Why the overnight train from Chicago to Pittsburgh may beat flying
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Chicago's Union Station is a great place to start your trip back to Pittsburgh. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios
Don't sleep on the overnight train between Pittsburgh and Chicago.
Why it matters: When factoring in security wait times, travel to and from airports and general comfort, taking the train isn't as crazy as you might think, especially if you ride in style.
🚆 Context: I recently rode in a roomette with my girlfriend on the Amtrak Floridian from Chicago to Pittsburgh.
- The train leaves Chicago at 6:40pm and arrives in Pittsburgh just before 5am.
- My journey was just over nine hours, which is two hours longer than driving if you don't stop.
- I flew from Pittsburgh. My door-to-door trip — which included a bus ride from the East End, flight and subway ride to the Loop in Chicago — took about six hours.
🛜 Internet service was surprisingly good on the train. It rarely went out and allowed me to stream an entire Steelers game.
🛏️ Zoom in: The roomette was fairly tight with two people, but felt plenty big when lying down in the bunk beds.
- It had tons of space for luggage and a small sink.
- The scenery was not much to look at. The ride was at night and rolled past industrial zones, strip malls and farmland.
💵 Cost: Roomettes range from about $300-$1,000.
- Save money by bidding up on coach seats for a roomette, but it's not a guarantee you will get one.
- Coach seats start at $44.
- Private rooms — which are much larger and come with a private bathroom and shower — are about twice as expensive as roomettes.
😴 Pro tip: Take a sleep aid. The train is fairly bumpy, and I slept on and off most of the night.
- The beds are large enough, and pillows and blankets are provided. The bottom bunk was softer than the top.
🍽️ Dig in: Sleeper car tickets come with a meal, alcoholic beverage and dessert in the dining car.
- I had salmon with lobster sauce, quinoa and roasted vegetables, a Stone IPA, and blueberry cheesecake.
- Dinner was similar to wedding food. Adequate, but not excellent.
- Load up on free snacks, soda and coffee before the trip in the Metropolitan Lounge at Chicago's Union Station. A roomette ticket also comes with access.
Yes, but: This route is fairly notorious for long delays, which can derail some enjoyment from your trip.
🚉 The bottom line: Train travel, for me, makes the journey a desirable part of a trip.
- And other passengers seem to agree. Everyone I interacted with in the dining car and train station was friendly and in high spirits, the opposite of my experience flying.