3 airlines at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago Transportation

3 airlines at O’Hare International Airport; credit City of Chicago

Chicago Transportation

Airport

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) anchors Chicago Transportation is the 2nd busiest airport in America and the world. It features so many international and transnational flights that it affects global flight schedules. In what seems like a quirk, the airport’s four passenger terminals are labeled 1, 2, 3, and 5. There is no terminal 4. You won’t find an airport with more restaurants, lounges, shops, business services, music, passenger amenities, emergency services, nearby hotels, or one that is more ADA-friendly.

There’s WiFi and plenty of electric outlets to recharge computers and mobile devices spread around the airport. Those features come in handy in case your connecting flight is delayed. To its credit, O’Hare has a bevy of “green” projects underway to reduce its environmental footprint. O’HARE AIRPORT TERMINAL MAP

Airport Transit System is a 24/7, people mover that runs every 8 minutes from all terminals to Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Airport Station, Car Rental Center and the offsite parking lot. The CTA Blue Line runs at a very convenient 24/365.

Taxi pick-up is available outside all terminals. Taxi rides to downtown take 40 to 70 minutes, depending on commute hour. To schedule a return taxi, call Yellow (312-829-4222) or Checker (312-243-2537).

Shuttle by Continental Air Transport (312-454-7800) goes from O’Hare to dozens of downtown hotels for about $25 from 6am-11:30pm. Car Rental by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, and National provides 24/7 counter service in the baggage claim area. Turn your car radio to 800 AM for Airport-Dan Ryan Expressway traffic news.

Midway Airport (MDW) has frequent flights to popular nationwide destinations. Since it is a hub for Southwest Airlines and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) runs a frequent Metro Rail line from downtown Chicago, MDW Airport has grown in popularity for domestic flights.

Taxis are outside the main terminal (Yellow 312-829-4222 and Checker 312-243-2537). Taxi rides to downtown Chicago take 25 to 50 minutes. Shuttle by Continental Air Transport (312-454-7800) from MDW Airport to downtown hotels from 6a-10p. Car Rentals: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, and National operate a 24/7 car rental counter service and shuttle buses to their lots.

The Atrium of Chicago Union Station

The Atrium of Chicago Union Station; (c) Soul Of America

Train Station

In a Beaux Arts-style building with soaring Corinthian columns, terracotta walls, a pink marble floor crowned with a barrel-vaulted atrium ceiling, Chicago Union Station is located at West Adams Street & South Canal Street in what’s called the West Loop of Downtown.

The station’s barrel-vaulted Great Hall is an architectural looker and features 16 adjacent cafes, 1 restaurant, 1 spa & salon, and 2 newsstands. Its marble staircase had a real shoot-out between Al Capone’s gangsters and policemen. The shoot-out is accurately portrayed in The Untouchables movie.

During World War II, over 100,000 passengers passed through the station each day. Today, nearly one-quarter of that number traverse Union Station. Chicago Union Station hosts Metra commuter rail, Greyhound, Megabus, a taxi depot, Uber/Lyft, local buses, and a car rental center. Chicago Union Station is critical to America’s train service because it hosts the most Amtrak Regional and Long-Distance train routes:

Hiawatha: Chicago-Milwaukee
Lincoln: Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis
Wolverine: Chicago-Hammond-Kalamazoo-Ann Arbor-Detroit-Pontiac
Illinois: Chicago-Carbondale
California Zephyr: Chicago-Omaha-Denver-Salt Lake City-Oakland
Illinois Zephyr: Chicago-Naperville-Princeton-Quincy
City of New Orleans: Chicago-Memphis-Jackson-New Orleans
Empire Builder: Chicago-Milwaukee-Minneapolis-Seattle or Portland
Cardinal: NYC-Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC-Cincinnati-Indy-Chicago
Lake Shore Limited: Chicago-South Bend-Cleveland-Buffalo-NYC
Missouri: St. Louis-Jefferson City-Kansas City
Capitol Limited: Washington-Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Toledo-Chicago
Southwest Chief: Chicago-Kansas City-Albuquerque-Los Angeles
Texas Eagle: Chicago-St. Louis-Little Rock-Dallas-San Antonio

Amtrak services in Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis corridor and Chicago-Kalamazoo-Ann Arbor-Detroit corridor run up to 110 mph in patches. Projects are underway to completely upgrade those corridors to 110 mph and shorten Chicago-Detroit and Chicago-St. Louis trip times by 1 hour. Another project will upgrade Amtrak’s Milwaukee-Chicago corridor to 90 mph. By 2025, anticipate Amtrak Hiawatha, Lincoln & Wolverine routes increasing to 10 daily roundtrips.

Bigger plans lie ahead for Chicago Union Station. West Loop Transportation Center will interconnect Chicago Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center underground, permitting intercity passenger trains to run through Chicago Union Station, rather than terminate at each station, as they do today. The four-level underground center will form the hub of rapid buses, local rail, regional rail, Greyhound, and more intercity passenger trains in a Midwest High Speed Rail Network.

Once completed, the Chicago Union Station project will enable higher Amtrak Regional train and commuter train frequency to/from Chicago. For example, Amtrak and the state DOTs could upgrade Hiawatha to 110 mph and merge Hiawatha & Wolverine into one Milwukee-Chicago-Gary-Kalamazoo-Ann Arbor-Detroit service.

