Cheapest€22.73
- PARTA PA722315:456h 41m22:26DART Central StationChicago Union Station
Door to door 7h 25mCO2 13.4 kgChanges 0Changeable for a fee
Traveling from Des Moines to Chicago costs €22.73 at the cheapest and takes 4h 6m door to door at the fastest, across 3 modes and 9 operators. The route covers 506 km. Cheapest is by Coach, fastest is by Train.
At a glance
- Distance
- 506 km
- Fastest
- 4h 6m
- Average
- 4h 49m
- Services per day
- 80
- Cheapest
- €22.73
- CO2 per passenger
- 92.3 kg
Every way to make this journey
Journey times below are door to door, so they include getting to the terminal and away from it at the other end. Fares are the cheapest we currently sell on September 29, 2026.
| Mode | Door to door | Moving | At the ends | From | CO2 | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | 4h 7m | 3h 23m | 44m | €64.69 | 16.3 kg | 12 |
| Flight | 4h 13m | 1h 3m | 3h 10m | €55.01 | 125.5 kg | 56 |
| Coach | 7h 15m | 6h 31m | 44m | €26.58 | 13.4 kg | 12 |
- 4h 7mFastest, by Train
- €26.58Cheapest, by Coach
- 13.4 kgLowest CO2, by Coach
- 506 kmDistance traveled
The cheapest and the fastest on September 29, 2026
Two journeys we can sell today, with the service number each operator files them under.
Fastest€53.14
- Amtrak A497612:143h 23m15:37Des Moines Union StationChicago Union Station
Door to door 4h 7mCO2 16.3 kgChanges 0Refundable
Today's real departures
Live from the operators' own published timetables, through the open transit feeds they publish. Times and services are real. Fares are modeled until our booking connectors are live.
No live timetable for this trip yet.
Live from the operators' own published timetables, through the open transit feeds they publish. Times and services are real. Fares are modeled until our booking connectors are live.
Prices over the next three weeks
Live from our own engine, refreshed on every request. The cheapest days for each way of traveling are marked.
| Cheapest fare by mode and day for Des Moines to Chicago | FriSep 11 | SatSep 12 | SunSep 13 | MonSep 14 | TueSep 15 | WedSep 16 | ThuSep 17 | FriSep 18 | SatSep 19 | SunSep 20 | MonSep 21 | TueSep 22 | WedSep 23 | ThuSep 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | €55.18 | €49.13 | €46.93 | €33.18 | €37.58 | €34.28 | €42.53 | €33.18 | €33.18 | €30.98 | €27.13 | €26.58 | €28.23 | €36.48 |
| Flight | €112.24 | €99.85 | €93.36 | €67.40 | €66.22 | €70.35 | €87.46 | €66.81 | €68.58 | €64.45 | €55.60 | €55.01 | €57.96 | €71.53 |
| Train | €139.49 | €125.74 | €122.44 | €80.64 | €80.09 | €84.49 | €104.84 | €81.19 | €82.29 | €76.24 | €65.24 | €64.69 | €69.64 | €83.39 |
Cheapest day: 2026-09-29 · €22.73
That is the traveling done. What happens after you walk out into Chicago is not something we sell.
Looking for somewhere to stay in Chicago?
The search opens on Chicago with your nights already filled in, so it is one step to a real price.
Search Chicago on Booking.comOr compare on Expedia
Partner links. We do not sell accommodation. We earn a commission when a booking completes, and it never changes what you pay.
When to book Des Moines to Chicago
The same search run across the whole booking window, so the shape of the curve is visible rather than described.
- €23.2890 days
- €18.3360 days
- €22.1845 days
- €23.8330 days
- €28.7821 days
- €36.4814 days
- €42.537 days
- €46.933 days
- €55.181 days
- Cheapest lead time
- Fares bottom out around 60 days ahead, at €18.33.
- How much it moves
- The gap between the cheapest and most expensive lead time is 201 percent. The most expensive point is €55.18, 1 days out.
