Has anyone traveled via Amtrak or Bus from Ann Arbor to Chicago and Back?
Interested in this vs driving personal vehicle. Parking issues etc? Thanks so much, I appreciate the information!

I have traveled from Royal Oak to Chicago via Amtrak. It was an experience that I may try again. The train does take longer than driving. From where I live it takes about 4.5 hours to drive to Chicago and the train took 6 hours. Air travel is only about 1.5 hours. According to the person next to me, we made good time on our particular trip. She indicated that sometimes it can take another hour or 2 depending on who else is using the tracks.

I went in the winter time and there was a snow storm the day before I returned. The train was delayed in taking off and it was packed. Other times of the year may not be so crowded.

Parking in Chicago can be expensive. I have seen quotes as high as $45 per night and it is limited. If you are going downtown Chicago you do not need a car.

The earlier you book the train, the better the rate. I think that I paid $72 round trip but I booked about 2 months in advance.

Overall, if you have never taken the train you may want to try it. Just don't make dinner reservations too close to your arrival time. And take a sandwich and snacks with you. The food they serve on the train leaves a lot to be desired and it is expensive.

The Ann Arbor to Chicago trip is for student intership interviews. The hotel where the interviews are conducted is downtown. I don't know how hard it is to drive around downtown -the hotel parking says $52.00 a night. I was just trying to get there and back for interviews without a lot of extra stress. If I arrived at the train station - I guess I would just taxi to the hotel. I might check airlines - but I am guess the train may be more cost effective? Time - not sure, airline travel who knows about delays.....

The train arrives at Union Station. You take a cab or walk to your hotel depending on where it is. If you fly you can take the "L" from the airport.

Hotel parking usually means that you park your car when you arrive and leave it there until you go home. If you take your car in and out and back in they will charge you for 2 days.

You will have to work the math for cost. Personally, I would never drive in the downtown area.

Good Luck.

A friend took the train a few years ago and found it very slow. She was told that it's because freight trains have higher priority. The same friend used megabus and liked it better.

If you do decide to drive, I've had luck using spothero.com for parking.

That friend of yours must have taken that train ride more than a few years ago, Pat, since the State of Michigan, and Amtrak, have owned the whole Detroit-to-Indiana border track since 2013. Freight trains no longer have priority on the track. I think that hendrenl will experience a much faster trip.

MargaretandTony, I just took my trip about 18 months ago. The delay usually happens just outside of Chicago. We were stopped for about 15 minutes but the passenger next to me who said that they traveled to Chicago almost monthly, said that she has waited up to 2 hours just outside of Chicago. That is the only place that usually has delays except for weather conditions.