Hello! I will be traveling for the first time with my sons (12 and 9)this summer by train. Our route is from Ft. Lauderdale to New Orleans to Chicago then finally to Minnesota. We're all looking forward to the trip, and after reading quite a few of the messages posted, we know that this will be a real adventure. Can anyone tell me anything about the New Orleans train station and possibly some tips that may make our trip through there a little more enjoyable. I'm a little nervous about it because I have heard that it's not in the best part of town (whatever that means). I have travelled with my boys every summer for the past four years up north by car and have always been very confidant. Since the boys are older now, I felt that it would be a fun experience for the three of us to share, but of course, there are people that like to put a shred of fear in others. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
The New Orleans AMTRAK station is in the downtown part of the city, approximately 8-9 blocks from the French Quarter, and not really in a "bad" neighborhood, however, the several blocks between the station and the FQ are not so nice.. The station also serves as the intercity bus station. Since you will have a daytime connection from the Sunset Ltd to the City of New Orleans, there shouldn't be any problems with the area. If you have an overnight layover, the French Quarter is well worth going to, but with kids, I would recommend taking a taxi, because the neighborhoods between NOUPT and the FQ are not that great, as stated above. I have always walked, and have never has any problems, but I am a 190-lb single man, and not someone with small children.
If you have an overnight layover, the Holiday Inn downtown, on Loyola Street, is a nice place, and is located between the NOUPT and the FQ. They have a very unique parking garage there, which is painted with murals to look like a "jazz club district" -- very realistic-looking, and they pipe in jazz music.
The New Orleans station does not really have a First Class Lounge, but there is a little place you can sit and wait (I think it's called the "Magnolia Room" or something) if you are a sleeper passenger, but there isn't a whole lot to do there, and the agent in charge of the lounge is rarely around.
Posted by JudAnnS (Member # 2419) on :
Thank you so much. We will be staying over a few days and are planning on staying at the Holiday Inn in the French Quarter. The return layover is the one that I was most concerned with since we will have a 7 hour layover and will not be departing until 10:30 pm. Thank you for replying. It's a comfort knowing that it isn't too far from the station and I believe I will take your advice and take a taxi. We are looking so forward to the trip, but I also wanted to have a better knowledge of the area before going Thanks again!
Posted by The Chief (Member # 2172) on :
JudAnnS, In 1995, my daughters and I had a short layover in the New Awlins station while on the Sunset Limited. They were 12 and 11 at the time. In the station there was an "arcarde crane" and they assaulted it for three stuffed animals apiece. I've stayed at that Holiday Inn and it's OK.
If you are taking the train all the way to Minnesota, the Empire Builder leaves Chicago just after 2 p.m., and the City of New Orleans arrives there about 9 a.m. There's lots to do on a Chicago layover. Take CTA bus, or there's plenty of shops and eateries in Union Station, and nearby walking distance, too. Our fave - quick bus and short tour of Chicago Art Institute. Enjoy your trip.
------------------ - - - - -The Chief
[This message has been edited by The Chief (edited 04-19-2003).]
Posted by JudAnnS (Member # 2419) on :
Even though I know that many people with and without children have made the same trip, it helps to hear from people that have done it...and "survived to tell about it" As I mentioned in my earlier post, we are all very excited about this trip, from taking the train to seeing new places..and not having to DRIVE 10 hours a day for three days! The boys will be thrilled having the arcade crane to mess with while we wait for our connecting train, and I will be thrilled knowing that I'm giving them their OWN spending money to blow We're planning on going to the Sears Tower Building on our way up north and seeing a few other sites on the way back. My sister-in-law is going to meet us and be our private tour guide during our layover both times. My only concern left is the delays that I've been reading so much about. Not that we're in any hurry, just because our layovers in Chicago are only four hours to begin with. Oh well, whatever will be, will be. We'll just need to keep in touch with my sister-in-law so that she doesn't have to make an unnecessary trip to the city if it does work out that way. Thank you very much for your posting. It does help reading about other peoples experiences
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
JudAnn- The City of New Orleans and the Empire Builder are actually the same train! After the City arrives in Chicago, they use the same consist (same cars) for the outbound Empire Builder later the same day. So no need to worry if the City is late into Chicago....
Posted by JudAnnS (Member # 2419) on :
Wow! That is so interesting! I've been looking through all of the posts in these forums and have learned so much. I'm kind of anal when it comes to planning things. Research is practically my middle name because I don't like to be unprepared. Plus it helps when my kids ask questions...I don't sound like an idiot (well, not a lot like one anyway ) Thanks for the info!
[This message has been edited by JudAnnS (edited 04-21-2003).]
