Chicago to NYC by Amtrak: Hour by Hour

Last Updated on August 16, 2022 by Adam Watts

Chicago to NYC by Amtrak was not our first choice. Flying was our first choice, and frankly it wasn’t really a choice. We didn’t even consider taking the train, which was justified when our hand was forced and it was going to take us 24 hours to get home. TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. 

But in the end getting back to NYC by Amtrak was our only option. There was a major snowstorm over the Midwest, causing airlines to cancel thousands of flights. We were flying Spirit Airlines (I know, I know) and when we phoned them on Monday morning, they offered to put us on the next available flight back to NYC. Cool! Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, we thought. There must be tons of flights from NYC to Chicago. “Okay, I’ll go ahead and add you to the flight on Thursday.” “Cool, thanks.” 

Wait, what?

THURSDAY?

As charming and lovely and freezing and windy and horrible as Chicago was right now, we needed to get back to NYC as soon as possible. We had jobs and responsibilities and blankets to get home to. Spirit refunded half our price and we booked a seat on the Chicago to NYC Amtrak route – the Lake Shore Limited. It would leave at 9.30pm that night, getting back to NYC around 7pm tomorrow. 

Chicago to NYC by Amtrak – Hour by Hour

Hour 1: spent waiting in Chicago’s Union Station because the train is delayed for reasons unknown. People, us included, dine on McDonald’s or take-out pizza from the few places left open. Some Amish people fuss around a vending machine.

Hour 2: we find our seat, reach into the brown bag for the remaining fries, and look out at the night sky, still light with snow clouds. We take our shoes off. So much better. This might be the long way home, but it’ll be comfortable at least.

Hours 3-9: we sleep, nap, and doze, constantly moving position. Not the best night’s sleep, but when we wake up we’ve passed all of Indiana and Ohio, now we’re at Erie, PA.

Hour 10: at 9am, we breakfast on granola and yogurt, bought from a place at Union Station last night. Then we brush our teeth, trying to maintain some semblance of routine. It’s snowing outside.

Hours 11-13: this being Tuesday, I dial into a work meeting, but the WiFi is bad. I manage to catch up on emails but can’t work much more than that. Sorry, boss, not my fault!

Hour 14: it’s now early afternoon and we’re into New York State. At Buffalo, border patrol officers come onto the train. They ask everyone where they’re from and non-US citizens get asked questions and asked for passports. Even though we haven’t left the US on this trip, we brought our passports, thankfully.

Hours 15-17: we play games, music and podcasts, and wander up and down the train to stretch our legs. The novelty of the train ride has long since worn off. Chicago to NYC by Amtrak is really tiring, guys. What we need is a good murder to solve.

Hour 18: we’ve reached Albany where the train splits in two. We get out and the cold air and brisk walk up to the station café does miracles for our swollen feet and sore backs. We grab a hot chocolate and a coffee, and a brownie to split, and watch as our new engine clips onto our half of the train.

Hours 19-20: it feels like we’re coming to the end, both of the journey and our ability to be on this train. The sporadic WiFi is shut off completely and the café car is gone. Physically, our muscles are cranky from disuse, brains shutting down from the monotonous churning of the train along the track. It’s dark outside again, meaning we’ve been on the train almost an entire day, which is a depressing feeling. The sight of familiar stations – Poughkeepsie, Croton-Harmon – brings a smile: the end is in sight. The sign at the top of the carriage three rows in front of us seems to change from “EXIT. RESTROOM OTHER END.” to “READY TO LEAVE? NO WAY, PAL.”

Hour 21: we’ve made it. In our twenty-first hour, we’re finally done with Chicago to NYC by Amtrak. It’s such a relief to be off the rattling train and no longer stuck traveling in a metal cage with hundreds of other people. Now we just have to take the subway home. Oh, goddamnit.

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