Upcoming CONO Trip

[Kramerica]

My wife and I are taking a trip using Amtrak this June. We had been thinking of taking the CZ all the way to EMY (from MKE), but we've had a hectic spring and are just now ready to start serious planning. The one-way roomette cost on the CZ went from $590 to $947, which is too much for us. So we've decided to scale back a little bit and go somewhere we've never been: New Orleans. Instead of using Amtrak one-way, as we were planning on with our CZ trip, we'll use the CONO both ways, with a roomette. Lucky for us it is still at the low bucket price of $308 each way for two people. I have a few questions for you all.

- We have a $100 credit (from this trip last year) that we'll be applying to this booking. Do I have to go to a station to use the certificate? Can I book the trip online and then later on apply the credit to the reservation?

- We'll be taking the Hiawatha to Chicago to connect to the CONO. When booking it gives us the smallest layover time. I'd like to, on one or both ends of our trip, extend our layover in Chicago so we can do some stuff there. In particular eat at a restaurant such as Giordano's. Is there a way to do that online?

- My understanding is that the CONO now only has the CCC. Is that correct? Leaving Chicago, do we board early to get dinner on the train? For breakfast and lunch, are there reservations for sleeper passengers, or is it first come first served?

Any other tips about the CONO? We've travelled Amtrak once before, in coach from SEA to MKE. This will be our first roomette experience.

This will be an 11 day trip, leaving on June 5, 6, or 7. We'll spend a few days in NO w/o a car, then drive to Houston. The Brewers are in town that week for a series against the Astros, so we'll take in a game to root for the Crew. We'll hang around Houston a few days, and then drive back to NO to go back home. Any general suggestions for that itinerary? Any hotel suggestions for NO?

Thanks!

 

[p&sr]

- We'll be taking the Hiawatha to Chicago to connect to the CONO. When booking it gives us the smallest layover time. I'd like to, on one or both ends of our trip, extend our layover in Chicago so we can do some stuff there. In particular eat at a restaurant such as Giordano's. Is there a way to do that online?

Yes. Use the "Multi-City Trip" feature on the Amtrak website. Looking at a through route, Milwaukee to New Orleans, the coach fare seems to be $129 each way. On the "multi-city" page, tell it Milwaukee to Chicago, Chicago to New Orleans, NOL to CHI, and CHI to MKE, each for the appropriate date. You can prompt it with time of day, eg first train say 7:00 AM, last train say 8:00 PM. And of course select your sleeping accommodations. The fare remains the same regardless of which run on the Hiawathas you select, and it will all be on the same reservation so connections are guaranteed. You could arrive in Chicago as early as 7:57 AM before your 8:00 PM departure on City of New Orleans. And when City gets you back to Chicago at 9:00 AM, you could leave as late as 8:05 PM that day on the last Hiawatha northbound. This assumes you do not wish to have an overnight in Chicago, just some time there between connections.

- My understanding is that the CONO now only has the CCC. Is that correct? Leaving Chicago, do we board early to get dinner on the train? For breakfast and lunch, are there reservations for sleeper passengers, or is it first come first served?

Yes, apparently CCC is the food service on that train. The website says "pre-departure dining an hour before the train leaves Chicago each night for sleeping car passengers". You can read about it here:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...d=1178294088342

I haven't been on the CONO. On other long-distance trains, breakfast is first-come first-served, and lunch is by reservation, with priority given to sleeper passengers.

Maybe others can answer the rest of your questions. Good luck, and Enjoy your Trip!

 

[MrEd]

- We have a $100 credit (from this trip last year) that we'll be applying to this booking. Do I have to go to a station to use the certificate? Can I book the trip online and then later on apply the credit to the reservation?

Thanks!

Call the 800 number to reserve your trip, then go to the station late to hand in your credit voucher. My last credit was valid for 1 year, so check your date on the coupon.

Sleeping car passengers do board earlier on the city of new orleans in chicago.

 

[frj1983]

Per the CCC,

Yes Sleeping Car passengers are boarded early (about 6:45pm) and then invited to go to dinner. Thus you have the luxury of eating and watching the CONO's backup move after leaving Union Station.

The CCC is open all day and serves breakfast from 6:30am to 9:00am, and then reverts to an all day menu, you can go for lunch at any time, but dinner is by reservation.

