We’re heading to Chicago THIS Friday, and I have done very little preparation. It’s a quick weekend trip, and considering how well our last quick weekend trip went despite limited planning, I guess I just figured we would go with the flow. But as we’ve gotten closer to our departure day, my planning instincts are moving into overdrive. Which leads us to the wormhole I went down in deciding how to get from Chicago O’Hare Airport to downtown Chicago. A quick google search told me I have two main options:
- Taxi / Uber / Lyft / Ride-share of Choice
- Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line ‘L’ Train
Looking at my original budget for this trip, I had planned for us to ride-share it. But when I looked at the price difference (especially roundtrip!) I decided it was worth it to take the train – especially considering traffic could make the cab ride just as long as the train!
| Transportation method | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| UberX | 20-50min | $60 total |
| Blue Line Train | 50min | $3.50 per person |
Which Train
A quick google maps search told me that I could take the Blue Line directly from the airport to Washington station, which is only a six-minute walk from our hotel, The Langham Hotel. I recommend you do a similar search to make sure that your hotel is easily accessible via train. If not, you can always do a transfer (though, honestly, unless you’re reallllly on a budget, I will usually just ride-share in that case). The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is open 24/7, so this should work for you no matter what time you’re arriving.
Finding the Train
Per the CTA page, the O’Hare train station is located in the lower level concourse, which connects directly to Terminals 1, 2, and 3. You can also access the train station from terminal 5 via a free airport shuttle train. Just follow signs for CTA Trains and the station should be easy enough to find.
Paying for the Train
As you enter the O’Hare Station, you should see a Ventra Vending Machine at some point before the turnstiles. Ventra Cards are how you pay for your fare on buses and trains in Chicago. Approach the vending machine and purchase a disposable Ventra Single-Ride Ticket for $3.50 per person. We’re not planning on using public transit much during our trip, but if you are, you may want to consider purchasing a 1-Day Ticket (good for unlimited rides for 24 hours) or even purchasing a Ventra Card for $5 and getting a multi-day pass. For more information about purchasing your Ventra ticket, check out the CTA’s guide on How to Buy Fares and How to Pay Fares.
Waiting for and Boarding the Train
If you’re from someplace like Seattle, you may not be familiar with trains. But I promise it’s not too hard! Now that you have your ticket, locate the platform for trains going toward Forest Park. As you pass through the turnstiles, tap your Ventra ticket. Now that you’re on the Forest Park platform, you can get on the next blue line train.
Exiting the Train
Know your station ahead of time (your google search should have told you) and roughly how many stops until you will arrive. You can review the station map on the CTA site here. This lists all the stations, starting from O’Hare and going towards Forest Park. Our stop is Washington, the 17th stop. I like to keep in the mind the stop name one or two before mine so that I have a good heads up. When we arrive at Washington, simply stand up, grab your luggage, and exit the train. Once you’ve arrived at the new station, it can be a little disorienting. If you don’t know the right exit, don’t worry. Just head towards the closest one, and then orient yourself using your smartphone once you’re outside and have a good signal. If may mean walking around the block, but I find it less stressful than wandering from exit to exit, not quite sure if it’s the right one due to my lack of internet underground.
**Featured image by Chait Goli
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