Illini and Saluki With Kids: Every Stop, Upstairs Seats, Kids Fares
Got a kid who wants to ride upstairs? The Illini and Saluki run twice a day each way between Chicago and Carbondale in about 5 hours 30 minutes, and in recent years they've used double-decker Superliner coaches. Kids 2 to 12 pay half the adult fare with an adult, and this is the only Illinois corridor line with checked baggage, so the big suitcase doesn't have to ride in your lap. Stops include a railroad museum inside the Kankakee depot and a giant steam engine in a Centralia park, and below we cover every stop, the October 2026 Saluki changes and the best seats for small riders.
The short version
- Two round trips a day: the Saluki in the morning and the Illini in the afternoon, Chicago to Carbondale in about 5 hours 30 minutes.
- Heads up: through October 30, 2026, weekday Saluki trains only run between Chicago and Champaign-Urbana, with buses farther south.
- Kids 2 to 12 ride for half fare next to an adult 18 or older, and each adult may hold one baby under 2 for free.
- The cars are usually double-decker Superliners, so your kids can probably sit upstairs.
- There's a cafe but no Wi-Fi on these two trains. Download the shows at home.
- Carbondale got a new station in May 2025, and the old 1903 depot nearby is now a train museum.
Illini and Saluki at a glance
- Runs between
- Chicago and Carbondale, Illinois
- States
- Illinois only
- Distance
- about 309 miles
- End to end
- about 5 hours 30 minutes
- Trains
- Two round trips per day: the Saluki (morning) and the Illini (afternoon)
- Train cars
- Usually double-decker Superliner coaches, pulled by a Siemens Charger or GE Genesis locomotive
- Upstairs seating
- Yes, on Superliner coaches; the lower level has accessible seats
- Food
- Cafe with snacks and drinks
- Wi-Fi
- Not available on the Illini or Saluki
- Sleeper rooms
- None on these trains; the City of New Orleans on the same tracks has them
- Checked bags
- Yes, the only Illinois corridor line with checked baggage; confirm your station
Look inside the book
A train named for a dog? Bring another one along.
Rally Takes the Train takes about five minutes to read, a nice break between rounds of spot the freight train. Peek at a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Do kids need a ticket on the Illini and Saluki?
Yes, kids need a ticket. Children 2 to 12 pay half the adult fare when riding with an adult 18 or older, and each adult can hold one baby under 2 on their lap for free. The Amtrak with kids guide has the general rules; here’s what’s special on the Carbondale line.
- Watch for the October 2026 Saluki changes. Amtrak posted Saluki service adjustments through October 30, 2026. In the timetable we checked, weekday Saluki trains run only between Chicago and Champaign-Urbana, and the northbound weekday Saluki gets to Chicago at 2:00 p.m. instead of 1:00 p.m. Weekend Saluki trains and the Illini run the full route, so check your exact date before you book.
- College weekends fill up fast. Students from the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and Eastern Illinois University make up a big share of riders. Trains to Carbondale have often sold out on weekends, so lock in seats for the whole family early.
- Homewood isn’t a Chicago commuter stop. Amtrak only carries riders between Homewood and Chicago if they’re connecting to another Amtrak train. For a quick Chicago hop with a train-loving toddler, take Metra Electric instead.
- Illinois helps pay for it. The Illinois Department of Transportation funds most of this service. We looked for a state kids-ride-free promotion in October 2026 and came up empty.
Free for train families
Free Illini and Saluki activity book
Eleven pages made for this train: a stop tracker for all 11 Illini and Saluki stops, things to spot out the window, train window bingo, a word search full of Illini and Saluki stops, a maze and an “I rode the Illini and Saluki” certificate. Rally coloring pages come with it.
Get the free Illini and Saluki activity bookEvery Illini and Saluki stop, from Chicago to Carbondale
The Illini and Saluki stop at 11 stations from Chicago Union Station to Carbondale. Gilman, Rantoul and Du Quoin only get these two trains, since the City of New Orleans on the same tracks skips them.
Illinois- Chicago Union StationLook for: Before you board, have everyone look straight up in the Great Hall: the barrel-vaulted skylight runs 219 feet from end to end.
