Best Amtrak Fare????

[luvtotraveldcl]

Hi, looking to get some best fare train tics to go to Chicago for the day. Right now they are listed at $14 each way for adult price.

There is a place for a promo code---does anyone know of how to get those or if they would even be availiable for the fare I am trying to purchase?

Is Amtraks site the best place to buy or should I look elsewhere?

Never done this before but trying to go on a budget for the least amount possible. Child price says 2-15---dd is 15 right now and will be when I purchase but will have turned 16 2 days before we get the tickets for. I am assuming that I will have to purchase the adult fare since she will be 16 when we travel or could I get lucky and be able to use her age of 15 at time of purchase for 50% off her ticket only?----think I know the answer but didn't know if anyone here had any experience with this.

Thanks for the help---also anyone know how close the Chicago station is to Wrigley field---what would be the easiest/cheapest way to get there and how much time would be involved??

 

[hollypoast]

When is your trip? Amtrak has a very generous cancellation policy. You can cancel up to 24 hours before your trip and get a full refund. I think after 24 hours the cancelation fee is something ridiculous like 10%. We haven't taken the train to Chicago but have to DC and to Minneapolis. Both times I booked and rebooked every time the price went down.

And don't worry about your kiddos age. They won't check. Boarding the train is a much easier than a plane. You stand on the platform, tell the conductor your name and then get on.

 

[luvtotraveldcl]

Thanks for your reply hollypoast

We are looking at going in August. Do you mean if we buy tickets and then the price drops they will refund the difference or how does the booking and rebooking work?

I wouldn't want to do something wrong but if I buy the tickets now our dd is 15 but my concern is when we board the train someone thinking she doesn't look 15. She is very tall for her age and some people have even thought she was 18 or older. I was assuming with all of the travel concerns since 911 that they would be checking our ID's ---I'm sure they check bags but we won't have any only what we carry on. Thanks again for your input

 

[AuroraRora]

I just took the Amtrak from Baltimore to DC and there was no ID required/checked, nor baggage check. I just held out my printed ticket email to be scanned when the train pulled in and then shuffled on with my suitcase.

 

[crashbb]

If you buy a reserved seat, you can return it for a full refund up to 24 hours before travel. They won't refund the difference, but you can easily cancel your first tickets and buy new ones (which means you keep the difference in price). You might be able to get someone at Amtrack to do a price difference refund, but when I called they wouldn't (so I just did the return and re-buy option).

You daughter needs a ticket based on her age on the day of travel. As a PP said, you'd likely get away with cheating, but the ticket she is supposed to have is an adult ticket.

Not sure when/where you are travelling, but we sometimes get lucky using this - http://www.amtrak.com/rail-deals-every-week-25-off-amtrak-fares-across-the-us

We book the normal way and then, if a deal comes through (deals are only up within three weeks of travel dates) we can do the return and re-buy thing.

 

[CoP Luv]

Union Station is not very close to Wrigley. You could walk to the Red Line El and take it north to Addison which is right behind Wrigley. It could take you ten to fifteen minutes to walk, wait for the train and then twenty to thirty minutes to get up to Wrigley. You could also take the Clarke St. Bus (#22 I think) north to Wrigley. I would allow an hour travel time either way. I think the fare s $2.50 pp each way for the el and bus but you can check the cta website to confirm.

The easiest way wold be to jump in a cab. Depending on traffic it might be close to $20.

 

[hollypoast]

If you buy a reserved seat, you can return it for a full refund up to 24 hours before travel. They won't refund the difference, but you can easily cancel your first tickets and buy new ones (which means you keep the difference in price). You might be able to get someone at Amtrack to do a price difference refund, but when I called they wouldn't (so I just did the return and re-buy option).

You daughter needs a ticket based on her age on the day of travel. As a PP said, you'd likely get away with cheating, but the ticket she is supposed to have is an adult ticket.

Not sure when/where you are travelling, but we sometimes get lucky using this - http://www.amtrak.com/rail-deals-every-week-25-off-amtrak-fares-across-the-us

We book the normal way and then, if a deal comes through (deals are only up within three weeks of travel dates) we can do the return and re-buy thing.

This ^

Just cancel and rebook. Often in the summer they also have buy one get one half off. I haven't traveled Amtrak enough to know when that sale usually runs. Good luck!

