Question about missed Hiawatha connection at Union Station

jimontheriver · Sep 28, 2019

In a few weeks we will be coming into Chicago on the Illinois Zephyr #380 scheduled to arrive at 10:33am. I have these tickets. Wanting to go on to Milwaukee for the day. If I buy tickets for #333 departing at 11:05 but miss this because of a late #380 into Chicago can I use the ticket on the next train at 1:05, #335 ??

MikefromCrete · Sep 28, 2019

Right. Just get on the next train. The Hiawathas are unreserved and all tickets cost the same.

niemi24s · Sep 28, 2019

It may depend upon whether your ticket on the Hiawatha is for an Unreserved seat or a Reserved seat.

MikefromCrete · Sep 28, 2019

There are no reserved seats on the Hiawathas. All coaches are unreserved.

niemi24s · Sep 29, 2019

I may be wrong, but had the notion they could become reserved seating around holidays and other high-traffic times. Oh well . . .

Anyhoo, fares on the 3:15 and 5:08 pm peak travel time Hiawathas from CHI are $3 more than the others on weekdays but still unreserved on the days checked - so I think that ticket would be good for any later train. Maybe even an earlier one?

jis · Sep 29, 2019

Strictly speaking no Amtrak train other than Acelas in First Class have reserved seat, as understood in rest of the world, as in, a specific seat is earmarked for you. All that we have is reserved trains, i.e. you can travel only by a specific train shown on your ticket. As for whether you get a seat or not is between you and your luck at times, though most Amtrak trains do not run particularly full its entire route, so it is very likely that you will get a seat for a substantial part of your trip, and possibly even all of it.

As mentioned by others, the Hiawathas are generally not reserved trains, though on some specific dates around holidays they may become reserved trains.

niemi24s · Sep 29, 2019

Thanks for explaining the distinction between reserved seats and reserved trains.

jimontheriver · Oct 1, 2019

Thanks all for the info.

NEPATrainTraveler · Oct 1, 2019

The Hiawatha has peak ($28) and non-peak ($25) trains on weekdays. The peak trains going to MKE are at 3:15 pm and 5:08 pm. The tickets for the non-peak trains won’t work on the peak trains. 11:05 am and 1:05 pm are non-peak, so either of those two times would work for you.