- What that means
- Today sits inside the cheap window, which closes about 60 days before departure. Waiting from here has usually cost money on this corridor rather than saved it.
Book now Fares on this route are lowest around 60 days ahead. You are inside that window.
Which departure day costs least
Median cheapest fare for each weekday, taken across the next three weeks of real prices.
- €30.98Sun
- €27.13Mon
- €26.58Tue
- €28.23Wed
- €36.48Thu
- €33.18Fri
- €33.18Sat
How the fare moves month by month
The same journey priced on the fifteenth of each of the next six months.
- €37.58Sep
- €24.93Oct
- €23.28Nov
- €22.18Dec
- €21.63Jan
- €18.88Feb
The route
What the journey actually looks like
Direct or connecting, how far the route really runs, and what happens when a connection is missed.
- How far it really runs
- The route covers 506 km against 495 km in a straight line, a detour of 2 percent. Track and road geometry account for the difference.
- First and last departure
- The first service of the day leaves Des Moines at 06:02 and the last at 21:20, across 12 departures. The return direction keeps its own timetable, so the times back are not these times reversed.
Where you leave from and where you arrive
The stations, airports and ports each mode on this corridor actually uses.
Des Moines
Rail
- Des Moines Union Station
- East Des Moines Union Depot
- Des Moines Western Railway Freight House
Bus
- DART Central Station
- Dart Ride Share
Air
- DSM
Chicago
Rail
- Chicago Union Station
- Chicago Ridge
- Chicago station
Bus
- Chicago Union Station
- Chicago & Austin Terminal
Air
- ORD
- MDW
Ferry
- Chicago Avenue
- Chicago Riverwalk
Who runs this route
Speed, flexibility and what is on board. Nothing here is a rating, because we have not earned one.
| Operator | From | Fastest | Typical speed | Flexibility | On board |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Air Canada | €49.11 | 4h 13m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
 Air Wisconsin | €49.70 | 4h 13m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
 American Airlines | €48.52 | 4h 13m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
 Amtrak | €53.14 | 4h 6m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power outlets, Wi-Fi |
 PARTA | €22.73 | 7h 12m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power outlets, Restrooms, Wi-Fi |
 Republic Airways | €47.93 | 4h 13m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
 SkyWest | €49.70 | 4h 13m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
 Southwest Airlines | €48.52 | 4h 13m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
| United Airlines | €47.93 | 4h 13m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
Show all 9 operatorsShow fewer operators
What the fare is made of
Every part of the total, so the number at checkout is the number here.
| Part | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Operator fare | €17.50 | 77% |
| Taxes | €1.75 | 8% |
| Supplier fees | €1.49 | 7% |
| Our service fee | €1.99 | 9% |
| Total you pay | €22.73 | 100% |
A day in Chicago hauling a suitcase is a shorter day than it needs to be. We do not store bags.
Baggage storage near Chicago Union Station
Most of the points near Chicago Union Station open before the first train and close after the last one.
Check Chicago on StasherOr try Bounce
Partner links. We do not run these networks. We earn a commission on a booking, and the price is the same as going direct.
Questions about Des Moines to Chicago
The questions people actually ask about this trip, answered from the same prices and times the page above is built on rather than written once and left to go stale.
How long does it take to get from Des Moines to Chicago?
The fastest journey from Des Moines to Chicago takes 4h 6m door to door, of which 3h 23m is spent moving, on the Train. Most services take around 4h 49m, because that average includes slower stopping services and journeys with a connection. Times include reaching the terminal and leaving it at the far end.
How much does it cost to travel from Des Moines to Chicago?
The cheapest fare from Des Moines to Chicago is €22.73, checked on September 29, 2026. A typical fare across the next three weeks is €74.24. Both figures are the total for one passenger, including taxes, supplier fees and our service fee, so nothing is added at checkout.
What is the cheapest way to get from Des Moines to Chicago?