- HomewoodLook for: Train fans, this is your stop: a railfan viewing platform opened in 2007 on the east side of the tracks, with views of Amtrak, Metra and freight trains. The 1923 depot is the only Mission-style station the Illinois Central built.
- KankakeeLook for: Tell them there is a museum inside this station. The 1898 depot holds the Kankakee Railroad Museum, with a restored 1947 Pullman coach and a 1967 Union Pacific caboose.
- Gilman
- Rantoul
- Champaign-Urbana (Illinois Terminal)Look for: Amtrak is upstairs here, on the second floor of this big 1999 terminal, and buses pull in right below. It's named for an old electric railway that once ran all the way to St. Louis.
- MattoonLook for: A puzzle for kids: the three-story red brick depot sits on a hill, so the street entrance is on the third floor and the train platform is at ground level.
- EffinghamLook for: Effingham calls itself the "Heart of the United States," and garden clubs keep a heart-shaped garden in front of the 1924 red brick depot. Who spots the heart first?
- CentraliaLook for: Big-engine alert: Fairview Park displays one of two surviving Illinois Central 2500-class steam engines, among the largest locomotives ever built.
- Du QuoinLook for: Ask them to picture 12 lakes and ponds made from old strip mines. That is the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, spread over 1,200 acres.
- Carbondale (Southern Illinois Multimodal Station)Look for: Last stop! Nearby, the 1903 Illinois Central depot is now the Carbondale Train Museum, with a caboose and a diesel locomotive to check out.
What kids can see from the Illini and Saluki
The Illini and Saluki run straight down the old Illinois Central main line, the same rails the Chicago to New Orleans trains have used for generations. It's flat farm country, so the best views come from up high.
Head upstairs
Since 2020, the freight railroad that owns the tracks has asked for a full set of Superliner cars on these trains. That means double-decker coaches with big upper-level windows, on a route where most Illinois trains are single-level. From up there, kids can see over fences and across the fields.
Wave at Homewood
Homewood's railfan platform is on the east side of the tracks: the left side heading south, the right side heading north. Nearby is a small equipment park with old Canadian National railroad cars. Metra and freight trains use this stretch too, so give your toddler the job of calling out every train on the other tracks.
Two trains, two mascots
The Illini is named for the Illinois Confederation, the source of the state's name and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. The Saluki is named for the mascot of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Dog-loving kids will want to know that a saluki is a dog breed: the royal hunting dog of ancient Egypt.
Carbondale facts for the ride home
Carbondale is named for the coal under it. In August 2017, the sky went dark there for 2 minutes and 38 seconds during a total solar eclipse. If you're staying over, Giant City State Park and its big sandstone bluffs are close by.
Where to sit with kids on the Illini and Saluki
Superliner coaches have two levels. Most seats are upstairs, two on each side of the aisle, with big windows. The lower level has accessible seats, restrooms and luggage racks near the doors, so if you have a stroller and a sleepy baby, a downstairs seat saves you the narrow stairs.
Older kids will probably beg for upstairs. Walk them up before the train moves and agree on one rule: one hand on the rail, every time. Superliner coach seats don't have Venture-style tables, so bring a lap tray or a clipboard for crayons.
Business Class is sold on Illinois Service trains, with free non-alcoholic drinks and a fully refundable fare, but Amtrak notes that amenities vary by train, so check what yours offers when you book. At Rantoul, you board from a shelter on the platform, not the old brick depot. Dress kids for the weather.
Can’t sit together on the Illini or Saluki? What to do
On college weekends this matters, since Carbondale trains have often sold out. Put the family on a single reservation, and remember that coach on most Amtrak trains has no seat numbers: you’re guaranteed a seat, nothing more specific. Beat the student rush to Union Station; staff there often let strollers and small kids on first. Upstairs filling up? The lower level spares a baby the stairs.
Already scattered after Kankakee? Check both decks of your Superliner, then the next coach, and perch a row apart meanwhile. When asking someone to switch, do it before their bag is unpacked, explain in a few words (“We’ve got a 4-year-old with us”) and offer a matching seat, upper deck for upper deck. Don’t push any rider to give up a window for something worse, and take no kindly.
