Busier than Midway | Bigger than Jumbo Jets | Less Space | Total Connectivity

Understanding the potential of Union Station requires thinking on a much larger scale than at airports, even though the space required is so much less.

For example: A Southwest jet holds 137 people. 200 seats is considered a larger plane, with many Midwestern flights seating less than 100. The largest planes, which operate on international flights, carry 550 people.

On the other hand, Amtrak's smallest trains hold 200 people (with much more spacious seats.) Amtrak's sleeper trains can exceed the seating capacity of 747s, and are frequently sold out.

750 seat trains are common, with many French and Asian trains capable of carrying 1100, twice the size of the new super-jumbo Airbus A380. (The French trains have no center seats and feature two cafe cars.) They cover the distance of Chicago to Pittsburgh or Chicago to Memphis in just three hours.