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City Of New Orleans Overview
The Amtrak City of New Orleans will take you from Chicago to New Orleans. This train route will take you through a journey in music history. You will travel through Chicago, Beale Street and cross the Mississippi to experience the music of New Orleans.
The City of New Orleans will take you from Chicago to New Orleans via Memphis an Jackson Mississippi. You can also start this ride in New Orleans and ride to Chicago in the other direction.
Train Info
 | Wifi | No |
 | Observation Car | Yes |
 | Dining Car | Yes |
 | Cafe | Yes |
 | Distance | 934 Miles |
 | Time | 19 Hours |
Ticket Options
On the City of New Orleans you can purchase tickets in these categories (sample summer fares for 2 people shown):
- Coach ($220)
- Superliner Roomette ($494)
- Family Bedroom ($800)
- Bedroom ($556)
Amtrak often runs 2 for 1 sales on coach tickets as well as roomettes. If you are planning well in advance, check out our guide to getting 2 for 1 tickets during the BOGO sale.
Meals and Metropolitan Lounge access are included for all sleeper car passengers.
Major Sites
Most people vacationing on the City of New Orleans will get to see the beauty of Chicago as leave the Windy City and experience the fun atmosphere as they arrive in New Orleans. You will get the joy of seeing the musical cities of Chicago, Memphis and of course, New Orleans. The ride over the Mississippi River will have you dreaming of cruising down the river. Before you arrive into New Orleans you will get to be a fly on the wall through the Deep South.
Major Stations
The major and notable stations on the Amtrak City of New Orleans are Chicago, Memphis, Jackson MS and New Orleans.
States Visited
On the Amtrak City of New Orleans you travel through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and finally, Louisiana.
Station Reviews
The City of New Orleans has terminus stations of Chicago on one end and New Orleans on the other. Both stations are spacious but the Chicago station has lots to do. Both stations have restaurants to but the Chicago Station has a lot more to offer. Chicago Union Station is a tourist attraction as well as very busy inter modal station. You will want to arrive a bit early to tour this station.
Chicago Union Station
Union Station in Chicago is perhaps the finest Amtrak station in the country. It offers easy access in the heart of Downtown Chicago and features the best Metropolitan Lounge you will find. There are plenty of fast food restaurants within the station where you can get food to bring back to the new 2 level Metropolitan Lounge. The entire station has a nice decor that makes you feel like you are about to take a special trip.
If you’d like to stay close to Union Station before or after your visit we recommend the Hyatt Place Chicago Downtown – The Loop, which is about a 5 minute walk from the station.
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal is an intermodal facility. The station services Amtrak, Greyhound Lines, MegaBus and NORTA. It is the terminus for City of New Orleans and the Crescent as well as the Sunset Limited. This station offers a small Metropolitan Lounge, which is more like a waiting room. You will also find a couple restaurants to purchase food as well as a convenience store for drinks and snacks.
There are lots of options of places to stay near the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal.
We stayed at the The Troubadour, and really enjoyed it. While it is not close enough to walk to the station, we ended up walking to the station with our luggage from there anyway, due to a lack of available cabs. Plan to book your ride to the station the night before with a reputable car service that your hotel can provide.
The Jung Hotel and Residences is one of our favorite hotels in New Orleans when we ride the train. It is a short cab ride away from the station.
Trip Planning
From Chicago your options are almost limitless. You could take the California Zephyr or Southwest Chief to California or the Empire Builder to Seattle. The Cardinal or Lake Shore Limited will also take you to New York City. From New Orleans you could ride the Crescent up to New York or the Sunset Limited to Los Angeles.
Booking Tickets
Tickets for Amtrak can be booked at Amtrak.com or using their app on your phone. Reservations can also be made by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.
