Amtrak Guest Rewards - Car rental at Amtrak Chicago - Union Station?

Hi all,

First time going on a long-distance train to Chicago so I am a little lost with how all this works.

I need to rent a car at the Amtrak Station in Chicago (Union Station) and my train arrives at 3:30pm on a Sunday. The Hertz desk closes at noon on Sunday so won't be available when I arrive.

I see from the Amtrak website that I can add on a car rental from that location to a new ticket purchase, but I can't use that since I need to return the car to a different location (MSN - Madison, WI). But... that they're offering it makes me think, it is possible somehow? The logos that come up on Amtrak's website are Avis, Budget... but I can't find a location in Union Station for those companies.

I've never been to Chicago before and have no idea how this all works. Could someone more savvy please clue me in? How can I get a car on a Sunday afternoon? I'll have baggage and be travelling alone so the less fuss, the better.

Thanks so much for your help.

Hi all,

First time going on a long-distance train to Chicago so I am a little lost with how all this works.

I need to rent a car at the Amtrak Station in Chicago (Union Station) and my train arrives at 3:30pm on a Sunday. The Hertz desk closes at noon on Sunday so won't be available when I arrive.

I see from the Amtrak website that I can add on a car rental from that location to a new ticket purchase, but I can't use that since I need to return the car to a different location (MSN - Madison, WI). But... that they're offering it makes me think, it is possible somehow? The logos that come up on Amtrak's website are Avis, Budget... but I can't find a location in Union Station for those companies.

I've never been to Chicago before and have no idea how this all works. Could someone more savvy please clue me in? How can I get a car on a Sunday afternoon? I'll have baggage and be travelling alone so the less fuss, the better.

Thanks so much for your help.

If you're a verified Hertz Gold member, there may be a way.....I had the same problem on our trip to New Orleans, but then they. Hanged the train schedule, so now I get in on Monday, when it's open. Barring any help Hertz can offer, you can take the Metro to Ohare, and rent from there. Probably going to be your best option.

Thanks Paddlenpedal for the info. Looked up the Metro and it's just one line to O'Hare from Union Station, nice.

I just thought it odd that you could reserve a car pickup at Union Station after 4pm via Amtrak's site... but there are no car rentals actually open there at that time. I wonder how they work it?

In addition to Ohare, also consider Midway. It's a shorter ride on the el, and IIRC the rental car pick-up is in the terminal and attached parking garage, rather than a shuttle ride to a remote lot.

Thanks SkyBuck, that does sound easier!

If you dont specifically need a rental car, coach usa, has shuttle buses from downtown chicago and ohare to madison.

If you dont specifically need a rental car, coach usa, has shuttle buses from downtown chicago and ohare to madison.

+1

Amtrak.com has the schedule for buses that connect at Union Station... if I were making this trip, I'd take the bus and pick a car up in Madison.

Bob H

I need to rent a car at the Amtrak Station in Chicago (Union Station) and my train arrives at 3:30pm on a Sunday. The Hertz desk closes at noon on Sunday so won't be available when I arrive.


There's also a car rental center in an office building at 203 N LaSalle St, perhaps half a mile from Union Station; the websites for National, Alamo, and Avis all say that their desks are open until at least 7PM on Sunday. It looks like Hertz is open up the street, at 401 N State St.

In any case, MDW is closer to Union Station but ORD is on the road headed out of town towards MSN.

Thanks tele, BobH, and paytonc.

I do need the car as I need to drive to Wisconsin during the trip. Would be nice if I could just avoid it altogether, agreed.

Plan A is cab it to State Street, which is where the car is reserved. I am Hertz gold, if the train is REALLY late (which I've heard can happen) I hope that will help me get it transferred to Midway (Plan B), plan C is O'Hare, plan D is have a brief pity party, then find something to occupy myself until Monday when the desks are open again!