Am I crazy to catch the Megabus at Midnight? I just found out that you wait out on the street? Will be traveling with my 7 year old daughter, so want to make sure she will be safe. Will be traveling on a Wed. night in March. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Megabus @Midnight?
I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s crazy, necessarily, but it may not be the most comfortable wait, in terms of the area being very quiet and the weather. Have you thought about taking Amtrak instead? The Lake Shore Limited leaves at 10PM - I believe it%26#39;s the last Amtrak out of Chicago at Union Station (which is where you have to wait for the Megabus.)
Megabus @Midnight?
Additionally, if you use Priceline for the hotel in Chicago and are able to get a hotel for $60-70, you could put the additional savings towards the train. Just thoughts.
Additionally, your daughter would go on Amtrak for half price:
From the Amtrak website:
On most routes, and in most circumstances, kids 2 to 15 years of age ride 50% off the standard adult fare.
Please note:
Children traveling alone are not entitled to a children%26#39;s discount.
The 50% discount for children is available for only up to two children for each adult fare purchased.
One child under the age of two (that is, an ';infant';) may ride free with each adult ticket purchased. Infants are not entitled to a seat.
The children%26#39;s discount is valid on weekend Acela Express service only.
Additional restrictions may apply.
Thank you - I did check out Amtrak, but I was able to get the return Megabus for $2.00 - can%26#39;t beat that! Amtrak would run us $70.00, which is still great, but when you add up the meals, the Am. Girl package, hotel and bus, it is a pricey one night trip. I have no experience with either Megabus or Amtrak, so I don%26#39;t know how to compare the 2 of them. Any comments would be useful. Again, thanks!!!!
I have no experience with Megabus, but the Lake Shore Limited route on Amtrak%26#39;s really quite nice. But, I can definitely understand - can%26#39;t beat $2.
I really find Amtrak better than I expected it would be. I%26#39;ve also heard some good things about Megabus. I%26#39;m all for budget travel though, and $2 bucks is $2 bucks.
Additionally, you can wait inside at Union Station until closer to the departure time.
The local Metra trains go out of Union, and here are the hours for the Metra waiting room at Union:
5:00 AM - 12:30 AM (see: http://metrarail.com/Sched/md_w/chicagounion.shtml)
So you should be able to hang out there until it%26#39;s closer to your time to catch the bus.
dvd, I don%26#39;t think that you can stay in Union Station while awaiting a Megabus. There is a a BIG sign posted at the Canal Street exit about this very subject, but I just cannot remember the exact wording of it.
I belive that%26#39;s why people taking Megabus have to stand outside. I%26#39;ve been to Union Station several times when I%26#39;ve seen a big crowd, obviously taking Megabus - with no bus around - on the sidewalks waiting there.
Thank you dvdmovie1. For anyone else checking these posts, the Amtrak rate I mentioned of $70.50 one way CHI to CLE - gives my child a free ride, I don%26#39;t know why since I am not including any promo codes? Of course, the Megabus rate of $1.00 each is very attractive too. Amtrak looks very tempting - I wonder if I will be able to sleep better on the train verses the bus?
You know, it%26#39;s tough to say. I really like the train, but $70 versus $2 is, well, $70 versus $2.
If you had any daylight on the train where you can see the scenery going by, I%26#39;d lean more towards the train. But, if you%26#39;re taking the train to Cleveland, you%26#39;ll be getting there at sunrise and leaving at 10pm.
And really, the first thing you go through on the train after you get out of Illinois on the train is Indiana, and it%26#39;s like someone pulled a dark curtain over the windows - it%26#39;s just pitch black through most of Indiana at night.
Will you sleep better on the train? Maybe; the seats are surprisingly comfortable and you do get a lot of legroom. More legroom than coach on most airplanes.
One suggestion if you are still interested in the train would be to call Amtrak and see if they have any promotional fares or other rates to offer that could take the total down a bit. Maybe not, but wouldn%26#39;t hurt to try.
I am kind of amazed that the Megabus appears to have about the same travel time from Chicago-Cleveland. I%26#39;d have thought the train would be a little faster.
I think you would be fine. my husband, I and our 7 kids(4mths, twin 4yr olds, 5, 9, 14, 15) took Megabus from cleveland to chicago and back. We traveled morning then evening., not midnight, but I bet you will not be the only people waiting there. Check megabus for your route, just price it and it will give you an idea how many others could be on or waiting for the bus. The more it cost right now means it is getting full.
And even though you can%26#39;t wait in Union Station, if you ever felt unsafe just walk in the station, walk around a bit then come out. Plus megabus actually has an attendant standing outside with you close to the time of the bus. Hope this helps.
Thanks Ang RN2 for your reply, we decided to stay an extra day, and the megabus rates had gone way up, so in the end we opted to come back on the train. I hope it will be fun. Glad to hear you had a good experience on the megabus!
