Chicago - Best route to Union Station from Indiana

I apologize if this has been asked before but I didn't even know how to begins searching for my answer. Seeking the advice of locals on how to get to the Amtrak station coming in from the east (Toronto ultimately).

Is it worth it to take the Indiana Toll Road to the Skyway, or can I get by continuing west on I-80/I-94 and then getting onto I-90, thus avoiding the tolls? My train leaves at 2:15 so I'd be wanting to get to Union by noon, so this would be considering late-morning weekday traffic.

Thanks in advance!

Which part of Indiana are you traveling from?

Would the Chicago South Shore Railroad (http://www.nictd.com/) be more suitable for your journey? It's a 1mi walk (or cab ride) from the Van Buren stop to Chicago Union Station.

I'm taking the Amtrak Empire Builder to Seattle with a lot of luggage so I don't think that train would work. I'm actually starting my journey in Toronto, so I'll be crossing the border at the Blue Water and then passing through Landing before entering Indiana on I-94.

I've driven through Chicago before but never been into downtown. What I'm wondering is when I get to Lake Station if i should stay on I-94 and then get on 90 across the state line, thus avoiding tolls, or if I'm better off to take the Indiana Toll Road to the Skyway. Again this would be late morning or noon hour on a weekday. Cheers!

If you have a smart phone, your best bet is to check the traffic on it and make your decision based on that.

Taking I-90 from Indiana should be no problem at that time of the day. all of the construction on I80-94 has been completed in Indiana. Parking is going to be very expensive near the station. The parking garage to the south next to the station had a special price if you were taking Amtrak, however the last time I used it, they no longer honored the special rate. Have a great trip on the Empire Builder it is one of my favorite routes.

If you have a smart phone, your best bet is to check the traffic on it and make your decision based on that.

+1

Both 90 (Skyway) and 94 merge back together before downtown, so either way is fine. My personal preference is 94 but it really depends on the traffic as either route could experience significant delays due to accidents, construction, etc.

Taking I-90 from Indiana should be no problem at that time of the day. all of the construction on I80-94 has been completed in Indiana. Parking is going to be very expensive near the station. The parking garage to the south next to the station had a special price if you were taking Amtrak, however the last time I used it, they no longer honored the special rate. Have a great trip on the Empire Builder it is one of my favorite routes.

I do know about the pricey parking but I should only be in a garage for 30-60 mins tops. I'm dropping a one-way rental in downtown Chicago so I'm only paying for parking while I check in my bags. Thanks for the well wishes; this is my first long-distance train trip and I'm looking forward to it!

+1

Both 90 (Skyway) and 94 merge back together before downtown, so either way is fine. My personal preference is 94 but it really depends on the traffic as either route could experience significant delays due to accidents, construction, etc.

Any preferences on a local Chicago traffic station? I think if I manage to get a car with satellite radio there is a Chicago traffic channel. I won't really be able to use a smartphone app since it's a Canadian phone and I'd be data roaming. If either route tends to be fine I'll probably err on the side of saving on tolls, especially if I'm just as liable to hit delays after shelling out for the Skyway.

Thanks for the help everyone!

I do know about the pricey parking but I should only be in a garage for 30-60 mins tops. I'm dropping a one-way rental in downtown Chicago so I'm only paying for parking while I check in my bags. Thanks for the well wishes; this is my first long-distance train trip and I'm looking forward to it!

If you have a couple minutes to spare, it's worth a quick once around the block to see if you can find either a meter spot or a 15 minute standing zone (NOTE: NOT a loading zone, a STANDING zone, you can leave your car with the flashers in the standing zone and not be in it, loading you'd better be there). Meters are expensive, but still cheaper than the lot.

Any preferences on a local Chicago traffic station? I think if I manage to get a car with satellite radio there is a Chicago traffic channel. I won't really be able to use a smartphone app since it's a Canadian phone and I'd be data roaming. If either route tends to be fine I'll probably err on the side of saving on tolls, especially if I'm just as liable to hit delays after shelling out for the Skyway.

WBBM AM 780, traffic and weather together on the 8's. Note that our traffic reports are by name, not number.

I-90 is the Indiana Toll Road (in IN), then the Skyway (state line to merge with 94), then the Dan Ryan (with 94 to downtown)

I-94 is the Borman (in IN), then the Kingery (state line to split from 80), then the Bishop Ford (split with 80 to merge with 57) then the Dan Ryan (57 merge to downtown, including the merge with 90)

clear as mud, right?

