What is the fare from amtrak station chicago to midway a/p?

How busy is Amtrak Chicago Union Station?

• I am currently a college student, simply taking a train back home. I am leaving from a small town train station, and then going over to chicago train station. The Chicago Union Station. I have a layover that is 7 hours. I just want to know how busy/safe/what is there is to do/etc. that train station is? I have never ridden the train before and having a 7 hour layover is pretty long. So, if you would like, include details about this place. Thanks.

• Answer:

  union station gets very busy during rush hours because commuter trains go there as well as amtrak, the way both concourses are set up now the bulk of pedestrian traffic goes out toward the river-walk, all the carved wooden pews are gone, there is hardly ever anybody in the old grand hall/waiting area anymore that you see in movies, except for catered events hopefully your layover is during the day and not a weekend, you can see alot of chicago in seven hours, might consider getting a 1-day fun-pass $5.75 for unlimited rides on all cta buses and trains, without a pass each ride is $2 or more so this is a great deal, purchase fun-pass from vending machines in the ticket area at union station, when you get off the train stay on that level and walk towards the ramp, follow around to the ticket area, there is a restroom right there too to get outside take any escalator up to food court, then another escalator up one more level to the river-walk not sure what kind of activities you would be interested in: shopping malls downtown are northbridge (grand ave), watertower (chestnut), and the 900 shops (walton) the 151 bus goes past all three, from union station go outside to the river-walk north to monroe turn west/left walk to canal (next street) cta151 bus stops at that shelter, the 157 bus goes to northbridge also, catch it from canal/adams navypier is touristy but the crystal garden there is super cool, it is like a conservatory/greenhouse with tons of plants and trees, couple fountains, stray birds find their way in there from time to time and fly around, this place is rented out for catered events/receptions but open to the public pretty much every day and the restrooms are really clean here, long as no bus-load of children on a field-trip, I sometimes bring my own picnic lunch to enjoy here, lots of table and chairs for public use, except for during the air/water show, too many people discovered my little secret from union station go outside to the river-walk take adams west to canal cta124 navypier bus stops there online transit map http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/maps/default.aspx you can pick up an actual paper map from the cultural center information center located in the northeast corner of that building near the randolph street entrance, the chicago cultural center has those two tiffany dome ceilings which are breathtaking,and tons of mosaic tile work, just beautiful, there is an elevator from the cultural center cafe that goes down into the pedway, walk to your left toward southshore/electric metra station, that turquoise floor is where the batman bat-pod scene was filmed, and the stairway leading up to the street at the southwest corner of michigan avenue and randolph is where Jake Lingle, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, was shot to death on this stairway June 9, 1930 by associates of Al Capone. Lingle reportedly owed Capone about $100,000 in gambling debts from union station take 151, 124 or 157 the bean in millenium park is right there too on the east side of michigan avenue around north avenue/milwaukee/damen is where the young hipsters hang these days, lots of shops around there, clothing, records, restaurants from union station go north to madison street then west to clinton, 56 stops at the shelter on northeast corner in front of ogilvie metra station or take the blueline depending on where you are at oh yeah, and you can store your luggage in a locker at union station too in the amtrak baggage claim area http://www.chicagounionstation.com/lockers.html so you dont have to lug it around with you all day