[amtrakwolverine]

were are the waiting rooms for the METRA trains at CUS. sense i will have close to a 10 hours layover in Chicago coming back from the gathering i might ride a METRA train or 2.

This post has been edited by amtrakwolverine: 24 October 2009 - 10:10 PM

[AlanB]

METRA has no waiting rooms at CUS, people just kind of stand around the gates waiting for their trains. You are of course welcome to wait in the Great Hall if you like, but I don't recall if they display the METRA departures there.

[amtrakwolverine]

so were are the gates at.

This post has been edited by amtrakwolverine: 24 October 2009 - 10:37 PM

[Long Train Runnin']

amtrakwolverine, on Sat, Oct 24, 2009, 11:36 PM, said:

so were are the gates at.

Follow the signs from the grate hall that say. ALL TRAINS. same gates where u get on and off Amtrak.

[amtrakwolverine]

so show my ticket to the gate guard and then walk out and get on the train.(im new to metra but not the station)

[AlanB]

METRA trains use both north gates and south gates, so you'll have to know which side your train leaves from and head to the proper side about 15 minutes before the time your train departs. One tip is that all north side tracks are even numbered, while all south side tracks are odd numbers. So once you know the track number, you'll know if you need to go to the north side or the south side. On both the north and south sides, Amtrak uses the highest numbered gates, METRA the lower numbers.

And there are no "guards" at the METRA gates. You just walk out onto the platform and board the train, so make sure you've got the right gate and the right track number. There are big signs at the doors for the gates that will display the train number, stops, and where it's final destination is.

[Trogdor]

Only the Milwaukee District (Milwaukee-North and Milwaukee-West), and North Central Service use the north gates (odd numbers, to correct Alan's statement). All other service (BNSF, Heritage Corridor, Southwest Service) uses the south gates (even numbers).

Note that the Heritage Corridor operates weekdays only, and peak direction only. If you take that train, you'd have to ride to Joliet, and then take a Rock Island train back, which arrives into LaSalle Street Station (which is about a 15-minute walk to Union Station, or a one-stop "L" ride and a five-minute walk).

Southwest Service runs on Saturdays as well, but there's only one Saturday train (the 1:30 pm departure) that will enable you to come back same day.

BNSF, which is Metra's highest ridership line, runs seven days per week.

North Central only runs weekdays, but Milwaukee-North and Milwaukee-West run every day.

You can also walk just north of Union Station (walk down the north side platforms to the end, and you'll get to stairs heading up to street level on Madison Street) and get to Ogilvie Station, which is where the UP lines run. Those routes run every day as well.

[John Bredin]

If you're changing trains to another Amtrak train, then you'll have an Amtrak ticket and can use the Amtrak waiting rooms, which are between the north and south gates past the Amtrak ticket counter. Inbetween the north and south waiting rooms (but slightly to the north, or left as you enter) is the Metropolitan Lounge for sleeper passengers.

Also, though the doors leading to the Amtrak waiting area are marked "ticketed passengers only," I've never seen anyone checking for tickets. I've gone in there a few times when I had a relatively long wait for a Metra train (trains are sometimes 2 hours apart on the weekend) and was never challenged. If one doesn't make a show of one's Metra ticket, the personnel can't really distinguish Metra "goats" from Amtrak "sheep." Many Amtrak passengers don't have luggage (Hiawatha riders, day-trippers from downstate and Michigan) and some are in business attire (business class on the downstate and Michigan trains, Hiawatha "commuters").

The Metra as well as Amtrak departures are displayed in the Great Hall. Note that the Great Hall is sometimes closed for events, especially in the evenings. Believe me, you'll know when: there will be thick black curtains all the way across the hallway leading to the Great Hall from the rest of the station, and several waiter-type personnel making sure only the "right" people go through the curtains.

[MrFSS]

John Bredin, on Mon, Oct 26, 2009, 09:47 AM, said:

Note that the Great Hall is sometimes closed for events, especially in the evenings. Believe me, you'll know when: there will be thick black curtains all the way across the hallway leading to the Great Hall from the rest of the station, and several waiter-type personnel making sure only the "right" people go through the curtains.

I have seen the great hall closed as you mention. Is there any access to the Canal Street entrance/exit when that happens?

[John Bredin]

MrFSS, on Mon, Oct 26, 2009, 10:22 AM, said:

John Bredin, on Mon, Oct 26, 2009, 09:47 AM, said:

Note that the Great Hall is sometimes closed for events, especially in the evenings. Believe me, you'll know when: there will be thick black curtains all the way across the hallway leading to the Great Hall from the rest of the station, and several waiter-type personnel making sure only the "right" people go through the curtains.

I have seen the great hall closed as you mention. Is there any access to the Canal Street entrance/exit when that happens?

East side of Canal St., via the escalators, stairs, and elevators near the Amtrak ticket counter: yes.
West side of Canal St., directly to/from the Great Hall via the "Untouchables" stairs: no.

[frj1983]

AlanB, on Sat, Oct 24, 2009, 07:02 PM, said:

METRA has no waiting rooms at CUS, people just kind of stand around the gates waiting for their trains. You are of course welcome to wait in the Great Hall if you like, but I don't recall if they display the METRA departures there.

If the center kiosk in the Great Hall hasn't been taken out for an event, both Amtrak and Metra schedules are displayed.