On an "average" day, late morning, there won't be a whole lot to worry about until you're really close to the city, so you're going to be listening for accidents on any of the above.

construction notes:
1. The ramp from 90/94 to east 290 is closed due to construction. Google Maps seems to know about this and wouldn't let me force the route to that ramp, if you're using a GPS or other map program, make sure it's not asking you to exit onto east 290. google said to exit at roosevelt, go east to canal, then north on canal to union, which seems reasonable to me, but I don't drive in that area very often, so if anyone else knows the area well and that stinks, please chime in :)
2. Avoid going east of Canal (ie crossing the river), as Wacker is closed from Jackson to Madison and the bridges on Monroe and Adams are closed. so, if you go across the river, you can end up needing to go around quite a few blocks to get back.

The parking garage to the south next to the station had a special price if you were taking Amtrak, however the last time I used it, they no longer honored the special rate.

tangent alert! Just in case anyone hasn't seen, the city has some plans to turn that lot into a bus station of some sort (ie turnarounds for some of the routes that serve Union to get them off the street there, hopefully Megabus too). So that lot will probably disappear sometime within the next couple years

There is a parking garage adjacent to Union Station. Enter on Jackson or Clinton St.
To get there from Dan Ryan ( I-94 North) Exit at Roosevelt Rd. Go East on Roosevelt two blocks turn North on Canal to the Union Station. You should see ssigns for parking as you approach.

I'm dropping a one-way rental in downtown Chicago so I'm only paying for parking while I check in my bags.

Smart plan. A cab from the rental office might also be just as cheap as parking near Union Station.

If you have a couple minutes to spare, it's worth a quick once around the block to see if you can find either a meter spot or a 15 minute standing zone (NOTE: NOT a loading zone, a STANDING zone, you can leave your car with the flashers in the standing zone and not be in it, loading you'd better be there). Meters are expensive, but still cheaper than the lot.

WBBM AM 780, traffic and weather together on the 8's. Note that our traffic reports are by name, not number.

I-90 is the Indiana Toll Road (in IN), then the Skyway (state line to merge with 94), then the Dan Ryan (with 94 to downtown)

I-94 is the Borman (in IN), then the Kingery (state line to split from 80), then the Bishop Ford (split with 80 to merge with 57) then the Dan Ryan (57 merge to downtown, including the merge with 90)

clear as mud, right?

On an "average" day, late morning, there won't be a whole lot to worry about until you're really close to the city, so you're going to be listening for accidents on any of the above.

construction notes:
1. The ramp from 90/94 to east 290 is closed due to construction. Google Maps seems to know about this and wouldn't let me force the route to that ramp, if you're using a GPS or other map program, make sure it's not asking you to exit onto east 290. google said to exit at roosevelt, go east to canal, then north on canal to union, which seems reasonable to me, but I don't drive in that area very often, so if anyone else knows the area well and that stinks, please chime in :)
2. Avoid going east of Canal (ie crossing the river), as Wacker is closed from Jackson to Madison and the bridges on Monroe and Adams are closed. so, if you go across the river, you can end up needing to go around quite a few blocks to get back.

Thanks!

I looked on Google Street View and there appears to be a "30 Minute Loading Zone" around the block on West Jackson. I'm wondering if I would be okay there to quickly get my bags checked. I'm going to be renting a dolly from U-Haul so I can get everything out of the car in one go.

My four year old GPS is trying to get me onto I-290 but I'll just remember to exit at Roosevelt. I'll probably set some address on Roosevelt as a via point so I don't forget.

Regarding the river, it looks like if I do get across I can get back to Canal by going across Van Buren, no? By the map it looks like I'd avoid all the closures on and around Wacker. I will have to cross eventually as the rental office is on Lasalle.

One more question, are the meters downtown only coin-fed? Or are they like Toronto's where you go to a pay station located between every few meters?

I looked on Google Street View and there appears to be a "30 Minute Loading Zone" around the block on West Jackson. I'm wondering if I would be okay there to quickly get my bags checked. I'm going to be renting a dolly from U-Haul so I can get everything out of the car in one go.

That one is totally fine if available. I forget about it because it's usually full. As you see in the street view, a chunk of it is taken up by cabs overflowing the cab stand in front of it. That is quite common when I'm by there, but that's usually at commuting times, so it might not be as bad midday. Just put on your flashers and you'll be good.

Regarding the river, it looks like if I do get across I can get back to Canal by going across Van Buren, no? By the map it looks like I'd avoid all the closures on and around Wacker. I will have to cross eventually as the rental office is on Lasalle.

Correct, you can easily get back across on Van Buren. There are meters and I think another standing zone on Van Buren too (the street view shots there are out-of-date, the single meters are definitely gone). Random note, Van Buren appears in Dark Knight, the old post office on the south side of the street was the bank in the opening scene. Joker's getaway was going the wrong way ;)

One more question, are the meters downtown only coin-fed? Or are they like Toronto's where you go to a pay station located between every few meters?

The latter, though the pay stations are more like one or two per block than every few, but yes, you can use a credit card to pay.