 

[luvtotraveldcl]

thanks so much everyone!! You all have been very helpful. I definitely don't want to cheat and would be worried someone would look at our dd and know that she looks older than her age so we will definitely buy the adult tickets although it stinks as she will only be 1 day outside the age difference.

CoP Luv---thank you too for the helpful travel info. We were wondering about taking the el or what to do . Do you mean a cab would be $20 one way or for both----that sounds like the easier way to go but if it's $20 each way the el or bus would be way cheaper. Anyone have any opininons on what we should do??? Never been to Wrigley and never rode the train to Chicago either so we will be winging all of this.

I think the train gets in to Chicago at 10:00am and the game starts at 1:00pm so I'm hoping and assuming that we will have enough time to get there leisurely.

The tickets I am looking at are still the same price as a week ago so now I am worrying about them selling out so I guess I just need to bite the bullet so to speak---any other advice would be appreciated---thanks again everyone

 

[Lucille1963]

My two cents.

A cab to Wrigley on a game day would most likely be a chunk more than $20 due to the massive amount of traffic. I'd definitely recommend getting on the Red Line El.

Additionally, just as a word of warning, and not to freak you out, but Amtrak can (and does) run late.

 

[luvtotraveldcl]

Thanks Lucille1963

Do you know exactly how far the Red Line El is from Union Station? Is it walkable and safe to do so? Really appreciate your suggestion as I was leaning towards the el instead but just want to make sure since we don't know the area that we would be able to safely do this. Also, do you know about how long it would take to get to Wrigley once on the el?

And, yes I am expecting that we may be behind due to Amtrak but hopefully everything will run on time. Even if a little late we may just have to miss the beginning of the game but hopefully 3 hours will be enough lag time to get us there on time. That is why I am wondering about how long it takes from Union Station to Wrigley on the el.

Thanks for your help

 

[luvtotraveldcl]

Since we have never done this before can anyone tell me how early we need to get to the train depot to board? I'm sure we will need to be there a fair amount of time before it takes off but wasn't sure if there was a general timeframe or not. Thanks

 

[D&D's Mom]

So long as you are at the station before the train departs, you are there in time. Although I have never traveled to Chicago via Amtrak, I have traveled the northeast corridor and have never even had to show a ticket, much less ID before boarding a train. Just stand on the platform and get on. Eventually someone will come through the car and ask to scan your ticket. It's actually kind of scary how little security there is. No bag check, no scanners to walk through....

 

[deb010305]

I'm not sure about other stations, but in Boston (South Station) there are no bag checks. However, they sometimes do check ID's, and for the early morning trains there are Amtrak police where you board, and almost always one with a dog.

 

[Lucille1963]

Thanks Lucille1963

Do you know exactly how far the Red Line El is from Union Station? Is it walkable and safe to do so? Really appreciate your suggestion as I was leaning towards the el instead but just want to make sure since we don't know the area that we would be able to safely do this. Also, do you know about how long it would take to get to Wrigley once on the el?

And, yes I am expecting that we may be behind due to Amtrak but hopefully everything will run on time. Even if a little late we may just have to miss the beginning of the game but hopefully 3 hours will be enough lag time to get us there on time. That is why I am wondering about how long it takes from Union Station to Wrigley on the el.

Thanks for your help

The walk from Union Station to the Red Line is easy. Just over a half mile, and totally safe and scenic. You'll walk right by the Sears (Willis) Tower.

Once you get on the El, expect it to take 20 or so minutes. Expect it to be crowded. Like Magic Kingdom Busses after the fireworks crowded.

Since we have never done this before can anyone tell me how early we need to get to the train depot to board? I'm sure we will need to be there a fair amount of time before it takes off but wasn't sure if there was a general timeframe or not. Thanks

Let me get back to you on this one. I know there IS a cut off before the train leaves at Union Station. My sister works for Amtrak at Union Station. She'll have the scoop.

 

[Lucille1963]

My sis says that the gates are locked 5 minutes before scheduled departure time.
You can cut it close, but not too close!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I took Amtrak twice last week and was required to show ID to board the train at one station, but not the other.

Also, the first train left 40 minutes late. The other one was on time. I think they began boarding 15-20 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Both times, the stop I got on was where the train originated, so it sat at the station longer than at the smaller stations we stopped at along the way. At those stations, the people were already on the platform when we got there. The train stopped, they got on, and the train rolled away.