New Orleans station ~ a couple of questions

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Next March we arrive mid afternoon from Memphis on the City of New Orleans, we leave that same evening on a long Greyhound journey. Earlier this year we arrived in NOL from LA on the SL and left for New York, NY on the Crescent a couple of days later, so are familiar with the layout.

If everything is on time we have a 6 1/2 hour layover at NOL. We will arrive with 2 small bags each. Unless someone knows otherwise the only eatery at the station is a Subway and all other options are at a distance from the station.

We're travelling from MEM in coach, can we check 3 bags through to NOL between us? When we arrive at NOL can we delay collecting the bags say for 4 or 5 hours after arriving or would we have to claim them on arrival? That would be collecting the bags the latest at 8:30 pm.

If we can't check the bags at MEM can we store 3 of our bags at NOL from say 3:00 pm to 8:30 pm same day?

As we have a long Greyhound journey in front of us we want to have a good meal in NOL. If we only have one bag with us we're quite happy to walk a couple of miles or so each way to go find an eatery, are there any recommendations for an early dinner either by foot or bus or trolley. We particularly like Cajun food if that is easy to find from the station, or Vietnamese or Thai is good for us too.

Taking a look on Google it's a bit of a desert around NOL station for options to eat, am I missing something?

Thanks as always
 
I don't know the food options around NOL station very well. There is, as you note, a Subway in the station; it's a good choice for a "grab and go" before you board your bus. Be advised that there is a minimum flat rate cab fare to downtown destinations; it used to be $10 but may have gone up since my last trip. Check Google Maps for transit directions and see if there is a convenient way down to Decatur Street at Canal Street which fits your schedule; you'll have all kinds of food selections in that area.

Yes, you may check up to two bags per passenger in Memphis without charge, and Amtrak will hold them without charge for (at least) a day after your arrival. As long as the Amtrak counter hasn't closed for the night (check hours if it's a day the Sunset Limited isn't operating inbound), there will be no problem with picking up your bags when you return to the station to board your bus. Just be sure to hold on to your claim checks...Amtrak is very strict about not releasing checked baggage without claim checks.
 
As ehbowen said, shouldn't be a problem with the bags at all Jamie.

Check them to NOL, go and eat, and then return before the Crescent or Sunset Ltd. arrives to claim your bags IF #59 isn't LATE!

As you probably know,Greyhound shares the Terminal with the desk to the West of the Amtrak desk.

As for food,there are literally hundreds of choices in NOL.For authentic Local food( Cajun and other) and atmosphere, I like a joint called Coops on Decatur by the French Market.It was recommended by Amtrak crew who go there alot when in NOL.

Great Rabbit Jambalaya and,the Coldest Beer I ever had. Reasonable too! Google it up, YMMV.

I'd take an Uber or Lyft or even a cab ( standard fare is now $12 but they'll try to charge more)
 
As for food,there are literally hundreds of choices in NOL.For authentic Local food( Cajun and other) and atmosphere, I like a joint called Coops on Decatur by the French Market.It was recommended by Amtrak crew who go there alot when in NOL. Great Rabbit Jambalaya and,the Coldest Beer I ever had. Reasonable too! Google it up, YMMV.



Yes, exactly. New Orleans taxi drivers are like mafioso thugs. Don't even talk to them as they will flat out lie to get you in their car and then try to shake you down later. Uber and Lyft aren't perfect but they're much better than being driven around by a scam artist.
 
DA, we obviously missed so much on our first visit, thanks for the info video, should be used by their tourist office...

Thanks again Mr Bowen and you Bob, that's good news and good information.

We did have a New Orleans taxi experience in March. Just arrived at NOL, spent a little time with people we had met on the SL and after most had gone found a cab outside to take us to the Garden District. The driver was a fairly elderly woman so I loaded the bags etc just left the driving to her. I've travelled a lot and love maps, I tend to work our where we should be before we arrive, it's fun to me and I seem to have a compass built into my brain as most times I've a good idea where north, south, east and west is anywhere on the planet.

Off we go and it's a nice drive until I realise we are heading in the wrong direction. I check it's not a one-way system, nope, just driving away from our destination. We had a little discussion when I suggest she turned left as I knew where we were headed and it wasn't this way, very difficult to speak sharply with an elderly lady who says she knows what she is doing but we managed a compromise.

Bob, that video from DA did mention Coops and furry animals, very funny it is too.
 
