Union Station has some very beautiful areas that make you feel like you're taking a step back in time! They do a lot of work to keep it that way in both the interior and exterior. Some of of the waiting areas feel luxurious; if you have a while to wait it's certainly not gloomy! It's definitely a large, busy station with people coming and going so if you haven't navigated it before it's wise to get familiar with the building. There are some nice food options so it's nice to relax with a Jamba Juice. Kind, efficient staff. The Amtrak trains at Union Station have always been very reliable and there's just something so charming about traveling by train! When I went to college in downtown Chicago, I'd take the Hiawatha train back to Milwaukee every weekend and it was always a great experience. The key is definitely picking the train times that it's not going to be a zoo of foot traffic inside. Consider taking the train for a unique experience and enjoying a walk around a beautiful building with a lot of history! read more

I was very impressed with Chicago Union Station physical facilities and amenities for the train travelers. The only drawback was the lack of a check in rental car office/delivery and drop off station inside the terminal for arrivals and departures. Lack of integration of a rental car facilities makes travel with luggage a problem. To rate the 5 stars I suggest 2 improvements: 1) the addition of an option for rental Avis, Hertz or Budget in there to enhance the terminal experience 2) and better identification of mass bus transportation options upon arrival. read more

We arrived on a late Sunday afternoon at Chicago Union Station after a 2-day trip on the Amtrak Empire Builder route from Seattle, Washington. We were fortunate to arrive during daylight hours so that we could take in the beauty of this historic building inside and out. We also noted a large population of Amish travelers at this location (and on the train trip). Plenty of signage to direct travelers to where they need to go. Restrooms were reasonably well maintained. Property overall is in great condition, but obviously not totally modernized to today's standard as expected and appreciated. Looking forward to visiting this large hub again for future trips. read more

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Even though I've commuted through Union Station numerous times, it's still a bit of a maze to me with its multiple entrances, a massive footprint spanning multiple blocks. For example, there is a Madison Street entrance near the water taxi stop. Enter there, and walk down the platform (2 blocks underground), observing waiting commuter trains and pigeons landing on the dusty beams above, until you get to the commuter rail area of union station. That part is located between Adams and Jackson. The signage here is clearly laid out, indicating the destination, track number, transit provider, and departure time. Walk a 180 to the other side, and you'll see the sliding doors for the tracks on the south end. Somewhere in the middle, there is a Metra box office where you can purchase tickets / passes. It turns out this area forms a loop under the building. There are exits which can be taken from that loop to the outside. However, you can also get to the historical union station if you follow the signs (sort of). Unfortunately, the signage was a bit misleading. It tells you to "go up the stairs" to get the main hall. But that leads to a dead end upstairs with some offices and an entry/exit point. You could also take the one way escalator up to the food court floor where there are also bathrooms. Another direction leads you into Amtrak territory. Eventually after walk through the food court and then going back down, we eventually found our way to the main hall. Though if you ask me again now, I won't be able to tell you how to get there from where we started. But perhaps it's easier to get there from street level. There's also a nifty elevator on the outside that you can take into the building. Anyways, the waiting area is timeless. Also, don't tell anyone, but as a youngster I gave a bus fare in coins to someone who was faking "oww, my stomach hurts! I gotta get to the hospital." After the bus arrived, the lady standing next to me said amusingly "you just got conned." read more

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I was embarking on a long-distance Amtrak trip to Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief, so I settled in here for a few hours. The Station is beautiful, grand and historic, celebrating its centennial year. It was designed by Daniel Burnham, one of Chicago's premier architects. It's undergoing some renovations currently. The area around it seems a bit sketchy. The Great Hall is the largest area and main waiting area. There are a few smaller grand rooms that are available for private events, as is the Great Hall. There's a food court on the lower level. There's also the Metropolitan Lounge, which is for Amtrak Sleeper Car travelers as well as some others. Day passes are available on a space-available basis. The Lounge is modern, with none of the historic features of the Great Hall, but it does offer its own restrooms plus snacks and beverages, even a bar. There's quite a frenzy for the snacks; they run out often. There are 2 levels. The upper one is smaller, nicer and less crowded. There is a 90-minute time period mid-day when 4 major long-distance Amtrak trains depart within 20-30 minutes of each other. At this time, the Lounge is packed with nary a seat available. But boarding the train from here, before regular boarding, is well organized. You are led by various staffers to the correct track for boarding. There were a large number of Amish travelers when I visited, so I was reminded of the beginning scenes of the Harrison Ford film "Witness", which took place at Philadelphia's station. read more

