How much does a train ticket cost from St. Louis to Chicago?

The cheapest train tickets from St. Louis to Chicago start from £23. The average price for this train route is around £27. Busbud recommends booking your tickets in advance for the best chance of getting the lowest possible price.

How long is the train journey from St. Louis to Chicago?

The average train journey time from St. Louis to Chicago is 5h 5m, covering a distance of 262 miles. The fastest train gets you there in 3h 55m and is operated by Amtrak .

Which train operators serve the St. Louis to Chicago route?

Several major train operators run on this route with 5 trains available per day.

What are the earliest and latest departure times for the train from St. Louis to Chicago?

The earliest train from St. Louis to Chicago departs at 04:30. And the latest train departs at 17:40.

Train St. Louis to Chicago from £21 | Refundable Tickets

Next train departures

Next departures from St. Louis to Chicago on 12 December
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
	Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Cheapest
	Train	17:40	Gateway Station	5h 3m	22:43	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Fastest

Next departures from St. Louis to Chicago on 13 December
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Train	17:40	Gateway Station	5h 3m	22:43	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Cheapest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Fastest
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	08:10	Gateway Station	5h 34m	13:44	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	14:55	Gateway Station	5h 5m	20:00	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures from St. Louis to Chicago on 14 December
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	CheapestFastest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	08:10	Gateway Station	5h 34m	13:44	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures from St. Louis to Chicago on 15 December
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Train	17:40	Gateway Station	5h 3m	22:43	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Cheapest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Fastest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	08:10	Gateway Station	5h 34m	13:44	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures from St. Louis to Chicago on 16 December
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Train	17:40	Gateway Station	5h 3m	22:43	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Cheapest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Fastest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures from St. Louis to Chicago on 17 December
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Train	17:40	Gateway Station	5h 3m	22:43	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Cheapest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Fastest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures from St. Louis to Chicago on 18 December
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Train	17:40	Gateway Station	5h 3m	22:43	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Cheapest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	Fastest
Train	04:30	Gateway Station	4h 55m	09:25	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	06:35	Gateway Station	5h 5m	11:40	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Train	08:10	Gateway Station	5h 34m	13:44	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 14:36 CST.

Compare 2 ways to travel from St. Louis to Chicago

We recommend taking the train

Among the sustainable travel choices, the train stands out as a good way to reach Chicago. The journey takes about 5 hours 5 minutes and with fares starting at just £23, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

5train per day

5h 5mAverage duration

262 milesDistance

38kgCO₂ emissions

	Average price	Average duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average price£25 - £143	Average duration6h 25m	CO₂ emissions 11kg CO₂e
Train	Average price£23 - £75	Average duration5h 5m	CO₂ emissions 38kg CO₂e

Where are the popular train stations and stops in St. Louis and Chicago?

St. Louis

A
Gateway Station
430 S 15th St, St Louis, MO 63103
Visit page

Chicago

A
Union Station
225 S Canal St, Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Train Companies

Amtrak

4/55,637 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

WiFi3.6

Users have praised the service for being on time, comfortable, and convenient with friendly conductors. However, there were concerns about inconsistent behavior from staff towards passengers of different races during ticket checks and upon arrival.

Amtrak St. Louis Chicago recent customer reviews

Smooth ride. The man who did our tickets from St. Louis we noticed after checking white people's tickets he said thanks and have a great day. To black people he said nothing. Then upon arriving in Chicago that man offered no one a hand down or said goodbye.

Yvonne H.

27 September 2024

Fabulous! Train is the way to go for this distance!! On time, comfortable, friendly conductors, and SO convenient!

Kendra H.

3 April 2024

Good but train was cancelled and coming with bus. I pay too much money

Anshul P.

23 December 2024

US train companies: Amtrak, Trenitalia, Renfe, VIA Rail Canada, Amtrak Acela, NS Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Iryo

Frequently asked questions about travelling from St. Louis to Chicago by train

Please note that timetables, routes, or operator details shown here may be updated or vary at the time of your journey.

How much does a train ticket cost from St. Louis to Chicago?
The cheapest train tickets from St. Louis to Chicago start from £23. The average price for this train route is around £27. Busbud recommends booking your tickets in advance for the best chance of getting the lowest possible price.
How long is the train journey from St. Louis to Chicago?
The average train journey time from St. Louis to Chicago is 5h 5m, covering a distance of 262 miles. The fastest train gets you there in 3h 55m and is operated by Amtrak.
Which train operators serve the St. Louis to Chicago route?
Several major train operators run on this route with 5 trains available per day.
What are the earliest and latest departure times for the train from St. Louis to Chicago?
The earliest train from St. Louis to Chicago departs at 04:30. And the latest train departs at 17:40.

Find cheapest prices for trains

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

09/12

£43

10/12

£62

Today

£258

12/12

£72

13/12

£43

14/12

£43

15/12

£30

16/12

£30

The cheapest trip from St. Louis to Chicago was searched and found on 15 Dec 2025 with a price of £30

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your train tickets from St. Louis to Chicago as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from £30 to £258 for a train ticket from St. Louis to Chicago based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at £30, which is on 2025-12-15.

What's the cheapest way to go from St. Louis to Chicago?

The train is the cheapest travel choice for this destination

Vehicle type	Travel time	Avg price	Daily departures
Vehicle typeBus	Travel time6h 25m	Avg price£37	Daily departures8
Vehicle typeTrain	Travel time5h 5m	Avg price£27	Daily departures5

The best way to travel between St. Louis and Chicago is by train. By choosing the train, you'll get to save some money as you travel to your destination, as ticket prices cost £27 on average. If you're on a budget, you'll find cheap tickets from £23. If you're looking for the fastest way to get to Chicago, choose the train, as it will take you from St. Louis to Chicago in about 5h 5m – that's the fastest way to get there!