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Long distance route

City of New Orleans

Chicago, IL → New Orleans, LA · 926 miles · 19h 30m

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Distance

926 miles

Journey time

19h 30m

Frequency

Daily

Top speed

79 mph

States served

4

About the City of New Orleans

Immortalised in song, the City of New Orleans still runs the Illinois Central main line overnight from Chicago through Memphis and the Mississippi Delta to the French Quarter.

What makes this route worth taking

  • Overnight Chicago to New Orleans in one sleep
  • Memphis at midnight — Beale Street connection
  • Mississippi Delta in the morning
  • Sightseer Lounge, dining car and Wi-Fi

Travel tip

A roomette here is often cheaper than a Chicago hotel night plus a flight. We price it both ways for you.

Classes of service on this route

The City of New Orleans operates with Superliner II. Available accommodation:

Coach Roomette Bedroom Family Room

Sleeping-car fares on long-distance routes typically include meals for everyone in the room, along with priority boarding, station lounge access where available and a dedicated car attendant. Inclusions vary by route and change without notice, so confirm what your fare covers with the carrier.

States and provinces served

Stations along the route

#Station
1Chicago
2Homewood
3Kankakee
4Champaign-Urbana
5Mattoon
6Effingham
7Centralia
8Carbondale
9Fulton
10Newbern-Dyersburg
11Memphis
12Greenwood
13Yazoo City
14Jackson
15Hazlehurst
16Brookhaven
17McComb
18Hammond
19New Orleans

Station lists reflect the principal calling pattern. Individual departures may omit stops or add seasonal calls. Schedules, equipment and station stops are set by the carrier and change without notice — confirm current details directly with the carrier before you travel.

Planning a journey on the City of New Orleans

Fares on Amtrak routes move in tiers that generally only step upward, so booking once your dates are firm is usually cheaper than waiting. Sleeping-car accommodation is capped per car and tends to sell out well ahead of coach on this kind of route.

Want to talk it through before you book? Call +1 (888) 821-4679 and we will walk you through the route, the accommodation and the accessibility arrangements. Free, and no obligation.

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