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I've taken the Metra out of here (to Deerfield) now the Amtrak. It's such a beautiful station. Signage and way finding are excellent. Staff are all helpful. Good food options in the food hall. Starbucks, Dunks and Sbarro are open before 7. Looks like chick fil an opens at 7. So there is food for early travelers. I'm here on a Saturday- work days may have different hours for openings. Lots of tables and seating. Some benches are near outlets. Wish I had the opportunity to travel out of here more often. read more

Chicago Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a beautiful historic building this gets approximately 20 stars. As a functioning train station, closer to a 3.5? When I arrived in Union Station, it was difficult to find the bathrooms and signage telling me where to go. It is a busy station and there are areas that are still under construction and spaces that seem to be cordoned off for security (including the area in front of the toilets) but if you ask, you are allowed to go around to use the facilities. The Great Hall is the place to be to just look up and enjoy the volume of the room. The old school wooden benches are actually comfortable. The waiting areas underneath do have some random people asking for money and whatnot but they are clearly keeping one eye out for security who will run them off. The staff I spoke with our all courteous and helpful. And when you're meeting someone outside, make sure you define where you're meeting up since this place is HUGE! read more

My first time at Union Station and my first solo train ride. I arrived about an hour early because I was so unfamiliar with this process. I accessed Union from Adam Street, went down steps to the sign that pointed left to ALL TRAINS. Once you are past that ALL TRAINS sign, there is another sign with arrows in different direction, pointing to how tracks split. Even numbers are on south end of station and go south. Odd go north. If you need to buy your ticket you can at the kiosk otherwise to the left of bathrooms there's a short hallway. Take the ramp on right to odd trains. I took the MD-N to Glenview, track 15. I could see it when I got there around 11:45am. I bought my ticket on Ventra app for Metra. $5.50. Cheaper than an Uber , but looking to avoid traffic! I asked a nice Metra worker when trains can board. He said boarding starts around 12:15, but it was actually between 12:05 and 12:10 that boarding opened. No worries. I w Hint, not all cars can't be used. The Quiet Car was not in use, so I was told to go back toward another car. Seats were adequate and padded. A/c is on (it's a dangerous heat index today). Use the metratracker.com to follow train online. (Needs to be an app) read more

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Managed to tackle Union Ststion during a busy time of day. The stay was friendly enough and directed us even with all the construction.

The main part of Chicago Union Station is really pretty... ever watch 'Can't Hardly Wait' - reminds of the final scene (even though that technically was the Union Station in California) - but hey if you live in the area and want to pretend to relive that movie without the long drive, maybe this is the go to spot. It is still under a lot of construction though, so high hopes that it will look a nice sooner enough. It was still easy enough for me to navigate and find my train. Also the conductors were very nice and saw me & a couple of others ladies standing for our train. He called us over and said we can have a seat in our train early after it arrived. So overall had a good experience! read more

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First of all, if you haven't taken an Amtrak for local travel, please try it. I love taking the train. It's such a peaceful way to travel. There's an observation car with tons of windows. It's typical really affordable (of course depends on demand and distance). And someone else is driving!! Union Station in Chicago in particular is pretty clean always busy and undergoing renovations to be updated . read more

Chicago Union Station - Christmas decorations in December - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beautiful, historic station. It's decorated for the holidays with a giant tree in the main hall. Clear signage throughout and friendly staff to help with questions. I found it easily accessible and not at all difficult to navigate. Haven't been on an Amtrak train in many years but this was a great nostalgic experience. read more

