You’re standing in the middle of Chicago Union Station. It’s loud. The Great Hall is stunning, sure, but you’re probably just staring at the departures board trying to figure out why there are three different ways to get to Indiana and which one won't leave you stranded in a cornfield. Most people assume there is just "the train." There isn't. Taking the train from Chicago to Indiana is actually a choice between a gritty commuter line, a cross-country sleeper, and a regional state-supported route. Get it wrong, and you’re either paying triple the price or sitting on a bench in Gary for two hours.
The reality is that Indiana is basically Chicago’s backyard, yet the rail connection is surprisingly complex.
Depending on where you're headed—be it the dunes, the grit of South Bend, or the racing culture of Indianapolis—your experience will vary wildly. It’s not just about getting from point A to point B. It’s about navigating the messy intersection of Amtrak and the South Shore Line. Honestly, it’s a bit of a localized headache if you don't know the quirks.
The South Shore Line: The Workhorse No One Calls "Amtrak"
If you are headed to Northwest Indiana (NWI), forget Amtrak. Seriously. You want the South Shore Line. This isn't a fancy tourist train. It’s a literal lifeline operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). It runs from Millennium Station—underneath Michigan Avenue—and hugs the lake all the way to South Bend.
People get confused because they go to Union Station looking for this train. You won't find it there. You have to walk or take a bus over to Millennium or Van Buren Street.
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The South Shore Line is currently in the middle of a massive "Double Track" project. For years, the stretch between Michigan City and Gary was a bottleneck because it was a single track. They’ve been pouring nearly a billion dollars into fixing this. Why does that matter to you? Because it’s slashing travel times. We are talking about getting from downtown Chicago to Michigan City in about 60 minutes soon. That’s faster than driving on the Borman Expressway during rush hour.
One weird thing: The South Shore doesn't always go all the way to the South Bend airport. Sometimes you have to bus a portion of it depending on construction schedules. Always, and I mean always, check the NICTD service alerts before you tap your phone to buy a ticket on the South Shore app.
Amtrak’s "Hoosier State" Ghost and the Cardinal
Now, if you’re looking to go deeper into the state—specifically to Lafayette or Indianapolis—the situation gets a bit thinner. We used to have the Hoosier State train. It ran four days a week and filled the gaps left by the Cardinal. Then, funding got slashed. The Hoosier State died in 2019.
Now, your only real option for the train from Chicago to Indiana when heading toward Indy is the Cardinal.
The Cardinal is a legendary route that goes all the way to New York City via West Virginia, but for Hoosiers, it’s the Chicago-to-Indy link. It only runs three days a week. Read that again. If you miss the Tuesday train, you might be waiting until Thursday. It leaves Union Station in the early evening and gets into Indianapolis around midnight. It's often late. Freight trains owned by companies like CSX or Norfolk Southern get priority over Amtrak, so you might spend thirty minutes sitting in a siding in the middle of a field near Rensselaer while a two-mile-long line of shipping containers crawls past you.
The Wolverine and Blue Water routes are different beasts entirely. These are the Michigan services. They stop in Hammond-Whiting and Michigan City. If you’re just trying to get to the casinos or the Indiana Dunes National Park, these are great, but they are often booked up by people going to Detroit or Grand Rapids.
The Price Gap: What You’ll Actually Pay
Let’s talk money. Travel isn't cheap lately.
- South Shore Line: You’re looking at maybe $15 maximum to get all the way to South Bend. It’s zone-based. You buy a ticket at a kiosk, and a conductor with a hole-puncher actually walks down the aisle. It feels like 1974 in a charming way.
- Amtrak Cardinal: This varies. If you book a month out, you can snag a seat for $25. If you try to go tomorrow? It might be $60.
- The Michigan Services: These are usually somewhere in the middle.
Is it worth it? Driving from Chicago to Indy takes about three hours. The train takes about five. You do the math. If you need to work on your laptop, the train wins. If you need to be on time for a wedding, the train is a gamble.
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The Great Station Divide: Union vs. Millennium
This is the mistake that ruins trips.
If your ticket says "Amtrak," go to Union Station (210 S. Canal St). If you are taking the South Shore Line, go to Millennium Station (151 E. Randolph St). They are about a mile apart. In Chicago winter, that mile feels like ten.
Union Station is a hub of chaos. You’ll be funneled into a basement-level waiting area that smells like Auntie Anne’s pretzels and desperation. The South Shore at Millennium is cleaner, quieter, and feels more like a subway station.
Why the Indiana Dunes is the Best Stop
If you are taking the train from Chicago to Indiana for fun, the Beverly Shores stop on the South Shore Line is a hidden gem. You step off the train and you are basically in the National Park. There is no parking fee because you don't have a car. You just walk toward the lake.
Most people flock to the West Beach or the state park side, but the train lets you access the quieter, more residential stretches of the dunes. Just keep in mind that these small stations are often just a concrete slab. There is no "station agent" to ask for help. You have to be self-sufficient.
Dealing with the "Freight Train Delay"
Indiana is the "Crossroads of America," which is just a fancy way of saying it’s a giant parking lot for freight trains. When you take the train south toward Indianapolis or Lafayette, you are traveling on tracks Amtrak doesn't own.
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I’ve sat on the Cardinal for an hour just outside of Crawfordsville because a freight dispatcher decided our train wasn't the priority. It’s a systemic issue in American rail travel. The Midwest is particularly bad because of the sheer volume of grain and manufacturing goods moving through the Chicago hub.
Don't book a tight connection in Indy. Just don't.
The Future: West Lake Corridor
There’s a new project called the West Lake Corridor. It’s an expansion of the South Shore Line that will head south toward Dyer and Munster. This is going to change the game for commuters who currently have to drive 45 minutes just to get to a train station to go to Chicago.
Construction is well underway. You can see the new track beds being laid if you drive through Hammond. By the time this is fully operational, the train from Chicago to Indiana won't just be a "once in a while" thing for people in those suburbs; it’ll be their primary way to get to the Loop.
Practical Steps for Your Trip
- Download the Apps: Get the Amtrak app AND the South Shore "Cosmos" app. Do not rely on paper schedules; they change too fast.
- Check the "Quiet Car": On Amtrak, there’s usually a quiet car. If you talk on your phone there, people will look at you like you committed a felony.
- Bikes on Trains: The South Shore allows bikes on certain trains during the summer months (look for the bike symbol on the schedule). Amtrak requires a reservation for a bike, and it usually costs an extra $10 to $20.
- The Food Situation: The South Shore has zero food. Nothing. Not even a vending machine on the train. Amtrak has a cafe car, but it’s basically microwaved pizza and expensive beer. Eat at Union Station or Millennium Station before you board.
- The South Bend Catch: If you are going to Notre Dame, the South Shore Line ends at the airport. You’ll need a $15 Uber or a bus to get to campus. The Amtrak station in South Bend is in a different spot entirely, on the west side of town.
Taking the train across the state line is a lesson in patience. It’s a beautiful ride once you get past the industrial heart of Gary and into the marshlands. You see parts of the Midwest that aren't visible from the I-94 or I-65. It's slower, sure, but there’s something about watching the steel mills fade into the distance as the dunes rise up that makes the hassle worth it.
Pack a portable charger, bring your own snacks, and always assume the train will be 15 minutes late. If you do that, you’ll have a great time.