Amtrak Connections

[ray828]

Hey all,

I'm looking to do a circle trip of sorts starting and ending in Chicago. Ideally I want to ride the City of New Orleans and Texas Eagle. Unfortunately my schedule doesn't permit me to connect using the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and San Antonio. Are there any bus connections between the two trains where a same day turn could be made? Longview? Jackson? Any information would be appreciated.

-Ray

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

There's no same day connection from the SL to/from the CONO.

There is a Thruway bus between Longview and Houston (6021/6022) but the bus to Houston leaves Longview (8:40am) before the TE gets into Longview (10:03am). The bus from Houston gets into Longview at 5:40pm with the TE leaving northbound at 6:10pm.

There is a Thruway bus between Ft. Worth and Houston (8221/8222) but the bus to Houston leaves Ft. Worth (1:45pm) before the TE gets into Ft. Worth (2:27pm). The bus from Houston gets into Ft. Worth at 1:40pm with the TE leaving northbound at 2:20pm.

The eastbound SL leaves HOS at 12:10pm and the westbound SL arrives in HOS at 6:18pm. I can't think of a way to get from CHI to the TE to Houston same day as those two buses arrive in Houston after 12:10pm and leave Houston before 6:18pm.

I'm looking at 6021/6022 and 8221/8222 and wonder which routes are they supposed to connect to? It is impossible to connect from 21 to either 6021 or 8221 and it is impossible to connect from either of them to the eastbound 2. You cannot connect from the westbound 1 to either 6022 or 8222 and both of these allow less than an hour connection to the northbound 22.

 

[Bob Dylan]

A couple of corrections on the Contracted Thruway buses to/from Longview to Houston Philly:

#6021 leaves Longview @ 8:40am/ Arrives Houston @ 115pm/ The Eagle arrives into LVW @ 828am. This bus waits for #21/#421 to arrive since its just for Amtrak passengers.( the Greyhound Station is across the Street from the Depot with different schedules.).

You can take Amtrak Thruway Bus #6022 from Houston to Longview @ 105PM and catch the #22/#422 heading North towards Chicago.(Arrives @ 615PM)

You are correct that connections for a circular trip on the CONO and TE/SL is not possible without spending a night in Houston and New Orleans.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

A couple of corrections on the Contracted Thruway buses to/from Longview to Houston Philly:

#6021 leaves Longview @ 8:40am/ Arrives Houston @ 115pm/ The Eagle arrives into LVW @ 828am. This bus waits for #21/#421 to arrive since its just for Amtrak passengers.( the Greyhound Station is across the Street from the Depot with different schedules.).

You can take Amtrak Thruway Bus #6022 from Houston to Longview @ 105PM and catch the #22/#422 heading North towards Chicago.(Arrives @ 615PM)

You are correct that connections for a circular trip on the CONO and TE/SL is not possible without spending a night in Houston and New Orleans.

The national schedule listed the times I quoted. https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/294/1015/Amtrak-System-Timetable-Winter-Spring-2016-rev.pdf

But the single Texas Eagle schedule lists Bob Dylan's times. https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/424/587/Texas-Eagle-Schedule-031416.pdf

I remembered the 1:45pm departure out of Chicago for a while. The national timetable now lists 3:40pm out of Chicago.

Is there something going on here?

 

[Riverviewer]

According to the national timetable, there is something going on... construction between Joliet and Alton, IL.

 

[the_traveler]

You can connect between the SL and TE in SAS by waiting in the uncomfortable station. However, you still need to overnight in NOL either way.