Posted by coach34135 (Member # 1979) on :
It's not a pretty place but get off, stretch the legs, go to Subway & grab lunch(its worth it, go soon as the doors open, everyone will go there!) and just get back on. Well thats what we did cause we were on the same train going home to LA area.
quote:Originally posted by JudAnnS: Hello! I will be traveling for the first time with my sons (12 and 9)this summer by train. Our route is from Ft. Lauderdale to New Orleans to Chicago then finally to Minnesota. We're all looking forward to the trip, and after reading quite a few of the messages posted, we know that this will be a real adventure. Can anyone tell me anything about the New Orleans train station and possibly some tips that may make our trip through there a little more enjoyable. I'm a little nervous about it because I have heard that it's not in the best part of town (whatever that means). I have travelled with my boys every summer for the past four years up north by car and have always been very confidant. Since the boys are older now, I felt that it would be a fun experience for the three of us to share, but of course, there are people that like to put a shred of fear in others. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.
[This message has been edited by coach34135 (edited 04-21-2003).]
Posted by yummykaz (Member # 475) on :
I have been to that train station several times via Sunset Limited and the Crecsent. The Sunset is a disaster. The Crecsent is like a luxury liner.
The station is not the best place to be. We arrived at 3:30 AM one time on a late sunset. There does however seem to be a policeman there always.
We made the mistake of taking cab to French Quarter furing layover...DON'T! We almost missed the train back cause we got in a French Quarter traffic jam.
On our short visit ( 45 minutes) we ate Benight ( ben-yai), watched 3 people puke in the street... ok I will stop.
If you ride the trolley on St Charles..be sure to keep your head IN the window! I almost got decapitated by NOT following those directions.
My sons are 11 and 12. They LOVE to ride the train! They LOVE to sleep in the little beds!
We don't fly cause I am to scared to fly...always have been. So putting up with all the disasters you read about on these boards are just "part of the deal"!
Posted by JudAnnS (Member # 2419) on :
Thank you. I feel much better about the trip all ready. We will be taking the Sunset and look forward to the pleasant accomodations We like to go camping, so I guess this will just have to be an upgrade to our camping exepeditions.
Posted by CHATTER (Member # 1185) on :
I was just curious if there was a reason you are taking the Silver Service/Sunset Limited/City of New Orleans to Chicago. From Fort Lauderdale I would take Silver Service to Washington and the Capitol Limited or Cardinal to Chicago, making one the short hop from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando unncessary.
Posted by JudAnnS (Member # 2419) on :
Chatter: Before our yearly trip up north, my kids and I discuss different sites that we want to see. Since we usually drive, the sites have been the same for the past four years with only the hotels and stops changing. When we decided to take the train this year, we looked at the different routes and thought that the New Orleans route would be a neat change. (I certainly wouldn't DRIVE that route, especially since we had finally gotten the interstates figured out without getting lost ). However, if this trip goes well, we are planning on doing the Washington route next year, with possibly a week layover there to see the sites. After watching and listening to the kids and me start planning this trip, my husband actually decided to join us this summer to go as far as New Orleans. I hope that train travel doesn't "become a thing of the past" since my boys are finally at an age to learn and enjoy the trips. Also, they've always been great travelers in the car, so I'm looking forward to a trip that I can enjoy the sites with them!
[This message has been edited by JudAnnS (edited 04-26-2003).]
Posted by JudAnnS (Member # 2419) on :
quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: JudAnn- The City of New Orleans and the Empire Builder are actually the same train! After the City arrives in Chicago, they use the same consist (same cars) for the outbound Empire Builder later the same day. So no need to worry if the City is late into Chicago....
I guess I should start another topic since this has wandered away from the original post, but I wasn't sure how to use the quote option for that. sorry Anyhow, I guess I'm a tad bit confused with this information. If the City of New Orleans and the Empire Builder are the same trains, why are they listed as different train numbers? The City of New Orleans is train number 58 and the Empire Builder is # 27. Do they just add the City's cars to the Empire Builder? Please forgive my ignorance, I'm just very curious. Thanks.
Posted by Amtrakman (Member # 2403) on :
Heres what Amtrak has worked out. The City Of New Orleans arrives into chicago earlier in the morning. After all of the passengers have gotten off, they service the cars and engines. They might swap a few of the cars if problems arrise. Later that afternoon, the City of New Orleans is put back in the station and it is turned into the Empire Builder. They are not the same train, but they use the same cars. They do change numbers, but the Engines and cars are the same between the two.
I hope this helps to anwser your question.
------------------ ~Late train+more time on the train=The best trains~
In other words, you cannot buy one ticket to go from New Orleans all the way to say, Minneapolis or Seattle. Everyone on the City of New Orleans has to get off the train in Chicago.
On my trip last summer, I took the Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago, then the City from Chicago to New Orleans. I got off the train in Chicago, reboarded a couple hours later, and was in the same sleeper car (yet on a different "train"), one room behind where I had been before.
Posted by rosieriveter (Member # 2649) on :
Can someone tell me if there are lockers for large baggage in the Nawlins train station? I'm coming in on a cruise and I'd like to spend the day sightseeing if there's somewhere convenient I can leave my luggage. Thanks for all your enlightening posts. Rosie
Posted by CK (Member # 589) on :
I visited NOL in April. At that time there were fairly large lockers at the station.
Thanks again!