By the way, the food was very good...my Wife who is a gourmet cook, was a little bummed to hear about the change to the CCC, but was pleasantly surprised at the tastiness of the food, as was I. The red beans and rice was really good as was the catfish!

 

[the_traveler]

As far as using the $100 voucher, there is no way to use it when booking online , you must either talk to a live agent, or book at the station. And you must either redeem the coupon at a manned station when you pick up your tickets, or mail the coupon in to redeem it.

The voucher is good for up to a year from the date of issue. But there is a way around that! If you use it to obtain a ticket and then return that ticket for a voucher credit or for another ticket, or have the original voucher reissued, before the 1 year expiration date, you could extend that voucher for another year!

As p&sr stated, use the Multi City option if booking online. But in your case, you will be talking to an agent. Ask.

 

[Kramerica]

Thanks everyone for your help! One last (for now!) question: The Hiawatha is unreserved, right? Can we basically just board any departure we want, or do we need tickets for that particular run? I'm thinking that at the end of the trip, we may not want to spend a few hours in Chicago like I'm planning now, but rather just hop the next train to get home. But I'd like the option available.

 

[MrFSS]

Thanks everyone for your help! One last (for now!) question: The Hiawatha is unreserved, right? Can we basically just board any departure we want, or do we need tickets for that particular run? I'm thinking that at the end of the trip, we may not want to spend a few hours in Chicago like I'm planning now, but rather just hop the next train to get home. But I'd like the option available.

Hiawatha tickets have a VALID THROUGH date and you can ride any of them, any time, between the points listed on the ticket.

 

[DKpartyguy]

It sounds like you have a fun trip planned. I visit New Orleans about twice a year, on my way to visit family in Texas. There are many hotels in New Orleans to choose from, from high-priced luxury to tourist class hotels. And of course, your desired location would affect your hotel choices. I have stayed at many different ones there, preferring to be near the French Quarter. I stayed at the Hyatt, which was very nice, but it was huge and noisy, with no real charm or coziness. I also stayed at the Holiday Inn, near the Amtrak station, which was good, as well as a Days Inn, near the French Quarter, not glitzy or up-scale, but in a good location and reasonably priced, at around $70.00 a night.

On my last two trips I stayed at a very lovel hotel right in the French Quarter, the Hotel Saint Marie. It is an absolutely charming hotel, with large, spacious rooms, tastefully furnished in antique style furniture. It has a pool and a nice patio area,

and although it is in the French Quarter, is very quiet. Best of all, it is reasonably priced, clean and comfortable.. On my first visit there, last September, I got a room for about $55.00 a night, quite a good deal I'd say. The rates vary according to time of year and day of the week. I will definitely stay there on future trips. It is located on Toulouse Street, with Bourbon Street at the corner. I would advise taking a look at hotels.com to see the various hotel choices there. However, before you book anything on hotels.com, I would call the hotels directly and see what rate they would give you. I did this last September, and I got a better rate when I called the Hotel Saint Marie directly than what was listed on hotels.com for them.

You will not neccessarily get the best rate availble on hotels.com.

David B)

 

[Kramerica]

It's booked! June 7 in roomette 4 and June 16 also in roomette 4. Looking at the car layouts, looks like that's a good roomette to have.

I booked it over the phone, so I have to go down to the MKE station within a week to use my voucher and pay for the tickets.

The booking agent was nice, but didn't seem to have much knowlege of the CONO or CUS. I asked her about early boarding for dinner, and at first she said 5 PM (for the 8 PM departure). I thought that was wrong, and I'll just go by what everyone here says, (6:45 PM) plus whatever the lounge attendant says to us when we get to CUS from MKE.

And about the Metropolitan Lounge at CUS: they do hold your bags for you, right? How secure is it and how much does it cost? The booking agent told me they don't hold bags there.

Does anyone have any information about the Magnolia lounge in New Orleans? What amenities does it have? Do we get to board early? Is it early enough to get lunch onboard? (1:45 PM departure)

 

[MrFSS]

It's booked! June 7 in roomette 4 and June 16 also in roomette 4. Looking at the car layouts, looks like that's a good roomette to have.
I booked it over the phone, so I have to go down to the MKE station within a week to use my voucher and pay for the tickets.

