Chicago help – Anybody ever take the train from Harvard, IL to Chicago?

[traces7]

We live about an hour away from Harvard in Wisconsin. We want to try taking the train in from Harvard to Chicago. Anybody have any tips on doing this? Would it be better taking it in on a weekend (as far as amount of people, delays, price, etc.)

I want to take my 10 year old DD shopping or to the Field Museum this summer. We've been to Chicago several times, this would be the first time on the train.

The Field Museum has free admission on certain days and thought about going on one of these days, but they're always during the week. So I was a little leery of taking the train on a weekday.

I originally was going to go on a Saturday, I see the train is free for kids on weekends. But it doesn't seem to run as often.

Advice???
Thanks!

 

[sbsteel]

Are you talking Metra or Amtrak?

If Metra, train will be on time and won't be too crowded unless you're traveling during rush hour. As longs as there isn't anything going on in the city during the weekend (ie Taste of Chicago), the weekend trains shouldn't be crowded at all.

If Amtrak, highly unlikely it will be on time. (I have NEVER been on Amtrak that has arrived or departed on time.) I don't know how the crowds will be, but I can't imagine that it will be packed.

 

[piglet too]

If you are talking about Metra, I think you would be fine to go any day. I would prefer a weekday due to more trains running. Looking at the schedules, I see that Harvard is the first station on that line. If you take the 7:35 train from there, you will get downtown at 9:23. It is not an "express" so you will be stopping at just about every station. While it might get crowded, your group will have your seats so I don't see that as a huge concern. (I would personally try for the "express" that leaves at 7:08 just to save not having to stop as much) As for kids being free on weekends, you will end up paying more if the museum is not free. For you it would be $16.10, and depending on the age of your DD, she might qualify for a student rate which is less.

 

[OhMari]

I know some people don't like to drive downtown Chicago, but we actually think it is easier now than it was even 5 years ago.

We pull a trailer and drive on I94 instead of going on the by-pass which costs us a fortune in tolls. Chicago has lanes 5 wide, and express lanes. Just stay in the lane, where you need to get off. We did the Field Museum on a Friday, easy parking, but we should have stayed in the city for supper. We tried leaving at 4:00 p.m. and it took over an hour to get out of chicago.

If you take Amtrak, you will still need to get a taxi to take you to the Field Museum.

 

[traces7]

Thanks for the replies, it is the Metra that we'd be taking. I thought the same thing, going on a weekday, there's more running. So we'll probably go on a Monday for the free admission at the Field Museum. I plan to leave early!

We've been to Chicago many times and have rode the busses, so we'd probably take the bus to the museum.

I don't like the looks of the traffic in Chicago, I've never driven in it myself, but I've been a passenger many times! Looks too scary to me!

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

[geffric]

Train times are at the Metra site..

http://www.metrarail.com/Sched/cnw_nw/cnw_nw.shtml

Train is fine to take anyday...

 

[manning]

You may want to look at this

$5 Weekend Pass
Unlimited rides on both Saturday and Sunday. Can be used in conjunction with Metra's Family Fares.