Chicago to Washington by train
Washington lies 956 km (594 mi) east of Chicago, +1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there.
By rail the journey is about 12 h 56 min at the speeds typical of United States rail, over roughly 1,167 km (725 mi) of track; the operator’s timetable is the number that counts.
Open Washington in Google Maps
| Chicago | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | United States |
| Population | 2.7 million | 689,545 |
| Elevation | 180 m (591 ft) | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-5 (America/Chicago) | UTC-4 (America/New_York) |
| Stations on record | LaSalle Street Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center, Millennium Station | Washington Union Station, Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, New Jersey Avenue Station |
| Postal codes | 60601–60701 | 20001–56972 |
Clocks in Washington are 1 h ahead of Chicago right now, so a 12 h 56 min journey lands 13 h 56 min later by the destination clock.
Where to book trains from Chicago to Washington
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Staying in Washington
Our booking partner lists 1,105+ places to stay in Washington (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 752 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (358), and 34 are five-star. Across 255 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.4 out of 10. Guests have left 260,731 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Washington
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Washington from Chicago?
956 km (594 mi) in a straight line, east of Chicago; by road roughly 1,167 km (725 mi).
How long does it take to get from Chicago to Washington by train?
About 12 h 56 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Chicago and Washington?
Washington is 1 h ahead at the moment (America/New_York against America/Chicago).
Where can I stay in Washington?
Our booking partner lists 1,105+ places to stay in Washington, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.