Commuting from SW Michigan to Chicago, Daily? (Chester, St. Joseph: lofts, condos)

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by JCandKT

I'm looking to be transferred from Indianapolis to downtown Chicago for work. My husband, however, does NOT want to live in the city. We LOVE Southwest Michigan (New Buffalo) --- Lake Michigan "beach towns" and he wants to get into the brewery/winery (booming) business in that area.
So I saw there is the South Shore train that I could pick up in Michigan City (about 10-15 mins from New Buffalo).
Am I going to regret this decision to live in SW Michigan?

Personally, I agree that SW Michigan is lovely. New Buffalo (which was a small resort town) has
grown and does very well through spring - fall. During the winter, it is mostly locals for many
reasons.
It is a short drive to the South Shore Station (there are 2 stops) to Michigan City. Frankly, MC
being right on the lake and the downtown area is just waiting for urban renewal or gentrification.
If you are looking at other areas near the South Shore, I'd suggest looking online for housing
or renting as well as what those areas have to offer (grocery stores, pharmacies, dining out etc...
Same advice if you are planning to live in Michigan regarding homes or renting.



South Shore Stations, Locations, Address, Directions | Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District

[chet everett]

No disagreement that New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, Sawyer are wonderful resort towns. Pretty deserted in the off season, local schools struggle. Even worse is Michigan City which is Indiana and shares many of the same root issues as other lake front areas of NWI. The loss of industrial employment has been devastating to its economy. Gaming is poor substitute for the once good paying jobs. What little job growth there has been is well inland except for grandfathered refienery. Even that has environmental cleanup issues and all kind of problems...

[reppin_the_847]

This is true. From Chicago to Hammond and possibly even Gary it is probably quite packed during the PM rush hour trip east.

The actual South Shore Line fleet reminds me of some of the old school NJ Transit Trains out east. I know that Nexis4Jersey (fellow rail aficionado) might be able to attest to this lol. Unfortunately the seats aren't quite as cushy as what Metra riders get to enjoy. They're definitely nowhere near what the Amtrak seats are like. Despite the comfort of the typical Amtrak interior, the cattlecar boarding style for Amtrak in Chicago sure is a buzzkill. Hopefully the Michigan-bound trains will gain greater frequency & reliability as the high speed upgrade initiative for the Chicago - Detroit corridor continues to progress. Michigan City, Indiana & New Buffalo, Michigan may end up being coincidental beneficiaries of such a corridor upgrade. The upgrade may make a daily commute far more palatable from this particular region (if the commute time to the Loop does not far exceed 1 hour).

I agree with everyone above that SW Michigan is extremely scenic & a super relaxing place to hang out in the summer when you need a respite from the city.

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

^^^^excellent points. Adding: certain trains (time of departure) returning to MC can get very
crowded.....plan ahead to get a seat (at the Randolph station) and there have been instances
where service has been interrupted due to repairs or weather.

[adele115]

Originally Posted by JCandKT

I'm looking to be transferred from Indianapolis to downtown Chicago for work. My husband, however, does NOT want to live in the city. We LOVE Southwest Michigan (New Buffalo) --- Lake Michigan "beach towns" and he wants to get into the brewery/winery (booming) business in that area.

So I saw there is the South Shore train that I could pick up in Michigan City (about 10-15 mins from New Buffalo).

My question is: do people commute from Michigan City to Chicago (downtown/Magnificent Mile)? Getting on as early as MC, would I have a seat? Is it reliable service? What is the commute like? I know that it goes from Eastern to Central, and Central to Eastern time zones, so I would gain an hour in the morning, lose an hour in the evening.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Am I going to regret this decision to live in SW Michigan?

Thanks in advance.

There are many Chicagoans in Harbor Country who start out as part time residents, eventually transitioning to full time. Usually they have flexibility with work to only go in a few days a week, or they start new businesses in the region. I know one person who does 3-4 days a week, driving to CArroll street. They work on the train and don't mind because they return to paradise.

If you don't mind the train ride, the south shore is **relatively** reliable. It usually leaves on time from Carroll street, but it can get delayed along the way. Same in reverse - leaves Millennium Station on time, but gets delayed. If you have you're laptop and a mobile hotspot, you're ok, except you will have severe back and neck injury trying to work while seated in their sardine cans.

The Amtrak is also iffy with arrival times, however, it is very comfy and takes a little over an hour non stop between Union Station and NB. AS others have mentioned, time is on NB side to have more frequent trains.

You can drive, take the Skyway, and with the increased speed limits to 70, it literally takes one hour to get downtown non rush. Winter has it's perils of course.

I was in NB on Friday night, and there were scores of people getting off the train - professionals and vacationers alike, so I think you wouldn't be alone.

Final advice - if you can transition to only going a few days a week, it is worth it. Chesterton is a great area as others have mentioned. All the perks of being close to the city without Illinois taxes, 20 minutes or so to Harbor Country.

[adele115]

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

Frankly, MC
being right on the lake and the downtown area is just waiting for urban renewal or gentrification.
.



South Shore Stations, Locations, Address, Directions | Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District

I will add, YES! Michigan City has the Uptown Arts district which is really driving renewal in the area. The link below shows that plans are in place to build Art / Living Loft spaces nearby. All this is walking distance to the train. Plans are also in line to redo that train stop. You can get great value for your buck in Michigan City so it may be worth considering.

eMichiganCity.com - The Official Web Site of the City of Michigan City, Indiana: City News

[ChicagoMeO]

I believe the Amtrak is the way to go for such a route.

[reppin_the_847]

For random hour trips in (ie. appointments) or weekend trips sure. But not for a daily commute. At least not until they upgrade the line and make it more frequent like the Hiawatha line to Milwaukee.

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

I believe the Amtrak is the way to go for such a route.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Do you really think that is something police just started doing?

Yes. I believe the Chicago Magazine article said crime was decreasing about 4% per year from 1990 through 2010. Suddenly in 2010, at a time of high unemployment, crime starts dropping almost 20% per year. Definitely a recent change.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

I believe the Amtrak is the way to go for such a route.

Not for commuting. South Shore is a commuter rail, like Metra. Amtrak is not set up that way. Amtrak costs more and has a schedule that is infrequent (and therefore not as likely to align with one's work hours). It's intended more for multi-day trips or maybe the occasional day trip for people who aren't on a strict, specific schedule.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by chet everett

South shore service is notorious for some horrendous delays.

It has delays far less frequently than the CTA, in my experience. Of course, it's much more difficult to arrange alternate transportation when it happens (you can't just quickly grab a cab, bus, or zip car like you can in the city), but tons of people commute on it every day and rarely have problems.