Chicago to Quebec train travel

[M. Parkola]

Hello, I've been looking into train or bus travel from chicago to quebec. So far I'm having trouble knowing where is best for transfers, seeing how i can't find a direct route. thanks!

 

[the_traveler]

Do you mean Quebec City or Quebec Province?

Trains in Canada are operated by VIA Rail, which has no connection with Amtrak.

Yout best bet is to connect at Buffalo (to the Maple Leaf - long layover to Toronto), Schenectady (to the Adirondack - overnight layover to Montreal) or to Detroit (on the Wolverine - but you must cross the border on your own to Windsor to catch VIA Rail)! As you can see, there is no easy way.

 

[A.J.]

I suppose it depends on where in Quebec you are headed, but I would think you could go Chicago to Toronto on Amtrak (on the Lakeshore Limited, switching to the Maple Leaf in Buffalo), then change to ViaRail to travel onward from there.

edit: haha, i see the traveler beat me to it! he's right, there really isn't an easy way to do it. and bear in mind that the LSL arrives after the adirondack heads north, so you'd have to have a layover in schenectady or albany before you can get to montreal. see, it really isn't easy! good luck!

 

[the_traveler]

edit: haha, i see the traveler beat me to it! he's right

You have to be fast to beat me!

And I'm always right (except when I'm wrong)!

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Or if you are prepared to spend tons of money and have tons of time.....

Chicago to Portland or Seattle via Empire Builder. Spend a night if you have to to catch Cascades to Vancouver, catch The Canadian from there to Toronto, and then catch VIA to QC or whatever.

 

[Steve4031]

I would ride 1 or two stops east on the Lsl. The maple leaf follows the same route. This will shorten your layover. I don't think there is much to do at depew.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I would ride 1 or two stops east on the Lsl. The maple leaf follows the same route. This will shorten your layover. I don't think there is much to do at depew.

Ive gotten off in Rochester and Syracuse and caught the Maple Leaf to Toronto after a layover!! The best layover I did on this route was to get off @ Depew, take a City Bus downtown, visit the Fantastic Old buildings and have Lunch @ the Anchor Bar (they claim they invented Buffalo wings and the Beer is Cold! :wub: ), then catch the Maple Leaf @ the Exchange street Station where the Agent allowed me to store my luggage till the Train showed up! (small downtown station)I especially enjoyed visiting City Hall and the View of the Lake and Canada! There is also a Light Rail to ride but it only goes out to the suburbs! Buffalo is an under appreciated gem, see it while its still there!

 

[me_little_me]

Or if you are prepared to spend tons of money and have tons of time.....

Chicago to Portland or Seattle via Empire Builder. Spend a night if you have to to catch Cascades to Vancouver, catch The Canadian from there to Toronto, and then catch VIA to QC or whatever.

Wouldn't it be better to go from CHI to WAS then take the Crescent to NOL, Continue with the Sunset Limited to LAS then the Starlight to Seattle followed by your suggested Cascades and VIA train? :giggle:

 

[Gord]

Do you mean Quebec City or Quebec Province?

Trains in Canada are operated by VIA Rail, which has no connection with Amtrak.

Yout best bet is to connect at Buffalo (to the Maple Leaf - long layover to Toronto), Schenectady (to the Adirondack - overnight layover to Montreal) or to Detroit (on the Wolverine - but you must cross the border on your own to Windsor to catch VIA Rail)! As you can see, there is no easy way.

There is a Greyhound out of Buffalo (probably downtown) at 10:15am that goes to the Royal York Hotel across the street from Toronto Union Station. From there, you can take Via to Montreal but wuld have to overnight there to get to Quebec City.

In 2009 there was a Coach Canada connection from Buffalo Airport to Toronto not long after the LSL arrived but it may be discontinued.

Gord

 

[Don]

Y'all missed another option. Amtrak Blue Water Chicago-Port Huron. Cross into Sarnia, Ontario on your own. VIA Rail Sarnia-Toronto, Toronto-Montreal, Montreal-Quebec City.

 

[railiner]

Chicago to Quebec City would require a night layover any way you go. I believe the fastest time overall would be to leave Chicago on Amtrak Train 354 at 600 PM, arrive Detroit at 1230 AM, make your way by taxi over to Windsor, leave there on VIA 70 at 530 AM, arrive Toronto at 1004 AM, leave on VIA 60 at 1135 AM, arrive Montreal at 517 PM, leave there on VIA 26 at 555 PM, and finally arrive Quebec City at 900 PM. You could also make connection with the Ocean, VIA 14 from Montreal at 630 PM (Ex Tu).

The elapsed time Chicago to Quebec City would be 26 hours (one hour time zone difference). While the five hour layover between Detroit and Windsor is certainly not at an ideal time or place, the transfer and border crossing would consume some of it, and perhaps there is a diner or cafe where one could spend the remainder....

Not too many years ago, when VIA still ran an overnite Toronto/Montreal train (The Cavalier?), you could have traveled through without the layover, by taking the morning train from Chicago. Wish VIA would restore it...