CTA Metro train in the Loop

A CTA L train running in the Loop District; credit City of Chicago

Rapid Transit

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the nation’s 2nd longest Metro Heavy Rail system at 222 miles, 143 stations, and 7 rail lines. Pre-pandemic CTA served nearly 800,000 daily passengers from 5a–12p, daily, it has the third-highest ridership in America. CTA has a single-zone fare and reduced fares for ages 7-11, age 12-18 students, age 65+, and the disabled. Though the CTA system is mostly elevated, it also has subway mileage and subway stations.

The CTA’s “L”, short for “Elevated”, dates from 1892, making it the second oldest Metro Rail system in America. Old vintage, however, means many projects are underway to bring trains, tracks, and stations up to modern standards. CTA already has WiFi at stations and plans to expand Red Line several stations further south. Like Washington Metrorail, CTA goes directly into two major airports. CTA System Map

The CTA’s most beloved elevated L line circles the Loop District — the heart of the business, government, culture, and architecture downtown. Some lines run less frequently during weekends and holidays, so check the schedule. Single travelers are advised to use the L only during the daytime, except for the two airport lines well-patronized day or night, and lines from the two major baseball parks or United Center after games to Downtown.

Check out this short Youtube video by Luis Gusto on “How to Ride the Chicago L System“, including ticketing options.

Metra consists of a 495-mile commuter rail system with 230 stations and 12 rail lines serving Cook, Du Page, Lake, Will, McHenry, and Kane counties. Some commuter lines date to the early-20th century. Chicago metropolitan commuter rail lines were consolidated under the brand name “Metra” in 1984. Chicago Union Station, a multi-modal transportation center, hosts the largest number of Metra trains. On weekdays, Metra averages 330,000 patrons, and many purchase tickets over the Internet.

Although three lines service the South Side of Chicago, Metra is primarily for suburban commuters from the north, northwest, west, southwest, and southeast of downtown. One-way fares vary from $1.75 to $6.60, zone-dependent. On weekends and holidays, ages 12-17 ride for half fare. Age 11 and under to ride Free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Metra System Map

Oglivie Transportation Center is located underneath the blue Citigroup Center highrise located at 504 West Madison Street.

The attractive upper waiting room is open Monday-Saturday 5am-12:40am and Sunday 7am-12:40am. Ticket agents are on duty Monday-Saturday 5a-12:40a and Sunday 7a-12:40a. The station was named for Richard Oglivie, a railroad proponent who, as governor of Illinois, created the parent agency of Metra. Aside from many city bus lines that stop outside, Oglivie hosts these Metra rail lines:

Millennium Station, formerly called “Randolph Street Terminal”, is located at Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue under Millennium Park. It also hosts two commuter rail systems, Metra Electric Line traveling to southern Chicago suburbs, and South Shore Line traveling southeast to McCormick Place, Hyde Park, Gary, IN and South Bend, IN.

Millennium Station is open daily from 5am-12:50am. Ticket agents are on duty Monday-Saturday 5:55a-12:50a and Sunday 7am-12:50am. Many commuters catch trains here to reach McCormick Convention Center and the University of Chicago in Hyde Park.

LaSalle Street Station located at 414 South LaSalle Street, is attached behind the Chicago Stock Exchange highrise. It hosts Metra Rock Island District trains and Metra ticket agents are on duty Monday to Friday 6:15 a-9p and Saturdays 11a-7:30p.

Tours

Black CouTours
Offers daily tours at 9a, 12p, and 3p focusing on the Southside of Chicago; group rates available; reservations required
PHONE: 773-233-8907

Chicago Motor Coach
Double-decker buses around the Loop, a small fee
PHONE: 312-666-1000

Untouchable Tours
Got a taste for the old gangster digs? This is your tour
PHONE: 312-881-1195

Chicago By Air
Small planes that take off from Miegs Field downtown provide narrated aerial views of the city for 30 minutes; call for pricing and information.
PHONE: 708-524-1172

7 boats in the Chicago River

5 tourboats & 1 tugboat cruising Chicago River; (c) Soul Of America

Cruises

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise
DESCRIPTION: Experience Chicago’s #1 architecture tour – the Official Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady Cruises — departing daily from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. These are 90-minute tours of Chicago’s riverfront architecture with commentary provided by CAF-certified volunteer docents (guides) who provide insight into Chicago’s built environment. Specialty cruises include a morning Photography Cruise and an evening Twilight Cruise.
ADDRESS: Michigan Ave at Wacker Drive  MAP
PHONE: 847-358-1330 and toll-free 800-982-2787
WEBSITE: http://www.cruisechicago.com

Mercury, Chicago’s Skyline Cruiseline
DESCRIPTION: Urban Adventure Cruise departing daily from the Chicago River and cruising into Lake Michigan from May-October. Expert guides show you the entire city from the waterways. Families of all ages enjoy this city cruise/tour which features 100% life preservers on board with the option of covered or open outdoor seating. Specialty cruises include a Fireworks Cruise, Chicago By Night Cruise, and Canine Cruise.
ADDRESS: Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive MAP
PHONE: 312-332-1353
WEBSITE: http://www.mercurycruises.com

Freeways & Tollways

Chicago Freeway & Tollway Network is logical, extensive and signage is adequate. Though you have periods of fast-moving traffic, it’s always slow between O’Hare and Downtown Chicago during commute hours, Chicago Bear football games, big festivals & concert weekends in Grant Park. The HOV lanes are a plus during commute hours.

All tollways are in the western suburbs or the Chicago Skyway headed to Gary, Indiana.

When you exit a freeway in Chicago, note that every 8 blocks equals 1 mile. The city is laid out in a grid pattern that’s easy to navigate by map and intuition.

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