Chicago to St. Louis - Compare Coaches, Trains and Flights

Traveling by Amtrak train is the most comfortable way to get from Chicago to St. Louis. Fares start at about US$25, with 5 trains departing each day.

This route is serviced by Amtrak Lincoln Service and Amtrak Texas Eagle, though the Lincoln service tends to be just a little bit faster and cheaper. Both offer comfortable seats with extra legroom.

With ticket prices as low as US$1, and 14 trips departing at different times throughout the day, traveling by coach between Chicago and St. Louis is a solid, budget-friendly option.

The coach carriers servicing this route — Megacoach and Greyhound — offer amenities like power outlets, on-board bathrooms and free Wi-Fi. Greyhound also has a direct coach to St. Louis’s Lambert International Airport.

With a typical travel time of about 1 hour 30 minutes for nonstop flights, taking a plane is definitely the fastest way to get from Chicago to St. Louis.

O’Hare International Airport suggests arriving 2 hours prior to your scheduled flight, so make sure you plan accordingly. ORD is easily accessible from downtown Chicago via the CTA’s Blue Line, though the commute takes about 45 minutes from The Loop.