u/Kevanrijn

I'm going to be going through Chicago twice this month, both times on a Saturday.

On the westbound trip,assuming my train arrives on time, I have a 12 hour layover between my connecting train from about 10 AM to 10 PM. I will have been up all night, unless I'm able to sleep on the train. I don't want to sightsee, because I'll be coming back to Chicago later in the week to do that with some friends (have tickets for the Obama Presidential Center). I want a place to hang out that day, relax, and maybe get a nap. I've looked at dayuse.com and found something I like that's only a mile from Union Station. Should I go ahead and reserve?

Or, considering how late some of the Amtrak trains can be, should I wait and find a day use room when I actually arrive in Chicago?

Then, the following Saturday, I have to check out of the Airbnb by 11 AM but my train doesn't depart Chicago until about 10 PM. So, same question, should I book a day use room now or wait until the day of?

I'd appreciate any advice from someone who has some experience with this. Are day use rooms more likely to book up during the week or on the weekend?

I have to take one of those two trains in a couple of weeks and I'm wondering if one is significantly better than the other. I'll be taking either the Floridian from Akron to Chicago or the Lakeshore from Cleveland to Chicago.

Is one significantly better than the other? Either their on time record, amenities, staff, cleanliness, age of the cars, anything else that might make one a better option than the other? I'm assuming the scenery on the Lakeshore might be better, but that's not a consideration. I'm familiar with both areas and have been through those areas on the highway many times.

I'll be traveling coach.

I'm looking for advice from people who are familiar with these routes and or have traveled cross country with an elderly family member.

My mother will turn 89 in January. Her only surviving sibling and favorite sister, age 96, lives in Austin, Texas. It's been about 10 years since they were able to visit each other. Her sister used to live in Michigan and they could see each other more often but after Covid hit, Mom's sister decided to move to Texas to be close her oldest daughter. Mom actually cried when her sister moved because, as she told me, she would never get to see her sister alive again.

Well, her sister is 96 now, still healthy, still has all her mental faculties, and is very active--and so is my mom. Due to sciatica mom can't tolerate car trips or flights of more than about an hour. So I recently had the idea that maybe we could take the train and visit her sister. Mom was all for the idea.

The first part of the trip would be taking the Cardinal to Chicago. I don't have any questions about that because there's just no other option. But the trip from Chicago to Austin has several different options and that's what I'm needing input about.

Option one is both of us get roomettes and take the Texas Eagle straight from Chicago to Austin.

Option two is to take the 301 Lincoln Service (coach class) to St. Louis, have an eight hour layover in St. Louis, and then take the Texas Eagle (with each of us having a roomette) from there. This would allow us to visit the Gateway arch and have a nice lunch to break up the trip.

Option three is to take the 319 Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner (coach class) to St Louis, have a 5 hour layover there, and then catch the Texas Eagle (with each of us having a roomette). If the Missouri River Runner arrived in St. Louis reasonably on time, we would have time for a nice meal there and possibly visit the Arch.

We'd probably travel in mid-January, if it matters to your recommendation. Also, you should know that my Mom is more active than many folks who are 20 years younger. She has sciatica, a weak ankle (mild nerve damage from back issues, which is also why the sciatica), and she has aFib. But she lives alone, is still a practicing real estate agent, still drives, etc. Her main issue with traveling is that she can't sit for long periods. But traveling by train would allow her to get up and walk around or stand when she needed to, unlike flying or a long car trip.

So what are your recommendations? The cost of the 3 options is so close together that I am not taking that into consideration.

I'm taking the Cardinal in mid July from Charleston, WV to Chicago. Will the seating be assigned, or will I be allowed to pick my seat?

This summer, I'm planning an Amtrak trip. I'll be taking the Cardinal from Charleston WV to Chicago. I have a layover of more than two hours and then I catch the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Kansas City, Missouri.

Is the two hour layover in Chicago going to be adequate time for me to switch trains? My arrival into Kansas City Missouri is supposed to happen at 8:53 PM central daylight time. What is a more reasonable expectation for my arrival time in Kansas City?

I'm taking the Cardinal to Chicago and points west in July. I'll be gone for a week. Since I live in Parkersburg, I am planning to drive down. Is there long term parking at the Amtrak station? If there is, does anyone know the cost? I'll be departing after dark, and my return train gets me back to Charleston at 8:30 am. If there is no long term parking at the station, what are my best (affordable and safest) options?