Chicago Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A real mixed bag here. The building is undergoing renovations and will likely be lovely when complete. Right now, it's a mess and difficult to navigate. **Give yourself extra time!**. I encountered some friendly and helpful staff that genuinely seemed to want to provide a good experience and some that clearly were not having the best day. Don't bother with the first class lounge - noisy and no drink options (the machine is "broken"). Snack baskets empty and there's no one to refill them. Sloooooow WiFi! read more

Union Station is the crown jewel of Chicago Train Stations! Check out the main lobby and see the place where movie s were filmed. read more

Chicago Union Station - Welcome - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a beautiful train station. It's of course quite busy. Being it is a major Amtrak hub it can be hectic. They are renovating various areas so getting around can be just a bit tricky for people not familiar with this station read more

Chicago Union Station - Metropolitan Lounge for Amtrak customers that have rooms or business class - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The union station is very cool and awesome to experience. It was kind of confusing finding my train because it did not tell me which track it was on which I was kind of scared, but I asked an employee and they were able to help me. read more

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Ewww, no. I'm through here all the time and the station keeps getting worse. I appreciate that they are doing a lot of construction so hopefully long term it will be better. That said, it's consistently grimy, has poor way finding, and the station workers are uniformly unhelpful and rude. Also, Amtrak has removed ALL the waiting room seating in its area. So you stand, or sit on the floor (yuck). read more

Chicago Union Station - Wonder where this dude is heading today - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have taken the Metra and Amtrak from this station. If you are a tourist, give yourself time to navigate as it can be confusing. It's a nice location and can walk, catch a bus or blue line near by. Bathrooms are usually dirty. Keep in mind how many travelers come through here. Parts of the station have been under construction for what seems like forever. read more

It was my first time ever traveling through Union Station recently and I was a little apprehensive after reading some reviews. Luckily, I had a good experience both arriving and departing. When I arrived, I just followed everyone up and out, no issues there. When it was time to head back to Grand Rapids, I arrived to the area where the station is to grab some food nearby before heading in. The main hall is so beautiful and I saw lots of people taking photos. I wasn't really sure where to go, so I asked a nice employee who was very helpful - he told me to wait in the main hall and they'd announce the departure and then we could head to the gate. The overhead announcements were really hard to hear in the echoing hall, but they walked around and yelled them out, which was helpful. There is a lot of seating in the main hall but it was pretty crowded. I was able to find a spot on a bench to eat my lunch and then went to the gate about 30 minutes before departure. Everything was smooth and I got on my train on time! read more

Chicago Union Station - Chicago Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We traveled in here from KC, and I can't say I can give the perfect picture of what this Union Station is like because it was heavily under construction. You come in to a dark, but also somehow blindingly, fluorescent lit tunnel and trek a ways up to the baggage area. It was quite tricky to navigate with all the suitcases, and the baggage claim looked and sounded like it was nearly a hundred years old. The whole thing felt like a fever dream of dark, light, noise, and confusion. There were exposed air ducts and trash bags up on the ceiling. Fortunately there is a bus transit center attached to Union Station that we were able to wait for our bus to take us to the hotel. That was nice and convenient. Would like to get the full experience sometime, but I'm afraid I can't keep trusting Amtrak after nothing but delays, so this might have been my only crack at it. read more

Chicago Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool place. Unfortunately lots of construction going on so most of my time was spent in the Amtrak first class lounge but still a cool place. read more

First, the good: it's an architectural marvel. An array of food and drink options abound while you wait for your train. The bad: it can be dirty (even when there's not construction going on) and I've felt unsafe in and around the station, especially later in the night. More security or law enforcement would definitely be welcome to help keep passengers safe. read more

A class ride and a tide-and-true train experience. Metra always delivers: on time, plenty of seating, air-conditioned, and they announce every stop. Union Station is currently under construction, but it's still easy to navigate--and there's always someone around if you need help. A smooth and stress-free way to get into the city. read more