Saluki and Illini conductors can lend a hand. Catch one at the Superliner door or mid-check, list your party and the kids’ ages, then ask whether a different car has openings. They’ll point the way and get backpacks off empty seats (one ticket, one seat), yet won’t bump a seated rider. Keep young kids on your deck, never alone upstairs or down.
The best first Illini and Saluki ride with kids
Want a shorter test ride first? Times below come from the 2026 Amtrak timetables. In October 2026 the weekday Saluki is shortened, so check amtrak.com for your date.
- Chicago to Kankakee and back (about 1 hour 12 minutes each way). Ride the Saluki (train 391) at 8:15 a.m., arrive in Kankakee at 9:27 a.m., and head into the railroad museum in the depot. On weekends, the northbound Saluki leaves Kankakee at 11:31 a.m. and reaches Chicago at 1:00 p.m., in time for a late lunch.
- Champaign-Urbana to Mattoon (about 45 minutes). The Illini (train 393) leaves Champaign at 6:36 p.m. and reaches Mattoon at 7:23 p.m. The northbound Illini (train 392) leaves Mattoon at 6:19 p.m., so this one works best as part of a weekend visit.
- Carbondale to Centralia (about 50 minutes). On days it runs the full route, the Saluki (train 390) leaves Carbondale at 7:30 a.m. and reaches Centralia at 8:23 a.m. The Illini heads home from Centralia at 8:34 p.m. and gets to Carbondale at 9:35 p.m., so expect a sleepy ride back.
Food, bathrooms and naps on the Illini and Saluki
There's a cafe on board with snacks and drinks, but no dining car. On a 5 hour 30 minute ride, a packed lunch is the easy plan, and the cafe can cover a hot drink or a treat. Bring napkins: if you sit upstairs, that food has to climb the stairs with you.
There's no Wi-Fi on the Illini or Saluki, which catches some families off guard if they've ridden the Lincoln Service. Download shows, audiobooks and games at home. Our printable Rally activity pages help on the long stretch between Champaign and Centralia.
Restrooms on Superliner coaches are downstairs, so plan a bathroom run before a long gap between stops. The afternoon Illini reaches Carbondale at 9:35 p.m., so pajamas and a blanket can turn it into a nap ride. There’s no changing table we could confirm on these Superliners, so bring a pad for diaper changes downstairs.
A train book for the ride
The Saluki is named for a dog, and so is the hero of Rally Takes the Train. In the book, Rally's fluffy fur leaves a trail of "glitter" down the aisle. Read that page on the Saluki, then ask your kids which dog they think would shed more, a corgi or a saluki.
On a double-decker, the upstairs aisle feels a lot like Rally's: long and narrow with windows on both sides. For the quiet stretch with no Wi-Fi, print the free Rally activity pack and coloring pages before you leave home.
Pack Rally for the ride to CarbondaleA five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in watercolor for ages 0 to 8. No Wi-Fi needed. $13.99 on Amazon.
Buy on Amazon
More for train families
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find another train by city or station
- The complete guide to Amtrak with kids: tickets, car seats, changing tables, family tables and what to pack by age
- Free Rally activity pack and coloring pages to print before your trip
- City of New Orleans with kids
- Lincoln Service with kids
- Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg with kids
Sources
- Amtrak: Illinois Services
- Amtrak: Service alerts
- Amtrak timetable: Saluki (October 2026)
- Rail Passengers Association timetable: City of New Orleans, Illini, Saluki (August 2026)
- Wikipedia: Illini and Saluki
- Wikipedia: Illinois Service
- Trains: Amtrak Midwest equipment problems (2022)
- Great American Stations: Homewood, IL
- Great American Stations: Kankakee, IL
- Great American Stations: Carbondale, IL
Checked against Amtrak and partner railroad pages in October 2026. Schedules and policies change, so confirm on amtrak.com before you ride.
Illini and Saluki with kids: questions parents ask
Do kids need a ticket on the Illini or Saluki?
