Amtrak Lake Shore Limited: 10 Things You Need To Know Before Riding
The Lake Shore Limited is one of the great east coast Amtrak routes. In less than 24 hours passengers can go from New York City to Chicago, and see some great scenery along the way.
Contents
- 1 Does the Lake Shore Limited have a dining car
- 2 What is a Lake Shore Limited Roomette Like
- 3 What Is A Lake Shore Limited Bedroom Like
- 4 What days does the Lake Shore Limited run
- 5 Where Should You Stay In New York City and Chicago
- 6 Does the Lake Shore Limited have WiFi
- 7 Does the Lake Shore Limited have an observation car
- 8 How long are the stops on the Lake Shore Limited
- 9 Is the Lake Shore Limited Worth It
- 10 Where does the Lake Shore Limited stop
Does the Lake Shore Limited have a dining car
The Lake Shore Limited does have a dining car. The dining car on the Lake Shore Limited serves the flexible dining menu. Dining car meals are included in the ticket price of sleeping coach passengers and will be available for purchase to coach passengers in late 2022.
There is also a cafe on board the Lake Shore Limited, which is located in the middle of the train near the dining car. The cafe is open to all passengers to purchase hot and cold food throughout the day.
What is a Lake Shore Limited Roomette Like
The roomette rooms on the Lake Shore Limited will be Viewliner Roomettes. They feature two chairs that face each other during the day. At night the two chairs slide together to form a lower bed and the upper berth folds down from the ceiling. There are no bathrooms or showers in the Viewliner II roomettes, but Viewliner I roomettes will have a toilet and sink. Bathrooms and showers are located down the hall for Viewliner II passengers.
Doors on viewliner roomettes will lock from the inside, but not the outside when you are out of your room. Access to the car is limited to sleeping coach passengers.
There is only one power outlet in the viewliner roomette, so be sure to bring an adapter or portable charging station, as we’ve talked about in our 20 must have items for an Amtrak trip.
What Is A Lake Shore Limited Bedroom Like
Bedrooms on the Lake Shore Limited will be Viewliner Bedrooms and are more spacious than a roomette. During the day a bedroom will have a couch on one side and a chair that faces it on the other. At night the couch folds down like a futon to form the lower bed and the upper berth folds down from the ceiling. Viewliner Bedrooms have a private bathroom with an all in one shower and toilet area. Next to the couch there is a sink and counter area.
What days does the Lake Shore Limited run
The Amtrak Lake Shore Limited runs every day in both east and west directions. There is one eastbound daily departure from Chicago at 9:30pm and one westbound daily departure from New York City at 3:40pm and one from Boston at 12:50pm on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Lake Shore Limited is not a hop on hop off train, you’ll need a ticket each time you get off and get back on the next day.
Where Should You Stay In New York City and Chicago
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. We have also stayed at the La Quinta near the station and loved it.
When riding the Lake Shore Limited from New York City our favorite hotel is the Fairfield Inn & Suites. It is located right next to Moynihan Train Hall and makes for a very easy transition to the station.
Does the Lake Shore Limited have WiFi
The Amtrak Lake Shore Limited does have WiFi. While many Amtrak trains have WiFi connections on board, some do not, so it is always good to check. The WiFi will not be faster than you cell phone connection though, but if you want to save data or use a computer it is a good option.
Does the Lake Shore Limited have an observation car
The Lake Shore Limited does not have an observation car. Observation cars are only found on Superliner trains, which operate going west from Chicago. No train that visits New York City will have an observation car.
How long are the stops on the Lake Shore Limited
Most stops on the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited are 3 minutes. Every few hours there is a fresh air break stop, which lasts 10-15 minutes, and a few times on the trip there will be a crew change stop which will last around 30 minutes. You are allowed to get off the train during a fresh air break or a crew change stop but not the shorter stops. You should never leave the platform and you should be ready to board when all aboard is called.
Is the Lake Shore Limited Worth It
The Lake Shore Limited is the best Amtrak route on the east coast of the United States. Since it feature more spacious Viewliner cars and only travels for 1 night, it is a great trip for first time Amtrak riders. The Lake Shore Limited is totally worth doing and a good value for the money spent.
Where does the Lake Shore Limited stop
- Chicago, IL – Union Station (CHI)
- South Bend, IN (SOB)
- Elkhart, IN (EKH)
- Waterloo, IN (WTI)
- Bryan, OH (BYN)
- Toledo, OH (TOL)
- Sandusky, OH (SKY)
- Elyria, OH (ELY)
- Cleveland, OH (CLE)
- Erie, PA (ERI)
- Buffalo, NY – Depew Station (BUF)
- Rochester, NY – Louise M. Slaughter Station (ROC)
- Syracuse, NY – Regional Transportation Center (SYR)
- Utica, NY (UCA)
- Schenectady, NY (SDY)
- Albany-Rensselaer, NY (ALB)
- Pittsfield, MA (PIT)
- Springfield, MA (SPG)
- Worcester, MA – Union Station (WOR)
- Framingham, MA (FRA)
- Boston, MA – Back Bay Station (BBY)
- Boston, MA – South Station (BOS)
- Rhinecliff, NY (RHI)
- Poughkeepsie, NY (POU)
- Croton-Harmon, NY (CRT)
- New York, NY – Moynihan Train Hall (NYP)
