Connecting to the Orange Line in Chi

[warbonnet]

Hi Guys,

I'll be arriving in Chi aboard the EB next month and will need to connect to the Orange Line to Midway. Is that connection made there and how far is the walk to make that connection? Is the Orange Line considered safe at night? Thanks in advance for your comments.

Wb

 

[J-1 3235]

Hi Guys,
I'll be arriving in Chi aboard the EB next month and will need to connect to the Orange Line to Midway. Is that connection made there and how far is the walk to make that connection? Is the Orange Line considered safe at night? Thanks in advance for your comments.

Wb

The Quincy/Wells orange line loop station is three blocks east of Chicago Union Station. Head upstairs from the platform level onto Adams or Jackson, cross the river, Wells is the third cross street you'll encounter. Look left or right, depending on which street you travelled from CUS, up the stairs, and follow the signs to the orange line side of the station. (The inside loop is the orange and pink, I believe)

You'll have to travel around the loop to head south to Midway, but you won't have to change trains. I travelled during commuter times, so I cannot speak to safety in the evening.

If you visit http://transitchicago.com/maps/maps/2007D.html you can see the downtown area map.

Mike

 

[had8ley]

You'll have to travel around the loop to head south to Midway, but you won't have to change trains. I travelled during commuter times, so I cannot speak to safety in the evening.
Mike

Another Forum member and I spent close to an hour waiting on the Midway train at Jackson in October on a Saturday evening. We felt comfortable and there was no sign of trouble anywhere around. And yes, the stairs are rather steep.

 

[Steve4031]

Keep in mind that there are no escalators at this stop. So you will have to carry luggage up the stairs to the L.

 

[warbonnet]

Thanks for the info. Are the tickets sold from a machine or is there a ticket office?

Wb

 

[haolerider]

Thanks for the info. Are the tickets sold from a machine or is there a ticket office?
Wb

You can purchase tickets from the CTA machine at that station. You can also purchase tickets in Union Station in the Metra area. If you don't want to drag your luggage you might investigate on the CTA website the possibility of taking the #151 bus from across the street from the Main Union Station entrance and see where you can transfer to the Orange line. The website is user friendly.

 

[Trogdor]

If you decide on the bus-to-rail option, be sure to buy a transit card from the vending machine near the Metra ticket windows (this is *not* the same as the day-pass machine a few feet away). Put $2 on the card, and it will be valid for both your bus ride (deducting $1.75) and the train ride (25-cent transfer charge). If you pay cash on the bus, you will not get a transfer (the fare would be $2 cash).

If you don't take the bus, you can buy your fare card at the Orange Line station. The fare will be $2 (for some reason, which even I don't fully understand, if the first ride is on a train, the transit card deducts $2, but if the first ride is on a bus, the fare is only $1.75; either way, transfers are 25 cents).