Due to construction it's difficult to get in here through the right entrance. Due to me having a sleeper car I was able to have access to the lounge, which is very nice and they had plenty of snacks.. read more

Chicago Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

LOCOMOTIVE BREATH Chicago's Union Station is one of the nation's busiest railway hubs, and it's a legendary building in its own right. ______________________ ***REVIEW #1,200*** ______________________ From The Untouchables to My Best Friend's Wedding, Silver Streak and The Sting, few buildings in the Windy City have clocked as much screentime as Union Station, and even fewer boast the architectural grandeur of this commuter rail terminal. Because I'm a total nerd when it comes to Yelp, I always like to review something special whenever I hit a hundredth milestone--DC's Museum of American History was #600, the world's longest roller coaster was #1,000--so without the luxury of being able to vacation in a cool new place, this time I had to choose something closer to home. Union Station is Amtrak's main transit center for the Midwest and it's 1 of only 7 in the USA with a dedicated lounge for travelers, much like American Airlines' Admiral's Club. The average combined ridership (departures + arrivals) routinely surpasses 3 million passengers annually. One of the most recognizable features is the Great Hall with its massive Corinthian columns, long wooden benches, marble floors, and those famous staircases that saw Kevin Costner's Eliot Ness engage in a shootout with Capone's mob in Brian de Palma's 1987 crime drama (the one with the baby carriage and all those Tommy guns). Fun fact: two large statues titled 'Night and Day' are perched high above commuters in the Great Hall. 'Night' has closed eyes holding an owl, 'Day' holds a rooster while looking out towards the horizon, and between them, they stand for the 24-hour nature of railroad operations. Union Station has 30 different platforms, which is 2nd-most in the country (NYC's Grand Central Terminal is 1st with a whopping 44 platforms). There's no direct connection to Chicago's "L", unlike most other cities that tie into subways, streetcars, or elevated light rail systems. The mezzanine level is home to a food court and various small shops where you can find Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Nuts on Clark, Chick-fil-A, Dunkin', Jersey Mike's, McDonalds, Sbarro, Starbucks, and a large sports bar called The Junction. Huge fans are set up to keep air flowing, since it can get sweltering during summer and there's no A/C on the lower levels, to my knowledge. Union Station will be celebrating its centennial next May, which speaks to its longevity and the city's ability to tastefully touchup without completely remodeling, unlike how they did Soldier Field dirty (once revered, now an eyesore). Expect to see some banners in mid-2025. * TL;DR * I've seen wealthy businessmen sharing a bench with hobos in the Great Hall, witnessed reunions of true love on train platforms and - on more than one occasion - sprinted to catch a train only to miss it by THAT much. Whether coming in from the western suburbs on the Metra or returning from Purdue on the Hoosier State Amtrak, I've been through Union Station plenty of times over the years. One of my favorite memories is sitting in the Great Hall a few days before Christmas 2008, watching holiday travelers after finishing my first wave of college finals. It's the look, the feel, the efficiency, the history, the unique Art Deco fonts and overall "je ne sais quoi" that makes Union Station a one-of-a-kind place and the true beating heart of Chicago. read more

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I was at Union Station in February 2026. No complaints except for the public address system. The sound quality was very poor. Announcements could not be understood at all. read more

Took the Wolverine from Chicago to Michigan. Union station itself is wonderful! However when I got on the train I had a much different experience. I got there very early, was one of the first to board specifically because I needed the seats with a table due to the fact I have multiple laptops and notebooks for work I was planning on doing on the trip. As soon as everyone was boarded I was told I had to move because those areas are reserved for families. I asked if there was a family that needed it and Daniel Trujillo, the ticket checker, responded not right now but I'll find one. I moved and watched him go up to multiple couples and adults that had 3 people and ask if they wanted to move. Row after row until finally someone said yes. There's no signage, no policy in the fine print, and in coach it's first come first served. Get there early to get the seat you want. If a family would have asked me to switch I would have moved. If it was people with kids, I would have moved. But the fact he told me I HAD to move because it's reserved for families, so lied to me, does not sit well with me. Customer service chat was not helpful. Won't be taking Amtrak again. read more

