From Québec to Chicago

Hello. I dunno if this is the right place to post this. If it's not, them Just tell me where to post this, and I will post it where you told me.

Anyways

In a few monts, I'm planning on going to Chicaco for a few days. While the plane is the obvious better choice in term of speed, I'd rather go there by train, if possible, since I know it'll be much less expencive. The thing is. I dunno how to reach Chicago by train. I live in quebec city, so I have easy acces to any of the bigger Train Stations of the province and Ontario (Toronto, Quebec City, And Montreal) So could you tell me what's the best way to go to Chicago by train from any of these 3 city?

Thanks in advance ^^

via rail to sarnia or windsor from toronto... taxi, bus if in windsor, across the border to amtrak which takes you to chicago.

Via train/s to Windsor or Sarnia leave Quebec City at either 6:00 or 7:50am and arrive Windsor or Sarnia between 9 and 11:30 pm. You'd have to stay a night in a Sarnia or Windsor hotel, then cross the river next a.m. to Detroit to catch the 6:48 Wolverine to Chicago (arr 11:24) or at Port Huron, the 6:00 am Blue Water to Chi (arr 11:59) Reverse the trip going back, again with stayover in Windsor or Sarnia.

Another option is to take either of the am trains from Quebec, but connect through Toronto to Niagara Falls, ON,arriving at 7:46pm and then take a cab to Buffalo, NY. and catch the Lake Shore Ltd from Buffalo DePew Station leaving at about midnight, arriving Chi next a.m. 9:45. If you can stand the overnight coach, saves you the hotel room. Unfortunately I don't think you can do the return on a 'same day' basis, since the train/s from Niagara Falls leave earlier than the Lake Shore arrives. Maybe outbound thru Buffalo, return via Sarnia or Windsor?

I see... Thanks you for your advices. I'll check that ^^

Hi NeoArashi,

Firstly, I'd double-check to make sure that the train is indeed cheapest... as much as we love them, Amtrak and VIA don't necessarily have the lowest fares. Besides flying, you could look into Megabus on the American side.

Secondly, I agree on the routes - Sarnia-Port Huron is probably the easier transfer, but downtown Detroit isn't as bad as people say it is. There's also a fair number of nice, safe hotels in Detroit if you'd rather stay on that side.

Thirdly (as the Commuter, Light Rail & Transit moderator) I'm going to move this conversation to the Amtrak forum. You'll have a much better chance of getting responses there.


Have a fun trip, and please consider posting your experience when you finish!

Another option might be to take the Adirondack to Albany and connect to the Lake Shore. In fact, that might be the only way you have a same-day train connection. The bad new is if you go via Toronto and Southern Ontario, you're going to have to overnight somewhere along the way. The good news is it would be in one of the beautiful resort cities of Port Huron, Windsor, Detroit, or Sarnia.

I don't know about Air and rail fares between Chicago and Monteal but I did check out air vs Rail from Windsor/Detroit to Montreal for the weekend of 11/20 when my beloved Red Wings travel to take on the Canadiens. The air fare on Northwest is $561.65. For Via Rail, the fare is $258.30 in coach and $478.80 in "Club" or "Via 1."

Another option is to take the Canadien to Winnipeg, bus to Fargo and then Take the Empire Builder to Chicago.

If I were doing this trip, I would go from Quebec City to Toronto on day one and stay overnight at Toronto. I believe you can
find accomodations within a short walk of Union Station in Toronto. Day two train to Windsor, taxi to Amtrak in Detroit and
you can make it to Chicago that same day.
I think you will find better accomodations in Canada than in the USA at least on this trip.
Going via Sarnia you will definately spend the night either there or Port Huron and I don't think you will like this route as good as via Windsor where you have more trains to deal with.
Other alternatives can work but will add time and expense and probably another night somewhere as well.
Noel Weaver

I'd certainly want to go QC->Mtl->Schenectady/Albany->Chicago westbound, but that connection doesn't work in the other direction, so you're left with the Detroit or Sarnia options eastbound.

BTW, anything interesting within walking distance of the Schenectady station?

If you want to do the return without an overnight, you might consider flying from Chicago to Detroit (DTW)--usually a pretty cheap fare on Southwest or Northwest (nonstop), then cab across the border and catch Via in Windsor. (I've done this).

While I know we gather at this Forum to express to one another our mutual love of trains, this appears to be a trip best made on "Big Bird'. I realize such will likely involve a change at CYUL or CYYZ, but it will not involve the "overnight" at your expense that rail in either direction will entail.

There is no way to say it other than "enjoy your flight"; no fun, but in six hours or so. "over and done". If you can accept travel on a Bombardier CRJ "puddle jumper" (I fly 'em; they're OK), there is one Air Canada non stop CYQB-KORD Daily.

Well, I'd just fly, but if you really want to do this, here's my suggestion.

Getting across the border between Windsor and Detroit is much easier than between Sarnia and Port Huron. You can take a city bus (or a taxi) from the Walkerville VIA station to downtown Windsor, and catch a bus through the tunnel to downtown Detroit. From there, either taxi or take a Woodward Ave. bus to the Amtrak station. Easy, cheap, and relatively quick.

If you do have to stay somewhere overnight, I'd do it in Windsor. Detroit is not a city for the faint of heart. There used to be (probably still is) a hotel right on the river. It was a Holiday Inn; I don't know what it may have become, but that's where I'd stay.

Good luck!!

I checked Amtrak schedules again and you CAN connect from the Adirondack to the Lake Shore on the SB-EB portion. However, returning EB and NB, this connection cannot be made.

Another option I've done more than once to get the train in and still save some time is to fly in one direction and travel by train in the other direction. I've also done it where I've flown a portion to get to a key station and taken the train the rest of the way. Some examples are that I've flown to MSP to catch the Empire Builder, to St. Louis to catch the Texas Eagle and to Kansas City to catch the Southwest Chief.

Up until a few years ago, you could catch the overnight Enterprise from Montreal to Toronto and connect to the International which was quite often equipped with Superliners. Both trains are no longer available.

The last same-train service that ran Montreal - Chicago was the Grand Trunk/CN International Limited. I know it survived past Expo '67 but I don't recall if it survived to A-Day. (5/1/71)

Detroit and Windsor Transit as I recall offer a Tunnel Bus that goes between the two border checkpoints via the tunnel.

However, I've known people who have taken a cab between the two stations pretty easy.

Hello Nero welcome to the board you have come to the right place as a rail fan and a person who HAS done the trip from Montreal/Toronto to Chicago many times by rail I can say many of the ideas given here are great but we would need to know more details on you planed trip. How long do you plan to stay in Chicago ? how long do you plan to be on this endeavor ? it could range from 1 to 3 days to get from end to end BY RAIL. Would you consider flying one way and taking rail the other? just a few point id like clarified so I and other members may quote you your best possible opinions.

Its a shame your about 5 years late as there was a train that ran from Chicago to Toronto "THE INTERNATIONAL" and did it in 12 hrs, I use to ride that train every other month, but there are many other ( yet longer) options available currently.
Me in the last international ......http://www.flickr.com/photos/8453967@N08/3129994148/


edit..To my friend agent...I did that tunnel bus option Windsor/Detroit just a few weeks ago its always late, but its an option.