Luggage Storage at CUS

[hi55us]

Does anyone know if you can still have have your luggage stored at the baggage counter in Chicago? We're going to be flying in on a Wednesday, planning on taking Metra downtown to CUS from O'Hare and want to do some sightseeing around town before taking Metra out to the airport again later in the day (our redeye flight arrives at 6am and our flight that evening departs at 8pm). Hopefully this trip goes off without a hitch in July.

[Tadman]

As a former Chicagoan, allow me to first suggest you use CTA, not Metra. CTA runs every ten minutes, Metra has like 4-6 trains/day. Also, you can walk to CTA where Metra is a bus ride. I have never ever used Metra to get downtown, just way too much of a production.

There is luggage storage in the Amtrak metro lounge, but you need a business or sleeper ticket to get in. Many hotels will probably store it for you for free or $20 tip. I'm not sure if the baggage counter still checks luggage or not.

Are you going sightseeing for tourist stuff or train stuff?

[Wash]

You can also purchase a day pass to the metropolitan lounge for a small fee.

[Arborwayfan]

There used to be lockers inside the luggage room, accessible only during the open hours of that room. Don't know about now.
I second the motion to take the L rather than Metra. The L gives you a great view of a lot of NW Chicago before it reaches the subway segment, and brings you just a couple blocks from CUS. You can watch for new or rehabbed houses near the stations, too: people are valuing some areas of the old city, maybe because they want an easy L commute instead of a longer car or train one. Will that continue after the pandemic? I hope so.

[hi55us]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

We where planning on taking the Metra since we will have a few bags and arriving into O'Hare at 6am and there's a lot of trains right into Union Station at that hour on Metra. Understood that there are a lot less trains on Metra than on the L.

We where going to do some sightseeing around the city, grab breakfast at Lou Mitchell's, probably book a boat tour on Wendela boats and head over to Navy Pier. I've been to Chicago a lot, my wife has never been there and we're trying to maximize our extended flight layover while in Chicago.

[MACTRAXX]

HI: I wanted to chime in on this topic remembering my Chicago visits...
How soon is this trip? Metra has special schedules currently in effect...
www.metrarail.com

1-Why not leave your luggage checked in at ORD instead of having to lug it downtown
and back?
I would not bring my own luggage to CUS unless I was absolutely sure that I could check them in...

If you are referring to a light "daybag" carrying some necessary items that to me
is different - but the problem is some venues may not allow them to be brought in.

2-Something to consider that surprisingly only Tad mentioned: You may need to have
a valid Amtrak ticket or receipt to check luggage at the baggage counter or first class lounge. There were automatic self-service check lockers at CUS - but that was before 9/11.

3-The CTA O'Hare (Blue) Line rapid transit is the most economical and frequent way
to get to Downtown Chicago from ORD instead of the limited service offered by Metra's
North Central Line.
This alone can offer more flexibility to getting to and from ORD instead of the limited NCL service.

Keep us posted about your CHI trip...MACTRAXX

[Tadman]

If you have a lot of bags, you definitely want to take CTA. Metra would require a shuttle bus ride out into the boones. Both Metra and the bus require low-platform loading. CTA is easy level boarding adjacent to the terminals. Roll your suitcase to the CTA platform and roll it aboard.