The rhythm hits you first. It isn't a smooth, high-speed hum like you’d find on a Shinkansen in Japan. No, the City of New Orleans is a soulful, heavy-set vibration. It’s the sound of the Illinois Central heritage, even if Amtrak runs the show now. People think this train is just a commute between Chicago and the Big Easy. They’re wrong. It’s basically a 900-mile long blues song.
You’ve probably heard the Arlo Guthrie song. Honestly, it’s the reason half the passengers book a ticket in the first place. But the modern reality of the City of New Orleans is a mix of gritty industrial backdrops and some of the most hauntingly beautiful wetlands you’ll ever see from a window. It’s a 19-hour journey. Sometimes it’s 21 hours. Freight trains own the tracks, and they don't care about your dinner reservations at Commander's Palace.
The Logistics of the City of New Orleans
Starting at Chicago's Union Station, the train cuts south through the heart of Illinois. It’s flat. Very flat. You’ll see endless rows of corn and soy, punctuated by small towns like Kankakee and Champaign. By the time you hit Centralia, the landscape starts to shift. The air gets heavier.
Most people worry about the seats. Don't. Amtrak’s long-distance coach seats are surprisingly massive compared to an economy airline seat. You get a leg rest. You get a deep recline. But if you can swing it, the Roomettes in the sleeper car are where the real experience lives. You get your own little sanctuary. It’s tight—sorta like a walk-in closet with bunk beds—but it includes meals. That’s a big deal because the "Flexible Dining" menu is a point of contention for many rail fans. It’s not the freshly cooked-to-order steak of the 1950s. It’s more like high-end microwave cuisine, but eating it while crossing the Ohio River at Cairo (pronounced Kay-ro by locals) makes it taste better.
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Why Memphis is the Secret Pivot Point
The train rolls into Memphis, Tennessee, usually around 6:30 in the morning. If you’re in a sleeper, you’re waking up to the bluffs of the Mississippi. This is where the energy changes. The "Northern" feel of the trip evaporates. You’re in the South now.
The stop at Memphis is long enough for a quick breath of humid air on the platform. Looking at the station, you realize this isn't just a transit point; it's a cultural bridge. From here, the City of New Orleans begins its descent through the Mississippi Delta. This is the stretch where you should put your phone away. The trees get draped in Spanish moss. The earth turns a darker, richer color. You’ll pass through places like Greenwood and Yazoo City. These names carry weight. They are the bedrock of American music.
Life in the Sightseer Lounge
If you stay in your seat or room the whole time, you’re doing it wrong. The Sightseer Lounge is the heartbeat of the City of New Orleans. It has those floor-to-ceiling wrap-around windows.
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You’ll meet people here you’d never talk to otherwise. I’ve sat next to Mennonite families traveling to rural Mississippi and college kids heading to New Orleans for Voodoo Fest. There’s something about the train that breaks down social barriers. Maybe it’s the shared realization that we’re all moving at 79 miles per hour across a landscape that looks like it hasn't changed since 1920.
The Bayou Finale
The final three hours of the trip are the most spectacular. As the train approaches Lake Pontchartrain, you feel like you’re floating on water. The tracks run along the edges of swamps where you can actually spot alligators if the sun is out and you're looking closely.
Crossing the Bonnet Carré Spillway is the climax. To your right, the massive expanse of the lake. To your left, the tangled cypress knees of the swamp. It’s a reminder that New Orleans is a city that exists in spite of geography. The train slows down here. It picks its way through the industrial outskirts, past the colorful houses of the various wards, and finally glides into the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal.
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What No One Tells You About the Schedule
Amtrak is notorious for delays. Freight interference is a real thing. The tracks are owned by CN (Canadian National), and their massive grain and oil trains often get priority.
- Expect the "Service Refresh": Sometimes the train stops in a field for twenty minutes. No explanation. Just wait.
- The Cold Factor: Amtrak keeps their cars at meat-locker temperatures. Bring a hoodie. Even in July. Especially in July.
- Power Outlets: They exist at every seat, but they can be finicky. Bring a portable brick just in case.
- The WiFi Myth: There is "Amtrak WiFi." It rarely works well in the rural stretches of Mississippi. Download your podcasts beforehand.
The City of New Orleans isn't about efficiency. If you wanted efficiency, you’d fly from O'Hare to MSY in two and a half hours. You take the train because you want to see the transition. You want to feel the temperature rise and see the architecture change from brick bungalows to raised cottages with wrap-around porches.
Practical Steps for Your Journey
If you're ready to book, don't just click the first fare you see.
- Book early. Amtrak uses bucket pricing. Once the cheap seats are gone, the price jumps significantly.
- Download the Amtrak App. It’s the most reliable way to track your train’s actual location in real-time.
- Pack a "Train Bag." Include a small blanket, high-quality earplugs (the horn blows at every rural crossing all night long), and your own snacks. The cafe car is fine, but it’s expensive and the selection can get picked over by the time you hit Jackson.
- Check the "BidUp" program. If you bought a coach ticket, Amtrak often lets you bid on unsold sleeper rooms a few days before departure. You might score a Roomette for a fraction of the retail price.
- Arrive at the station 45 minutes early. It’s not TSA-level security, but navigating Union Station in Chicago can be a maze if you aren't familiar with it.
When you step off that train in New Orleans, the air will hit you like a damp towel. It smells like river water, jasmine, and old stones. You’ll be tired, sure. But you’ll have a sense of the American South that no airport terminal could ever provide. You’ve seen the spine of the country. You’ve earned your first Sazerac.
The City of New Orleans remains a vital link. It’s a rolling time capsule that connects the industrial Midwest to the Caribbean-adjacent soul of Louisiana. It’s slow. It’s sometimes frustrating. It’s absolutely essential.