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Embark on an adventure aboard the Amtrak City of New Orleans. This daily Superliner train links the lively city of Chicago, IL, to the soulful rhythms of New Orleans, LA, passing through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Travelers traveling the entire route will go a 934-mile route. They will stop at all 18 intermediate stops, including the historic city of Memphis. Additionally, passengers can take advantage of Amtrak’s connecting services from this train.

If you are considering a trip, let me guide you through the information you need about the Amtrak City of New Orleans. This article covers accommodations, food, schedules, onboard amenities, and more.

A quick overview of Amtrak’s City of New Orleans

• The train offers coach and sleeping accommodations.
• A cafe car for all and flex dining for sleeper car passengers.
• Sleeping car passengers can use lounges in New Orleans and Chicago.
• There is no Wi-Fi on this train.
• Checked baggage is available between select stops.
• Get the schedule for the Amtrak City of New Orleans.

If you are planning a trip to New Orleans, check out the Beyond Bourbon Street Podcast and website. The podcast and website cover many insider trips to New Orleans and suggest activities beyond Bourbon Street. There is also a travel guide available!

About the City of New Orleans Route

The City of New Orleans is not the most scenic of Amtrak routes, but it is still worth the ride because of the destinations.

When traveling south, the views start after Memphis, where, depending on the time of year, the sun will begin to rise. The train will take you through various cities, and you will have a chance to get off the train in Jackson, MS.

One of my favorite sights in both directions is the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge, the longest bridge in the world! The upper level provides a stunning view, making it feel like the train travels on water.

You can see the southern and northern parts of the route heading north. As you approach Chicago, you can spot Guaranteed Rate Field and more.

When this train first started, it was operated by Illinois Central, departing from what is now Millenium Station in Chicago. In the 1970s, Amtrak relocated the train to Union Station. The train has to do a reverse maneuver to access the old Illinois Central tracks, now CN tracks. When arriving at or departing from Union Station, please know that reaching the station may take 15-20 minutes.

In both directions, you mainly see parts of Louisana and Mississippi; if you are traveling North, you see parts of Northern Illinois.

The neatest part of this train is going over the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge! Especially if you are on the top level of the train, it can feel like you are on a boat traveling over the water because that is all you see from both sides.

Route guide for Amtrak’s City of New Orleans

Over a decade ago, Amtrak produced route guides for many of its trains, and I could go back in time to get them for you. You can download them to your device or print them out if interested.

The City of New Orleans on-time performance and host railroads

Canadian National/Illinois Central hosts most of the City of New Orleans route, and Amtrak owns the tracks around the end stations.

• The Amtrak’s City of New Orleans had an average at-station on-time performance.
  • For February 2023-2024, the train averaged 64.2% with an average delay of 87 minutes.
  • In February 2024, the City of New Orleans averaged 79.7%, with an average delay of 84 minutes,
• While Amtrak can cause delays, the host railroads often cause delays once the train leaves the originating station.
  • The top two delays caused by CN include:
    • Freight train interference
    • Other passenger trains (mainly Amtrak regional trains)

The information for this section comes from the Amtrak Host Railroad Report February 2024

Coach Class on Amtrak City of New Orleans

• The Amtrak City of New Orleans coach class features:
  • Comfortable reclining seats with ample legroom
  • A fold-down tray
  • Seat back pocket
  • Leg and footrests
  • Individual reading lights
  • 120v grounded (three-prong) electric outlets on the wall under the windows
  • Upper and lower seating
  • Above-seat luggage storage, with shelving on the lower level, too.
  • The bathrooms are on the lower level.

Coach car layout

Sleeper accommodations on Amtrak’s City of New Orleans

All rooms include:

• Complimentary meals
• Lounge access in Chicago and New Orleans
• Dedicated car attendant
• At least one outlet in the room
• A place to hang garments
• Amtrak supplies:
  • Hangers
  • Pillows
  • Fresh linens, blankets, and towels
  • Water
• Access to showers
• Coffee and juice in the morning.
• Seats by day, beds by night.