The booking agent was nice, but didn't seem to have much knowledge of the CONO or CUS. I asked her about early boarding for dinner, and at first she said 5 PM (for the 8 PM departure). I thought that was wrong, and I'll just go by what everyone here says, (6:45 PM) plus whatever the lounge attendant says to us when we get to CUS from MKE.

And about the Metropolitan Lounge at CUS: they do hold your bags for you, right? How secure is it and how much does it cost? The booking agent told me they don't hold bags there.

Does anyone have any information about the Magnolia lounge in New Orleans? What amenities does it have? Do we get to board early? Is it early enough to get lunch onboard? (1:45 PM departure)

As you come in the Lounge door, there is a room on the left with a redcap who will check your bag and secure it in that room until you are ready to leave. The service is free but tips are appreciated. It is very secure. I have left bags for 4-5 hours while I wandered around town, no problem.

I'll let others answer about NO as I've not traveled there by train.

 

[AlanB]

It's booked! June 7 in roomette 4 and June 16 also in roomette 4. Looking at the car layouts, looks like that's a good roomette to have.
I booked it over the phone, so I have to go down to the MKE station within a week to use my voucher and pay for the tickets.

The booking agent was nice, but didn't seem to have much knowledge of the CONO or CUS. I asked her about early boarding for dinner, and at first she said 5 PM (for the 8 PM departure). I thought that was wrong, and I'll just go by what everyone here says, (6:45 PM) plus whatever the lounge attendant says to us when we get to CUS from MKE.

And about the Metropolitan Lounge at CUS: they do hold your bags for you, right? How secure is it and how much does it cost? The booking agent told me they don't hold bags there.

Does anyone have any information about the Magnolia lounge in New Orleans? What amenities does it have? Do we get to board early? Is it early enough to get lunch onboard? (1:45 PM departure)

As you come in the Lounge door, there is a room on the left with a redcap who will check your bag and secure it in that room until you are ready to leave. The service is free but tips are appreciated. It is very secure. I have left bags for 4-5 hours while I wandered around town, no problem.

I'll let others answer about NO as I've not traveled there by train.

Note: You must check in at the desk first, before you go to the luggage room. They enforce this rule, sometimes a little too rudely IMHO, so as to ensure that coach pax don't slip in to use the free luggage service. So when you walk into the lounge, go first to the desk just slightly to the left of the entrance and ahead of you. Get your little card that proves your entitled to use the lounge and come and go as you please, and then turn around and visit the luggage room. The redcap will ask you for that card anyhow.

But that little card means that you don't have to actually stop at the desk anymore as you come and go. But be sure to wave the card in the air and catch someone's eye at the desk as you come back in, or again they may ask you what you're doing.

As noted the room is secured, but don't check your laptop, wallet, or a purse in your luggage.

Turning to the Magnolia room, it's nothing special at all. It's better than the hard benches outside in the main station, but that's not saying too much. There's only room for about 20 or 30 chairs at most, they have a coffee maker, water, and a TV in the room and that's about it. You have to go outside to do anything else.

 

[gswager]

In additional to that in Magnolia room, it serves several brands of sodas and a basket of individual size snacks.

 

[MStrain]

Just got off the phone with a lady at Amtrak. I was inquiring as to why the CONO has been 190 mins late these past two days, as CONO is usually early. She told me there was a sinkhole south of Memphis that should be fixed in 3-4 weeks. I guess number 59 has to come an alternate way into Jackson, MS?

 

[GregL]

Just got off the phone with a lady at Amtrak. I was inquiring as to why the CONO has been 190 mins late these past two days, as CONO is usually early. She told me there was a sinkhole south of Memphis that should be fixed in 3-4 weeks. I guess number 59 has to come an alternate way into Jackson, MS?

I was saddened to hear that. We are going to be on both those trains in two weeks. I checked and the train is about that late arriving in Chicago also. We had about a five hour delay in CHi. before our connection with the SWC. Suddenly we don't have as much time to kill in Chicago. I still prefer travel by Amtrak though. :blink:

GregL

 

[frj1983]

It's booked! June 7 in roomette 4 and June 16 also in roomette 4. Looking at the car layouts, looks like that's a good roomette to have.
I booked it over the phone, so I have to go down to the MKE station within a week to use my voucher and pay for the tickets.

