You’d think it would be a straight shot. Two major American hubs, less than 500 miles apart, both deeply rooted in music and transit history. But if you’re looking to hop on a train to Chicago from Nashville, you’re in for a bit of a reality check. Honestly, the biggest misconception people have is that they can just wander down to Broadway, walk into a station, and hear a conductor shout "All aboard!"
It doesn't work like that. Not yet, anyway.
Nashville is currently one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States without direct Amtrak service. It’s a weird gap in the map. While the "Music City Star" commuter rail exists, it stays local. To get to the Windy City on tracks, you have to be willing to get a little creative with your logistics. You're basically looking at a "bus-to-rail" patchwork or a bit of a road trip before the real journey begins.
The Reality of the Amtrak Gap
Let’s talk about why this is such a headache. Back in the day, the Georgian or the Humming Bird would have whisked you straight from Nashville’s Union Station up to Chicago. But those lines dried up decades ago. Today, Union Station is a stunning hotel (The Union Station Nashville Yards), not a functioning transit hub. If you want to take a train to Chicago from Nashville today, your primary "official" option is the Amtrak Thruway bus.
This isn't just some random city bus. It's a dedicated motorcoach that connects Nashville to the Amtrak station in Carbondale, Illinois. From there, you catch the Illini or the City of New Orleans line to finish the trek into Chicago Union Station.
Is it seamless? Sorta. Is it fast? Not really.
The bus ride to Carbondale takes about four hours. Then you’ve got a layover. Then another five-ish hours on the train. When you add it all up, you’re looking at a 10 to 12-hour day. Compare that to a four-hour flight (including security) or a seven-hour drive up I-65, and you see why people get frustrated. But there is a specific kind of person who loves this route. It’s for the traveler who hates the sterile nature of airports and actually wants to see the transition from the rolling hills of Tennessee into the flat, expansive cornfields of the Midwest.
Driving to the "Real" Station
A lot of savvy Nashville locals skip the bus entirely. They drive.
If you’re willing to put in a few hours behind the wheel, you can grab a direct line. The most popular "hack" is driving three hours north to Louisville, Kentucky. Wait—scratch that. Louisville actually doesn't have a direct Chicago train either. You actually have to head to Indianapolis.
From the Indianapolis Amtrak station, you can hop on the Cardinal. It runs three days a week. It’s a beautiful ride, honestly. Or, better yet, you drive the four hours to Carbondale yourself, park the car, and enjoy a much cheaper, much more frequent rail schedule into the city.
- Drive to Carbondale, IL (4 hours).
- Board the City of New Orleans.
- Roll into Chicago by dinner.
The City of New Orleans is legendary. It’s the train Arlo Guthrie sang about. Even if you only catch the tail end of it from southern Illinois, there’s a vibe there you just don't get on a Southwest flight.
Why Everyone Is Talking About the "Restoration"
There’s a lot of noise right now about bringing back a direct train to Chicago from Nashville. It’s not just pipe dreams anymore.
👉 See also: The Truth About Booking Days Inn Hotel New York City Broadway New York NY
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has been eyeing the "Corridor Identification and Development Program." Basically, Nashville city leaders and Amtrak have officially expressed interest in a route that would link the city to both Chicago and Atlanta. This would be a game-changer. Imagine leaving Nashville in the morning, hitting a cafe car for a coffee, and being in the Loop by mid-afternoon without ever touching a steering wheel or taking off your shoes for a TSA agent.
But we have to be realistic. This is government-level infrastructure. We’re talking years, probably a decade, before a "true" direct line is operational. The tracks are there—mostly owned by CSX—but they are clogged with freight. Freight is king in the South. Getting passenger trains to play nice with mile-long coal and shipping container trains is a legal and logistical nightmare that requires millions in signaling upgrades.
Comparing Costs: Is it Worth It?
If you book the bus-to-train combo through Amtrak's website, you might pay anywhere from $80 to $160 for a one-way ticket.
- Pros: You can work on your laptop. There’s Wi-Fi (mostly). You can walk around once you get on the train. No gas prices to worry about.
- Cons: The bus portion can be cramped. If the bus hits traffic on I-24, you might miss your connection in Carbondale.
Honestly, the price isn't always lower than a budget flight. You’re paying for the experience and the lack of airport "theater." If you’ve got a ton of luggage, the train is a massive win. Amtrak’s baggage policy is famously generous compared to the "we-charge-for-air" model of modern airlines.
What to Expect at Chicago Union Station
Once your train to Chicago from Nashville finally pulls into the station, you are in the heart of everything. Union Station is an architectural beast. The Great Hall—the one with the massive skylights and the staircase from the Untouchables movie—is breathtaking.
You’re steps away from the Willis Tower. You can walk to the Loop. You don’t have to deal with the hour-long CTA Blue Line trek from O'Hare or the expensive Uber from Midway. This is the "hidden" value of the train. You arrive in the city, not on the outskirts of it.
Survival Tips for the Nashville-to-Chicago Route
Don't just wing it. If you’re committed to this journey, you need a plan.
First, check the schedule for the City of New Orleans. It typically departs Carbondale in the mid-afternoon. If you’re taking the Thruway bus from Nashville, it usually leaves in the morning from the Greyhound station (which Amtrak uses as a hub).
Pack a "train bag." Even if the train has a cafe car, the bus definitely doesn't. Bring water. Bring a portable battery bank. While most Amtrak trains have outlets, the older buses can be hit-or-miss. And for the love of everything holy, bring a neck pillow. That four-hour bus leg is the "work" you have to do to earn the "reward" of the rail.
Also, keep an eye on the freight delays. Amtrak doesn't own the tracks outside of the Northeast Corridor. That means they have to yield to freight trains. A 15-minute delay in Kentucky can snowball into a two-hour delay by the time you hit the Illinois border. It’s part of the "charm," or so the enthusiasts say.
The Future of the Route
We are currently seeing the most significant push for Southern rail expansion since the mid-20th century. The Amtrak Connects US 2035 plan specifically highlights the Nashville-Chicago-Atlanta corridor.
Why? Because the I-65 and I-24 corridors are failing. They are choked with semi-trucks. Expanding highways is expensive and often useless due to induced demand. Rail is the only logical vent for that pressure. If the proposed "Music City" route becomes a reality, we’d likely see a service that stops in Clarksville, TN, and Evansville, IN, before hitting the main trunk into Chicago.
For now, we wait. We take the bus to Carbondale. We drive to Indy. We complain about the lack of options while secretly enjoying the slow pace of the tracks.
If you're planning this trip soon, do yourself a favor and book at least three weeks out. Amtrak uses "buckets" for pricing—the earlier you buy, the cheaper it is. Once the low-tier tickets are gone, the price jumps significantly.
Your Next Steps for the Trip
If you’re ready to actually book this, here is your move:
- Check Amtrak.com specifically for "Nashville to Chicago." It will automatically show you the bus-to-train connection. Ensure the layover in Carbondale is at least 45 minutes to give yourself a buffer for traffic.
- Verify the Greyhound Station location. In Nashville, the Amtrak Thruway bus usually departs from the main bus terminal, not Union Station. Don't go to the hotel expecting a train.
- Consider the "Indy Option." If you have a car, drive to Indianapolis and take the Cardinal. It's a more comfortable experience than the bus, though it requires more effort on the front end.
- Download the Amtrak App. It provides real-time tracking. You’ll know if your train is delayed before you even leave Nashville, which might save you a lot of sitting around in a bus station.
There is no "perfect" way to take the train to Chicago from Nashville yet, but for those who value the journey over the destination, it’s a trip worth taking at least once. Just bring a good book and a lot of patience.