To Milwaukee and back

[AstroCat]

My Glenview (Illinois) to St. Paul trip in October was going to be my first Amtrak experience. However, I am going to Milwaukee in a few weeks and it occurs to me that it might be fun to ride the Hiawatha instead of driving. The Milwaukee trip would then be a warm-up for the St. Paul trip.

I have two minor concerns about the Hiawatha. I will be traveling with Mrs. AstroCat and because the seats are all unreserved, I worry that the train will be crowded. Also, because the Hiawatha is more of a commuter train, I wonder if there will be enough room for carry on luggage. We would be leaving on a Friday in the middle of the day and returning on a Sunday in the middle of the day.

Any thoughts?

- AstroCat

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[the_traveler]

I can't speak for the load factors on the Hiawatha runs, as I have never taken them, but back when many Amtrak trains were unreserved, I traveled between ALB and NYG/NYP quite often. (That could be considered another commuter run.)

I never had much of a problem finding seats, and less of a problem finding room for bags. There is LOTS of room in the luggage racks above your seat!

 

[winnie6052]

I rode this train from CHI to MLE and back this spring. Lots of seats. Even has a Quiet car were loud talking and cell phones are prohibited. Runs pretty much on time and the service and experience was excellent. Downtown to downtown can't be beat for easy getting around.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

AstroCat, if nothing else a Hiawatha jaunt would serve as an excellent test run for your longer trip - get the lay of the rails, so to speak. An opportunity for you and Mrs. AstroCat to familiarize yourselves with train travel. Seems to be a lot of that going on these days.

 

[rtabern]

Living right by the Milwaukee Airport stop and having family very close to the Glenview stop... and having to dead-head to Chicago to do Trails & Rails... I ride the Hiawtha trains several times a month.

You should be okay getting 2 seats together most of the time... especially traveling southbound out of Milwaukee. Sometimes it can be hard to get 2 seats together if you get on at the airport stop, but just get to the MKE depot about 30-45 minutes before departure and either start a line or join the line at the gate.

Usually people don't line up until 20-25 minutes before departure, but you can start the line anytime you want to make sure you get 2 seats together.

I will often do that to ensure I get a window seat.

 

[Steve4031]

Ridership has increased NY 24% this year. So it might be more crowded.

 

[AstroCat]

Thank you all for the helpful replies. At this point, I think we will take the train to Milwaukee. For two people, driving would be a little cheaper (but not by that much when you consider the cost of storing the car in the hotel parking garage for two days). However, the purpose of this trip is pleasure, and I hope to have more fun on the train than driving.

Also, I want to find out more about the Amtrak experience and find out if the organization is finally on the right track (no pun intended).

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Foodless corridor trains like the Hiawatha aren't exactly the ideal way to experience Amtraks warm tradition tradition of hostile hospitality and rustic gruffness. No, actually, the service on Amtrak's long distance routes is generally exceptional, save for a few lazy, inept morons that other employees, management, and passenger would like to read the riot act to.