might be in coach. You would have to check with Amtrak to see how many would be included for free at each meal. I think it is four for the family bedroom. So, it becomes a question of if you want to spend the money for the perks of the bedroom or go in coach. Others may have some ideas on the subject, too.

 

[Sam Damon]

We are considering taking our family to Chicago, Illinois over New Years via Amtrak. We would depart from Osceola, Iowa and ride the train to Chicago. Any input on this trip or if buying the family sleeper is necessary would be helpful. We have two teenagers, a toddler and a baby. Thanks.

Well, let's see.

Taking a family that size in coach might be somewhat problematic simply because unlike the airlines, Amtrak will not necessarily reserve you a block of seats together. If the crew is sharp, they can clear out space to accommodate all the members of your family; but odds are you'll end up scattered a bit in the coach, at least at first. Sometimes people are very nice, and will move in this type of situation. Sometimes, they won't. It's a very hit or miss thing, especially at the holidays.

Booking a sleeper for a day trip such as yours is an option -- but the expense for one at that time of year is substantial. Having the NARP membership or AAA membership discounts may take a bit of the sting out of the coach fare, but sleeper accommodations are not discounted in that manner. If you are planning to book a sleeper, booking six months or more ahead is not a bad idea. Expect to pay more during peak travel periods. I don't know if Amtrak would ticket your family of six into a bedroom suite -- two bedrooms with the door between them opened.

We haven't even gotten into the CZ on-time performance, either. It's been pretty dreary, especially eastbound. Amtrak and UP have negotiated a deal which is supposed to improve this, but it's too early to tell if it's had a sustained effect. You can keep track of that train's on-time performance over a three-week period by surfing here.

I'm not trying to turn you off from Amtrak travel with these comments. What I do hope is that you understand some of the constraints Amtrak has had to deal with, and to be realistic about intercity passenger trains. I think taking the California Zephyr from Osceola, Iowa to Chicago is a grand idea. By the timetable, you would leave around 9:00a, and hit Chicago in the middle of rush hour. Way cool, if a bit hectic. I would strongly suggest you also visit On-track-on-line's Amtrak travel tips for a nice overview of Amtrak travel tips.

 

[Anthony]

The toddler and the baby could each be the +1 in their respective bedrooms, so Amtrak shouldn't have a problem ticketing that.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Personally, a sleeper for only 8 hours and during the daylight seems to be a bit much for me. If you were travelling at night I would be all over it. You could save yourself some money and go coach and then take the savings and put it toward a nice place in CHI. Another nice place that would be costly but alot of fun would be Glenwood Springs CO. I just got back from there on the CZ and have thought that would be a really neat destination for NYE. Only my two cents worth. CUS (Chicago Union Station) is right in the loop area so de-training there makes things simple instead of being way out at O'Hare. I was on a sold out train 7/19 and they seated the four of us all together in the lower level coach area. That was the only place they had left. The crew was sharp on that one and I was grateful.

 

[Sam Damon]

The toddler and the baby could each be the +1 in their respective bedrooms, so Amtrak shouldn't have a problem ticketing that.

Thanks for clarifying that, Anthony. If the budget would allow it, a bedroom suite is an option. Coach, though, is more realistic, given Amtrak's fare structure.

Please note, DarkJustice, we don't post fares here because they're subject to change at a moment's notice. It just gets the board ops into a world of hurt. Posting fares paid after a trip is completed, though, is okay.

 

[RailFanLNK]

DarkJustice,

I checked sleeper costs for NYE going to GSC (Glenwood Springs) because I'm thinking of going back around Feburary and thought NYE might be more fun. Since this is a "holiday" weekend, the sleepers to GSC are real pricey already so they may be pricey now for Chicago. Getting sleepers is best to do at least 6 months or as much as 11 months in advance so you can pay the lower bucket fare. For my trip I'm planning to GSC, the cost was prohibitive since the cost was already pretty high for NYE.