The booking agent was nice, but didn't seem to have much knowledge of the CONO or CUS. I asked her about early boarding for dinner, and at first she said 5 PM (for the 8 PM departure). I thought that was wrong, and I'll just go by what everyone here says, (6:45 PM) plus whatever the lounge attendant says to us when we get to CUS from MKE.

And about the Metropolitan Lounge at CUS: they do hold your bags for you, right? How secure is it and how much does it cost? The booking agent told me they don't hold bags there.

Does anyone have any information about the Magnolia lounge in New Orleans? What amenities does it have? Do we get to board early? Is it early enough to get lunch onboard? (1:45 PM departure)

As you come in the Lounge door, there is a room on the left with a redcap who will check your bag and secure it in that room until you are ready to leave. The service is free but tips are appreciated. It is very secure. I have left bags for 4-5 hours while I wandered around town, no problem.

I'll let others answer about NO as I've not traveled there by train.

Note: You must check in at the desk first, before you go to the luggage room. They enforce this rule, sometimes a little too rudely IMHO, so as to ensure that coach pax don't slip in to use the free luggage service. So when you walk into the lounge, go first to the desk just slightly to the left of the entrance and ahead of you. Get your little card that proves your entitled to use the lounge and come and go as you please, and then turn around and visit the luggage room. The redcap will ask you for that card anyhow.

But that little card means that you don't have to actually stop at the desk anymore as you come and go. But be sure to wave the card in the air and catch someone's eye at the desk as you come back in, or again they may ask you what you're doing.

As noted the room is secured, but don't check your laptop, wallet, or a purse in your luggage.

Turning to the Magnolia room, it's nothing special at all. It's better than the hard benches outside in the main station, but that's not saying too much. There's only room for about 20 or 30 chairs at most, they have a coffee maker, water, and a TV in the room and that's about it. You have to go outside to do anything else.

In Addition,

In order to get into the Magnolia Room in NO, you have to check in at the Amtrak desk and show your tickets/ID. They then give you a three digit number to key into a special pad on the door (in other words, you can't just walk in). Alan is correct, the room is small so if you want a seat you might want to get there early. My Wife and I arrived about an hour and half early and there was plenty of room, but it filled up fast!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Is the New Orleans station nice?

 

[PRR 60]

Is the New Orleans station nice?

My opinion, no. Utilitarian, at best. Others may disagree.

 

[MStrain]

Its ok....nothing fancy anymore. In the 1960's it was probably a jewel, but today it looks tired and blah.....

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Sure, but so does CUS.

 

[MStrain]

Here is the station back in 1954: http://www.flickr.com/photos/imperturbe/493822367/

 

[frj1983]

Is the New Orleans station nice?

My opinion, no. Utilitarian, at best. Others may disagree.

You're correct PRR60,

It's just a big square box that Amtrak shares with Greyhound!

 

[AlanB]

Well square box might be a bit harsh, after all that makes it sound more like an Amshack. But if one is expecting the grandeur of say Grand Central or 30th Street station, one will be sadly disappointed.

 

[had8ley]

All I want to say is the NOL UPT was used as the parish prison after Katrina. It is not in any sightseeing brochures but may be included in a panhandlers digest of just where to hang out and beg for beer bucks.

 

[had8ley]

Here is the station back in 1954: http://www.flickr.com/photos/imperturbe/493822367/

I'm sorry but it still looks the same except a little grimier since Greyhound moved in. I would be willing to bet the Fire marshal would put an occupancy over 20 people in the Magnolia Room would be over doing the capacity of the room. If I remember correctly the space was once a Santa Fe ticket office although the Santa Fe never came into NOL. Kinda like when the airlines all had ticket offices surrounding Rockefeller Center. I don't know of any that are still there.

 

[frj1983]

All I want to say is the NOL UPT was used as the parish prison after Katrina. It is not in any sightseeing brochures but may be included in a panhandlers digest of just where to hang out and beg for beer bucks.

When there 3 weeks ago,

There were absolutely no panhandlers in the area around the station and the place was relatively clean and shiny. Also the Amtrak Cop was checking everyone's ID. A tough job as a tour bus pulled in with about 60 people (all traveled coach) and he checked every one of them and did it in a humorous and efficient manner.