Just checked it out. Coops looks great, we'll walk there and a street car back if enough time, if not a Lyft if I can work out how to use them (not operating in the UK). The SL is not due on that day but the Crescent at 7:32 pm must? mean the baggage desk will be open to at least 8:00 pm even if the Crescent is on time but will check with Amtrak staff before we go.

We're now looking forward to a very enjoyable time on this layover thanks again to this forum.
 
I would recommend checking with the staff at the Amtrak desk upon your arrival about how long they will hold your luggage. The desk should be open until at least 8pm or so.

Since you will have several hours before your Greyhound departure, I would suggest going to Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. I would never, ever visit or pass through New Orleans without a stop at Bourbon Street, at least for a quick meal.

There are many good Cajun/Creole restaurants on Bourbon Street.

There are not really any restaurants real near the train station to speak of. Avoid the Subway sandwich shop in the station. It is dirty and disgusting.

Taxis are plentiful at the the train station, and the fare to Bourbon street is about $12-$14. I personally have never had any problems with the taxis or the drivers, and I visit New Orleans a few times a year.

Bill
 
I would never, ever visit or pass through New Orleans without a stop at Bourbon Street, at least for a quick meal. There are many good Cajun/Creole restaurants on Bourbon Street...Avoid the Subway sandwich shop in the station. It is dirty and disgusting.
Bourbon Street, the famous New Orleans landmark where an Ibiza style twenty something party crowd drinks themselves stupid with huge neon plastic flutes of bottom shelf liquor and artificial cocktail mix, is currently torn up while maintenance crews work on the sewer system. It's been that way for months and will likely take months longer to finish. Hopefully it's resolved by the time the OP arrives, but if not it's no big loss. I don't doubt that a bus station sandwich shop is dirty and disgusting, but if that sort of thing bothers what makes you think Bourbon Street is fresh and clean?

Taxis are plentiful at the the train station, and the fare to Bourbon street is about $12-$14. I personally have never had any problems with the taxis or the drivers, and I visit New Orleans a few times a year.
Perhaps your hard mark status as a routine visitor who knows the area like the back of your hand has something to do with your personal taxi experience. For tourists and irregular visitors I'd recommend avoiding New Orleans taxi drivers as much as possible. I've simply had too many problems with flaky roundabout driving, poorly maintained unsafe vehicles, and thug-like shakedowns to recommend New Orleans taxis to anyone. I finally hit my limit when a taxi I was riding in had the rear suspension suddenly fall out and tear up the road as the vehicle ground to a halt in the middle of a busy intersection.
 
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Thanks Bill and DA, sounds like the two of you should get together for a hard night out in New Orleans, could be interesting one
 
Definitely do the French Quarter for food & entertainment. But Bourbon St is perhaps the least desirable place for it (in my opinion). Noisy, crowded and full of tourists. A quick walk on it will suffice - just to check it out. Instead, I'd suggest exploring the other streets in the area. Any recent guidebook will point you in the right directions. Frenchman St (not far from Bourbon) is a much more laid-back experience with excellent music and food. Really fun place to check out the small clubs at night. Also, the street music can be really good. Only cost will be a tip if you're so inclined. Also check the local paper while you are there. There are often free concerts during the day in churches, visitor center, etc. with excellent musicians. Have fun!
 
Definitely do the French Quarter for food & entertainment. But Bourbon St is perhaps the least desirable place for it (in my opinion). Noisy, crowded and full of tourists. A quick walk on it will suffice - just to check it out. Instead, I'd suggest exploring the other streets in the area. Any recent guidebook will point you in the right directions. Frenchman St (not far from Bourbon) is a much more laid-back experience with excellent music and food. Really fun place to check out the small clubs at night. Also, the street music can be really good. Only cost will be a tip if you're so inclined. Also check the local paper while you are there. There are often free concerts during the day in churches, visitor center, etc. with excellent musicians. Have fun!
^ This is Quality Advice right here. ✔️✔️✔️
 
Take the trolley. And if you're a senior, you'll find a good senior price. Check the web site. I believe it is $.70 for seniors. Don't count on the driver to help you with that. They are as bad as the taxi drivers. When I dropped the change in for the two of us, he looked at me like "Where's the rest". When I said "That's the senior fare", he didn't say anything. They love cheating the tourists.
 
I think this tourist rip-off thing is the same the world over, but good to know what the local tricks are.

We were in NOL earlier this year and had a great time, this visit is purely time we have (max 6 hours) on a layover between train and bus.
 
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