Types of rooms offered aboard the City of New Orleans

• Roomette
  • The smallest room
  • Rooms 1-10 are on the upper level, with 11-14 on the lower.
• Bedroom
  • Twice the size of a roomette with an in-room restroom and shower.
  • All rooms are on the upper level.
• Family bedroom
  • Provides seating and berths for two adults and two smaller kids
  • There is one of these rooms per sleeper car, and it is on the lower level.
• Accessible room
  • Accommodates passengers with mobility issues and their travel companions
  • You will find the accessible bedrooms on the lower level of the train.

Amtrak City of New Orleans Sleeper car layout.

Wi-Fi and the City of New Orleans

The City of New Orleans does not have Wi-Fi or entertainment systems outside the windows. Here are some entertainment ideas for when you ride Amtrak.

Amtrak City of New Orleans add-ons

There are a few things that you can add to your next adventure on this train!

Bikes

• Space is available for standard, full-size bicycles
  • Up to 50 lbs, 70 inches x 41 inches x 8.5 inches.
  • Amtrak stores bikes in designated bike racks/areas inside the baggage car (if available).
  • For more information, check out Amtrak’s bicycle policy.

Pets and service animals

• Amtrak allows dogs and cats.
  • Up to 20 pounds with the combined weight of the pet and carrier
  • For trips up to seven hours.
  • You must complete paperwork for your fluffy friend before boarding the train.
    • Get the paperwork and more information from Amtrak’s pet policy page.

If you have a service or comfort animal, you need to check out Amtrak’s service animal policy to see if your critter qualifies and if they do what you need to do for them to ride with you.

Luggage on this train

Click the station links below to see if they offer checked baggage service. Your departure and destination station must offer check bag service for you to check bags.

• The City of New Orleans also allows checked baggage
  • Each passenger can bring two bags up to 50 lbs. and 75 linear inches for free.
  • Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage.
  • Not all locations can handle checked baggage.

Each passenger may carry on:

• One personal item, 25 lbs. (12 kg) and 14 x 11 x 7 inches, and 
• Two carry-on pieces of luggage, 50 lbs. (23 kg) and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each
• If you transfer to the Pacific Surfliner at some point along your journey, the baggage size for that train is up to 28 x 22 x 11 inches each. 

Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage; check out Amtrak’s carry-on bag policy for more information.

Accessibility on the City of New Orleans train

A Wheelchair Ramp is available to assist passengers with a wheeled mobility device in boarding and detraining. The train has lower-level coach seating and accessible bedrooms. If you have a service animal, check out Amtrak’s service animal requirements in the above “pets” section.

Food On Amtrak’s City of New Orleans

The cafe is on the upper level in the middle of the train. Sleeper passengers also get their food from this car.

Cafe car

• The cafe features
  • Various hot and cold meals
  • Snacks
  • Hot, cold, and adult beverages
• The cafe is available for all customers from early morning until late at night.
• It may close during meal prep times and breaks.
• This car is between the coach and sleeping cars in the middle of the train.

You can bring food and drinks aboard the train. Due to FDA regulations, you cannot eat food in the cafe car. If you are in coach class, you cannot drink the alcohol you brought aboard. If you have a sleeper, you can consume it in your or your travel buddy’s room.

Flex dining

• Flex Dining is complimentary dining for sleeping passengers.
• You can eat your meals in your rooms or the cafe car.
• Meals are prepared and warmed on the train.
• Selections for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages.
• Those who want and are of legal age can get a complimentary adult drink with dinner.
• You can purchase additional adult beverages.

The Amtrak City of New Orleans scheduled Meals:

To know what meals are served aboard the City of New Orleans, refer to this table. You will receive dinner before or after departing from Chicago if you are heading South!

Amtrak City of New Orleans Schedule

The City of New Orleans runs daily between Chicago, New Orleans, and the intermediate stops.

Abbreviations

Printable Amtrak City of New Orleans Schedule

This PDF is available for you, but you can also print customer schedules; this article helps you print Amtrak schedules custom-made for your trip or entire routes.