0 station is iconic.  It is a Chicago landmark and has been featured in several movies. You can take a train to almost anywhere from union station. Hop on a train to nearby suburbs or cities or make it an adventure and go cross country by train. Take your time and walk around the building.It is a Chicago landmark filled with great architecture and design. Don't be afraid to explore the corridors or even take a tour.  Union Station is overflowing with history. It's a beautiful building and must be seen in person to truly appreciate it. read more

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It is a pretty cool Station, I love the beautiful architectural /Interior Design of this station with the tall ceiling and Great Hall, This station is similar to Penn Station / Pennsylvania station -Moynihan Train Hall in New York City, it serves Metra Trains, CTA subway lines "the L" ( Red & Orange line ) and also the Greyhound Bus Lines, Mega Bus Lines, Amtrak Trains. I board the Amtrak from New York City ( Lakeshore Limited) Big shout out to Phil & Armando who was on my Train, cool guys. This was my first time traveling on Amtrak. It was a pretty cool way of traveling!!!! The Christmas Tree decorated in the middle of this station was beautiful, with all the Trains signs as an ornament on the tree, Two Thumbs up to Chicago Union Station for putting up that Christmas tree during the holiday 2024 season !!!! read more

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The good: (1) it looked grand; (2) there was plenty of seating for passengers, at least when I was there; (3) the boarding was much more civilized than boarding at train stations in NYC, Washington DC, or Boston, even for a full train; (4) the food court had plenty of garbage cans. The bad: disorder and safety. I ran into two young men who thought it funny to pee purposefully onto the floor in the men's bathroom, and the woman's bathroom had a man who refused to leave until security personnel arrived and dragged him out. read more

Iconic is the first that comes to mind. Well put together, and nothing really bad to say. I didn't get to view the food hall, but I assume it's decent. It's walking distance to the Wills Tower and many other eateries. Itching to actually arrive on an Amtrak train for official travel business read more

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The central hall of this train station is beautiful, stunning, gorgeous! Here are some more of the same pictures that everyone else has added :'). Outside of the central hall, the rest of the train station is a bit more chaotic and confusing. Having been in and out of Chicago Union Station dozens of times over the last decade plus, I have become well-versed in how it all works, but even today I still don't know exactly where I'll be when entering from one of the multitudes of entrances. There could be better signage to navigate through as well. Honestly if there was just signage from all entrances to the central hall, that'd probably be most helpful to orient from there to anywhere else. I like that they changed logistics at some point in the last 5 years or so to direct people waiting for trains to wait in the central hall, and then proceed to the boarding areas only when the train is there and ready for boarding. I think this has helped reduce huge crowds and lines in the southern/northern departure halls. Boarding your train is always a smooth process. Multiple humans will be there to guide you from the great hall to your train gate and make sure you get on the right one. You board first and then tickets will be checked later on the train after departure, which keeps boarding time short. The food court area in the station has many options for a quick grab and go meal or snack, as well as more of a sit down restaurant/bar. Not a lot of healthy options though. read more

Chicago Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is huge with a food court, cute shops, and plenty of seating. It's super clean and has a great view of the Willis Tower just outside the building. They even have a water taxis close to the building so If you're just at the union station to connect to another train or bus and you want to explore the city and you don't have time to walk a lot then take a water taxi read more

Chicago Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stately Christmas tree this December greeted passengers. I've been taking Amtrak out of Chicago Union station for 20+ years. Back in college, I often took it to get to school or visit friends. But lately I've been using the metropolitan lounge so I can't speak to what the rest of the waiting areas are like these days. I had a sleeper car so it was complementary for me. I left my luggage in the storage near the front desk, which felt safe enough. The bathrooms are ample and clean. Multi stalls on the main floor and a single room (one for men, one for women) upstairs. There are complementary snacks but nothing exciting. Some chips and granola bars. I appreciated the soda although they also have water and coffee. With two floors, there's plenty of space, from my experience to spread out. Options of tables and chairs or various softer chairs. When it's time to go to the train, there's a PA announcement to get our stuff and line up. read more