The cheapest way from Des Moines to Chicago is by Coach, at €26.58 for one passenger on September 29, 2026. That journey takes 7h 15m door to door. Cheaper is rarely faster on this corridor, and the comparison table on this page shows what each mode costs against what it saves.
What is the fastest way to get from Des Moines to Chicago?
The fastest way from Des Moines to Chicago is by Train, at 4h 7m door to door. Only 3h 23m of that is spent moving; the remaining 44m is reaching the terminal and leaving it at the far end. The cheapest fare on that mode is €64.69.
When should I book Des Moines to Chicago?
Fares from Des Moines to Chicago bottom out around 60 days before departure, at €18.33. Across the whole booking window the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive lead time is 201 percent, measured on September 29, 2026. Booking inside the last week has consistently cost more on this corridor.
Which day of the week is cheapest for Des Moines to Chicago?
Tuesday is the cheapest day to depart from Des Moines to Chicago, at €26.58. That is the median of 21 priced departure days across the next three weeks, checked on September 29, 2026. Shifting a departure by one day is usually worth more than shifting the booking by one week.
Which month is cheapest for Des Moines to Chicago?
February is the cheapest of the next 6 months to travel from Des Moines to Chicago, at €18.88 for one passenger. Each month is priced on its fifteenth, so the comparison is like for like rather than a mix of weekends and midweek departures.
Who runs service from Des Moines to Chicago?
9 operators sell services from Des Moines to Chicago across 3 modes: Air Canada, Air Wisconsin, American Airlines, Amtrak, PARTA, Republic Airways. Journey times, fares and fare conditions differ between them, and the operator table on this page compares all of them on speed, flexibility and what is provided on board.
Is there a direct service from Des Moines to Chicago?
Every service we sell from Des Moines to Chicago is direct, with around 80 departures a day and a fastest journey of 4h 6m door to door. No connection is needed, so there is no missed connection risk to plan around on this corridor.
How much CO2 does the journey from Des Moines to Chicago produce?
Traveling from Des Moines to Chicago by Coach produces about 13.4 kg of CO2 per passenger, the lowest of any mode on this corridor. The same journey by Flight produces about 125.5 kg, roughly 9 times as much for one passenger.
Which station or terminal do services from Des Moines to Chicago use?
Services from Des Moines to Chicago by Train leave from Des Moines Union Station and arrive at Chicago Union Station. Allow about 44m in total for reaching the departure terminal and leaving the arrival one, which is already included in every door to door time on this page.
Can I change or refund a ticket from Des Moines to Chicago?
2 of the 9 operators we sell from Des Moines to Chicago allow a change or a refund. A change on a changeable fare costs €5.00. The operator table on this page names which is which, and the condition is shown again before you pay.
Where these numbers come from
Observed service A carrier record shows this named operator serving this named pair, and we carry that through unchanged.
Schedules, seat counts and fares are generated by our own model until the supplier contracts are signed. Places, coordinates, operators, which operator serves which pair, and every distance are real. We would rather say that on every page than let a modeled number pass for a filed one.
Defined in full at Door to door, Fares, The booking window, Carbon, Distances
- On this page
- Every figure above was computed for Des Moines to Chicago on September 10, 2026: 506 km of route against 495 km in a straight line, 80 services a day, 9 operators, a cheapest fare of €22.73, and 4h 6m door to door on the fastest mode. The return direction is computed separately and its numbers are not these numbers.
The flight is the simple part. What you do once you are in Chicago is somebody else's catalog.
Anything to book in Chicago before you go?
Timed entry, guided walks and half-day trips out of Chicago, with free cancellation on most of it.
See Chicago on GetYourGuideOr browse Viator
Partner links. We do not sell tours or tickets. We earn a commission on a booking, and it never changes the price.
Other ways to make this journey
Arriving in Chicago
Leaving Chicago
- 266Places you can leave for
- 40Countries
- 77Operators
Plan a trip from here
Ask Ori for the same corridor under a different constraint, or for a longer trip that starts on it.