ND / Chicago question?

[HopeandChangeforAntoons]

I was thinking about possible road games for next year. I know ND will be the most popular one. But I like to make a long weekend out of road trips, and while South Bend has improved, I still don’t need to spend that much time there.

So I was kicking around the idea of flying into Chicago and taking the train down game day. Have any of you guys done that before? Any hiccups in getting a weekend train down or back after the game?

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

Good question, I’m curious about this also. I’ve looked at options from Chicago to South Bend and Indy to South Bend. I think I even looked at Ft. Wayne. Chicago seems to be the cheapest and most obvious. I didn’t even think about the train option.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

I was thinking about possible road games for next year. I know ND will be the most popular one. But I like to make a long weekend out of road trips, and while South Bend has improved, I still don’t need to spend that much time there.

So I was kicking around the idea of flying into Chicago and taking the train down game day. Have any of you guys done that before? Any hiccups in getting a weekend train down or back after the game?

Have an interest in danger?

 

[pittzap]

Fly to Chicago and rent a car. It’s easier that way. It’s about 1:45 away.

 

[upj87]

Fly to Chicago and rent a car. It’s easier that way. It’s about 1:45 away.

and set aside some speeding ticket money if you plan on making that in 1:45...

 

[HopeandChangeforAntoons]

So I looked into this and the Amtrack line runs on weekends. But there are only 3 trains daily and they are going into CHI mornings and out to SB at night. South shore line probably takes too long and factoring in round trip with a couple others isn’t that much cheaper than a rental.

 

[Las Panteras]

A buddy of mine did the train from Chicago. if I recall, the biggest problem was getting from the train depot in South Bend to the stadium.

Good luck. Sounds like a fun way to go.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

and set aside some speeding ticket money if you plan on making that in 1:45...

I used to make it quicker than that (worked in South Bend) without speeding too much. But I was flying into Midway and not O’Hare.

 

[pittzap]

and set aside some speeding ticket money if you plan on making that in 1:

I’ve done it three times around that amount of time.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

and set aside some speeding ticket money if you plan on making that in 1:45...

You can pull that off if the flight is into Midway. It would be a bit more inconvenient to rent a car there, though.

 

[str61166]

Rudy took the Greyhound to South Bend (although he wasn’t coming from Chicago). Maybe the ‘hound could be a good option?

…kidding of course. Took a few greyhounds in college and would never again.

 

[USN_Panther]

I took the train from Chicago to ND for the game in 2010 with @RoguePanther .
It's not luxury but no dramas. We walked to the stadium and I don't recall it being that far. Best thing is nobody needed to worry about driving. We got joined into some ND tailgate and they kept giving us food and beers. They treated us like brothers.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

You can pull that off if the flight is into Midway. It would be a bit more inconvenient to rent a car there, though.

I honestly can’t remember what the rental process was like there. I believe there was a shuttle to a lot? Been a long time since I’ve been there.

I eventually realized that my time spent in airports and backtracking through traffic wasn’t that much less than me driving to South Bend from Pittsburgh. Driving the six hours was a much more pleasant experience

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

I have stopped renting cars with regular car rental services and going with Turo. I’ve used all over the country and they pick me up at the terminal and I can drop off at check in or designated Turo spot. Denver had a Turo lot. So much easier and less headache. Cost is comparable.

 

[RoguePanther]

I took the train from Chicago to ND for the game in 2010 with @RoguePanther .
It's not luxury but no dramas. We walked to the stadium and I don't recall it being that far. Best thing is nobody needed to worry about driving. We got joined into some ND tailgate and they kept giving us food and beers. They treated us like brothers.

It was a good trip overall, but that train ride back to Chicago, drunk, after a loss, was rough. Thank God we got UNO's and more drinks to cap off the night.