Chicago Union Station - Great room - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had a great experience at the Amtrak lounge. The station is beautiful with lots of personal available to help with any questions. read more

Chicago Union Station - Inside the station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A cup full of moments I spent changing my life at Chicago's Union Station. Or an omen that's it's freezing outside? read more

Chicago Union Station - A cup full of moments I spent changing my life at Chicago's Union Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Rude worker. Made us pay for luggage even though it fit in the sizing bin. Others with same size luggage didn't have to pay.

The history and architecture of this building is amazing! It's over 110 years old! I love the historical significance of this building! Yes, it could use some better signage to more easily navigate where to go. Ladies everywhere are used to standing in line for the ladies room in all kind of public places. The bathrooms here are small and the one I went to had one stall that was out of service. The line for the ladies room was quite long outside. I really enjoyed the beautiful architectural details of Chicago's Union Station. read more

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Busy, Busy, Busy. Chicago is the main hub of the nationwide Amtrak train system, and would be the required stop if you wanted to travel across the country coast to coast by rail. We came in from Los Angeles after a 2 night journey on Amtrak, and lo and behold, right at afternoon rush hour on a Wednesday, so things were hopping. Because of the rains in Los Angeles, we were a little more than 2 hours late. Once you get off of Amtrak, you have a bit of a walk to the indoor station. I think if we had waited, we could have been picked up by the Red Hat shuttle/cart service, but we didn't have many bags so enjoyed walking the outside platforms. We had checked two bags in Los Angeles, so needed to go to the baggage claims area of Amtrak to get our bags. We found the area by sign, and asked a nearby employees; "Where do you pick up bags?". She smiled and pointed...we had been right next to a baggage carousel (exactly like what you would see at the airport, only smaller). The baggage came within the promised 20 minutes, and then we were off to find the Metra lines that would take you to the suburbs. We had checked the schedule of the Milwaukee District West line, and knew that we had less than 10 minutes. The line we wanted was the express, which would get us to Hanover Park in less than 40 minutes. After asking and a few wrong turns, we found a kiosk to purchase the two tickets (you have to type in the from/to and will be charged based on distance....it ended up being $6.75 per one-way ticket). The trick was to find the right platform...we asked an employee who helped us by checking the timetable...the weird thing is that the Metra website had the schedule and status, but didn't list the platform for each train (one would think that if the platform choices are so stable that a printed pamphlet would be accurate, they could show it on the site). Metra uses the 2 decker cars (similar to what Metrolink uses in LA)...it wasn't too crowded so able to find a seat near an empty space to hold onto our luggage. There was a small illuminated 20th century technology sign telling the stops, so we knew were on the right train. They left EXACTLY at 5:10, and it was a quick trip. It was only later I realized that the Chief stop before Union station is Naperville, which is actually a short Uber ride to where we wanted to finally go. But, it was planned this way, and ended up being a good experience. Just wish we had a little more time at the station to check things out (including the Amtrak lounge that we could have gone to). read more

Chicago Union Station - Luggage Carousels - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We took Amtrak from Milwaukee to Chicago and everyone was wonderful. I have my son with me, they helped with bags and making sure we got on safe. From Chicago we are going to New York City and coach is a mess. No one helped anyone (there were people who were handicap and women and children) and all Amtrak did was yell at everyone about their bags. No assistance, nothing. Why even have a bag check if no one is going to check bags and help. I struggled so bad getting on with my two year old. Then the doors to the connecting carts weren't closing and we went through a SNOW STORM. Luckily I brought 3 blankets and pillow and it was still freezing in our cart. Being late, couldn't help it because of the snow. The only person helpful was the lady running the cafe. If you ride coach, you can not have access to the dining cart. I thought that was so weird. No one was in there and we couldn't sit down and order like a Restaurant. I don't mind paying for food. I took my mom on a 60th birth trip and I'm super disappointed in this Amtrak. read more