getting from CUS to O'Hare

[manderson]

I'll be taking the EB to CHI in about 10 days, and had figured on taking the blue line from Clinton station to O'Hare, then my hotel's free shuttle. I assume the EB will be late -- if it's after dark, how safe is it for a single female to walk to and ride the blue line to the airport, rolling a carryon? I'm not particularly fearful, but I do trust my instincts and don't put myself in squirelly situations. I'll take a cab if I have to, but would rather spend the money on something else.

Advice?

 

[Trogdor]

It should be okay. It's not very far of a walk, as long as you know where you're going.

 

[Pat Harper]

Suggestion: Go to Midway instead. It's much closer to the station than O'Hare, and your shuttle will pick you up there too. Assuming your hotel is near downtown, they'll appreciate it. The Orange line stops at Midway.

However, the hotel shuttle might also pick you up at CUS. Have you asked them if they do that as well?

 

[Trogdor]

Suggestion: Go to Midway instead. It's much closer to the station than O'Hare, and your shuttle will pick you up there too. Assuming your hotel is near downtown, they'll appreciate it. The Orange line stops at Midway.

However, the hotel shuttle might also pick you up at CUS. Have you asked them if they do that as well?

If her hotel was near downtown, there would be no need to go to either airport at all, since Union Station is essentially downtown, and the airports definitely are not.

Therefore, one can only assume that the hotel is near O'Hare (I don't know any hotels that would shuttle you from Midway Airport to a hotel near O'Hare, at least not for free).

 

[fairviewroad]

This post contained incorrect information. As others have already corrected it, ad nauseum, I see no reason to leave the erroneous

info here. Apologies.

 

[Trogdor]

Not to be a jerk, but it would be really nice if those who understood Chicago would answer, and those that don't please refrain from offering advice.

There is a Clinton stop on the Blue Line at Congress, which is two blocks south of Jackson. Exit the back door (Clinton St.) of the Great Hall, turn left, walk two blocks, and you're there.

 

[The Journalist]

Chicago's multiple CTA stations with the same name claim another victim. There IS a Blue Line Clinton stop, and it's a quick walk south of Union. The entrance is right under the freeway. Don't get your suitcase stuck on the inexplicably narrow escalator. For what it's worth, I've never felt unsafe walking between CUS and Clinton, and I've done it many times at different times of day, including with my younger sister and cousin.

 

[manderson]

Thanks for all the advice. Yes, my hotel is near O'Hare. It's a non-refundable priceline booking I made when I thought I wouldn't have enough AGR points to take the train both ways. I know the the EB would have to be *really* late to get in after dark, but the way things are going . . .

If you think you're going to take a cab anyhow, you may want to just get off the EB at the Glenview

stop since that's closer to O'Hare than CUS.

Great idea. Do you know if cabs are readily available at the Glenview station?

 

[The Journalist]

Another option nobody's mentioned is Metra North Central Service, which runs right out of CUS to "O'hare Transfer," where shuttle buses take you to the main airport area. This may be more convenient than the CTA, depending on where you're being picked up. That trip is scheduled to take about half an hour and cost $4-roughly half the time and twice the fare of CTA, amusingly enough. There's only a few of these trains, though-they run less than hourly most of the day, though the timings are a little better in the afternoon when the Builder is scheduled to get in.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Thanks for all the advice. Yes, my hotel is near O'Hare. It's a non-refundable priceline booking I made when I thought I wouldn't have enough AGR points to take the train both ways. I know the the EB would have to be *really* late to get in after dark, but the way things are going . . .

If you think you're going to take a cab anyhow, you may want to just get off the EB at the Glenview

stop since that's closer to O'Hare than CUS.

Great idea. Do you know if cabs are readily available at the Glenview station?

With all the commuter traffic that uses Glenview, there shouldn't be any problem grabbing a cab there.

 

[MrFSS]

Another option nobody's mentioned is Metra North Central Service, which runs right out of CUS to "O'hare Transfer," where shuttle buses take you to the main airport area. This may be more convenient than the CTA, depending on where you're being picked up. That trip is scheduled to take about half an hour and cost $4-roughly half the time and twice the fare of CTA, amusingly enough. There's only a few of these trains, though-they run less than hourly most of the day, though the timings are a little better in the afternoon when the Builder is scheduled to get in.

I have taken that Metra train to O'Hare Transfer Station. It only runs on weekdays and during normal work hours, I think.

I was staying in a hotel at O'hare and the hotel shuttle bus picked me up at the Metra Station. Very convenient if you can make the schedule work.

 

[busboy]

I'll be taking the EB to CHI in about 10 days, and had figured on taking the blue line from Clinton station to O'Hare, then my hotel's free shuttle. I assume the EB will be late -- if it's after dark, how safe is it for a single female to walk to and ride the blue line to the airport, rolling a carryon? I'm not particularly fearful, but I do trust my instincts and don't put myself in squirelly situations. I'll take a cab if I have to, but would rather spend the money on something else.

Advice?

Second, the Blue Line doesn't stop at Clinton. Only the Green and Pink Lines stop there. You'd have to take the Green/Pink one stop east, then

transfer to the Blue Line at Clark/Lake.

Much better to simply walk east from CUS along Jackson Street to the Jackson stop on the Blue Line. As you can see from this map, the distance

from CUS to Jackson is about the same as the distance to the Clinton stop, so there's no point in going to the Clinton stop.

You are giving bad information. 3 weeks ago I walked from CUS to the Clinton street station and boarded a blue line train which took me right to Ohare!!!

It's a very short walk and although it was daylight, it didn't seem at all dangerous. But it is a good idea to know which door to exit the station and which way to go before you start out.

Have someone show you the way and it should be fine. It was about a 10 minute walk. Personally, I wouldn't be afraid to walk it after dark.

 

[Cristian]

Also, Glenview station as well as CUS are both about the same distance from ORD. (Glenview is 12 miles from ORD and CUS is 17 miles). If you want to take public transportation you have a lot more options out of CUS than Glenview. Now, if the EB is really, really, really late, and you decide to take a cab, then yes, taxi fare out of Glenview would be marginally cheaper than out of CUS.

I took a cab last Thursday out of CUS (came on EB as well) and the fare to ORD including tip was $44 FYI.

P.S.: Here's the Metra schedule for the CUS - O'hare tansfer station http://metrarail.com/metra/en/home/maps_schedules/metra_system_map/ncs/schedule.full.html (last train departs CUS at 20:30)

 

[Tracktwentynine]

I've done the walk to Clinton (blue) after dark and had no issues. But I'm a 20-something male, so that might have something to do with it. I did not feel uncomfortable when making the walk.

And if there was any doubt, there are 2 different "Clinton" stations near Union Station. I've circled them in red just to make it easier to grasp.

 

[fairviewroad]

Not to be a jerk, but it would be really nice if those who understood Chicago would answer, and those that don't please refrain from offering advice.

Too late.

You know, I made an error and I'm sorry. Others were able to point out the error without being snarky.

 

[busboy]

You can also go to google earth street view, and walk the route on your computer. You'll be able to look around and see everything and see the entrance to the station. It's right under a highway overpass.

I did that before I made the walk as I'd never been to Chicago before, it worked great.