Yes, every child 2 and older needs a ticket. Between Chicago and Carbondale, ages 2 to 12 ride for half price when they're booked alongside someone 18 or older, and the age that counts is how old they are when the Saluki or Illini first pulls out. With University of Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois students on board, these trains often sell out on college weekends, so book early. We found no Illinois kids-ride-free deal for October 2026.
Do babies ride free on the Illini and Saluki?
Yes. On the Illini and Saluki, every full-fare adult can bring along one baby younger than 2 for free, riding in their lap. A second infant for the same adult, or a baby who should have a Superliner seat to themselves, gets the child price. Since these trains fill up on college weekends, don't count on an empty seat: a lap baby can use one only if no ticket holder needs it.
Do I need a car seat on the Illini or Saluki?
No. A Superliner coach seat, like any Amtrak seat, gives you nothing to anchor a car seat to, so it can only sit on an empty one that no ticket holder needs, and a baby under 2 may end up on your lap with it stowed. Bring one only if a car is part of the plan once you get off. The upside here: this line has checked baggage, if your stations handle bags.
Are there changing tables on the Illini and Saluki?
Changing tables on the Illini and Saluki's Superliner coaches are something we couldn't confirm. Amtrak has no written diaper-changing policy, so you take what each car offers, and Amtrak has promised changing tables in the accessible restrooms of new cars. On a Superliner, the restrooms are on the lower level, so look for the larger accessible one down there. A portable changing pad turns any clean, flat spot into a backup.
Where are the bathrooms on the Illini and Saluki?
Downstairs. On the double-decker Superliner coaches, the restrooms sit on the lower level, so a kid seated upstairs has to come down the narrow stairs first. Every car has at least one, with a lit sign for occupied. Walk down with young kids, rail in hand, and warn them the flush is loud. On the Illini and Saluki, start the potty trip early, not at the last second.
Can I bring a stroller on the Illini or Saluki?
Yes, and this is the only Illinois corridor line with checked baggage, so a big stroller has somewhere to go. Not every station handles checked bags, so confirm both of yours when you book. A folding stroller can also come aboard free, counting as one of your two carry-ons, and an under-2 traveler earns you one more infant item. The lower-level racks by the Superliner doors are the easiest spot.
Can I breastfeed or bottle-feed on the Illini and Saluki?
Yes. Illinois law, like the law in every state, lets you breastfeed in public, so feed your baby wherever you're sitting. A lower-level Superliner seat keeps you close to the restrooms and away from the stairs. There's a cafe but no dining car on these trains, so bring enough formula, bottles and water for 5 hours 30 minutes rather than hoping someone on board can help.
Is there food for kids on the Illini and Saluki?
There's a cafe with snacks and drinks, but no dining car, so a packed lunch is the easy plan on a 5 hour 30 minute ride. Let the cafe cover a hot drink or a treat. If you sit upstairs, everything you buy has to climb the stairs with you, so pack napkins and lidded cups and send the steadiest grown-up for the cafe run.
How do I keep kids entertained on the Illini and Saluki?
Plan for no Wi-Fi, because these two trains don't have it. Download shows and audiobooks at home, and pack headphones. Then play the windows: count freight and Metra trains around Homewood, and look for the heart-shaped garden at Effingham. Bring a lap tray for crayons, the Rally book and our free printable activity pack for the long stretch from Champaign to Centralia.
Do the Illini and Saluki have upstairs seats so we can sit together?
Usually, yes. Since 2020 the freight railroad that owns the line has required Superliner cars, so most coach seats on the Illini and Saluki are on the upper deck, in pairs on both sides, with big windows. Four of you can claim two pairs, upstairs or down. With a stroller or sleepy baby, the lower level has accessible seats and no stairs. A 2024 federal grant could bring single-level cars back later.
What if the Illini or Saluki is sold out and we're scattered?
Look on both decks of your Superliner coach, then move on to the next car. On a packed college weekend you might spend a stretch split up, but a young child always stays beside an adult. Riders leave at every stop, so check again after Champaign-Urbana. If you ask someone to switch, offer a seat as good as theirs, upstairs for upstairs, and accept their answer.
Will the conductor help my family sit together on the Saluki or Illini?
They'll do what they can. Find the conductor at the Superliner door during boarding, or while tickets are being scanned, and explain who's traveling and each kid's age. Ask if a different coach has openings. They can send your family toward open seats and get backpacks moved, because one ticket means one seat. On a full college-weekend train, though, nobody is bumped once they've sat down.
Is there a Quiet Car on the Illini or Saluki?
We weren't able to confirm that the Illini or Saluki has a Quiet Car, so read the signs as you board. If one turns up, expect whispers only, no calls and every device on mute, and on a train with no Wi-Fi, that includes downloaded shows. Our pick for families is a regular Superliner coach, with headphones for every kid holding a tablet.
What should I pack for a toddler on the Illini or Saluki?
Pack for 5 hours 30 minutes with no Wi-Fi. That means diapers, wipes, a changing pad, spare clothes, lunch and snacks, water, a lap tray, crayons, shows downloaded at home and a few free train coloring pages. Since this line has checked baggage, the big suitcase can go below, and your carry-on can hold just the ride kit. Going only to Champaign, about 2 hours 30 minutes, you can pack lighter.
Can kids nap on the Illini and Saluki?
Yes, in a reclining coach seat. There are no sleepers on these two trains, though the overnight City of New Orleans on the same tracks has them. The afternoon Illini leaves Chicago at 4:05 p.m. and reaches Carbondale at 9:35 p.m., so changing into pajamas before Effingham sets up an easy sleep for the last stretch. The morning Saluki suits kids who nap after lunch.
What's the best first ride with kids on the Illini and Saluki?
The shortest piece we found is Champaign-Urbana to Mattoon, about 45 minutes: the Illini, train 393, leaves at 6:36 p.m. and arrives at 7:23 p.m. For a day trip, the Saluki leaves Chicago at 8:15 a.m. and reaches Kankakee at 9:27 a.m., where a railroad museum fills the 1898 depot. Weekend Saluki trains head back at 11:31 a.m.
Can kids ride the Illini or Saluki alone?
Not at 12 or under. For 13- to 15-year-olds there's Amtrak's unaccompanied minor program, which a parent sets up by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL, and which only allows daytime trips from one staffed station to another, with no transfers, at the adult price. Through October 30, 2026, weekday Saluki riders south of Champaign switch to buses, and that counts as a transfer. Teens 16 and 17 can take the Illini or Saluki solo.
How early should we get to the station for the Illini or Saluki?
Around half an hour before departure, a bit more on college weekends. In Chicago, Amtrak often lets parents with strollers and toddlers on ahead of the college crowd, which helps if you want upstairs seats together. At Rantoul you board from a shelter on the platform, not the old brick depot, so dress the kids for the weather. Boarding at Homewood? Amtrak only carries you from there to Chicago if you're connecting.
What if my child gets nervous on the Illini or Saluki?
Start downstairs. A lower-level seat near the restrooms and doors feels calmer, and you can visit upstairs once everyone settles in. The horn is loud, and around Homewood, freight and Metra trains rumble past, so name the sounds before they happen. Reading Rally's tunnel page together helps: the dark, noisy part passes and the light comes back.
Is the Illini or Saluki safe for kids?
Yes, with a few habits that matter more on a double-decker. Hold hands while you wait and keep everyone back from the platform edge until the Superliner stops rolling. On the narrow stairs, one hand goes on the rail every time, and carry the toddler. While the train moves, kids stay seated or grab something solid, keep their shoes on and hold a grown-up's hand when crossing between cars.
What if the Illini or Saluki is delayed?
Check the Amtrak app and the Illinois Services travel advisories before you leave, and watch the live train map. Look at your exact date too, since the Saluki has posted adjustments this fall. With no Wi-Fi on board, a delay means you need extra downloads, extra snacks and a couple of spare diapers. A printed Rally maze and word search never runs out of battery.
Is the Saluki running to Carbondale in October 2026?
On weekends, yes. Amtrak posted Saluki adjustments through October 30, 2026, and the timetable we checked shows weekday Saluki trains running only between Chicago and Champaign-Urbana, with buses farther south. The northbound weekday Saluki reaches Chicago at 2:00 p.m. instead of 1:00 p.m. The Illini still runs the full route, so check amtrak.com before promising anyone a train to Carbondale.