what's the easiest way to travel from CHI Union Station to OHare

[ToniCounter]

what's the easiest way to travel from Chicago Union Station to O'Hare airport?

Is it the CTA or the Metra train?

Thanks!

 

[saxman]

There's a Metra, North Central Service that goes from Union Station to the O'Hare Transfer station. But this line only runs on weekdays and has a very limited schedule. In the afternoon there are gaps of a few hours between runs. So check the schedule carefully. After you get to the O'Hare transfer station you take a free shuttle bus to the O'Hare people mover. Then this takes you to the terminals. I still prefer this way because I don't have to do much bag lifting and there is plenty of room for bags on the Metra. The downside is the transfers and the lack of a good schedule.

The way most people go is to take the Blue Line from the Clinton Station. This runs every 10 minutes or less and is about a 45 minute ride directly to the terminals. The Clinton Station is about a 3 block walk from Union Station and there is no elevator or escalator to the platform. You'll have carry your luggage down a flight of stairs. But once you get on the platform its easy to get to the airport, and no need to check the schedule.

Either way, I'd allow about an hour to get to the airport.

 

[tommylicious]

Blue Line

 

[Lonestar648]

Blue line takes you into the center of the airport. If lots of bags try Uber, quick pick-up, no tipping, less than a regular cab.

 

[ToniCounter]

Blue line takes you into the center of the airport. If lots of bags try Uber, quick pick-up, no tipping, less than a regular cab.

no tipping the Uber driver? that's almost asking the driver to give you below-average ratings. (at least that's what I read on Uber driver forums... and unfortunately, based on the advice of my friend who takes Uber everywhere, it's especially true in LA area)

https://www.reddit.com/r/uberdrivers/comments/447gcr/have_you_dinged_a_rider_for_not_tipping/

 

[Lonestar648]

Uber drivers in Seattle and Chicago said they are not suppose to accept tips for insurance reasons. All credit card transactions and no tipping means the drivers have no cash on them to be stolen.

 

[ToniCounter]

Uber drivers in Seattle and Chicago said they are not suppose to accept tips for insurance reasons. All credit card transactions and no tipping means the drivers have no cash on them to be stolen.

that's good to know.

why do Amtrak employees accept tips on trains?(dining car and sleeping car) are they not worried to have their cash stolen?

 

[Lonestar648]

Taxi drivers are easy targets for robberies where attendants are in a protected atmosphere.

 

[DevalDragon]

The Metra North Central option is the easiest if the timing works.

Otherwise CTA's blue line to Clinton.

 

[me_little_me]

Taxi drivers are easy targets for robberies where attendants are in a protected atmosphere.

Whoosh! Right over your head? :giggle:

 

[Palmetto]

Taxi is the easiest and most expensive, of course. Metra to the airport, then to a bus, then to a people mover is a challenge for mobility impaired folks and folks with a couple of bags.

Wouldn't it be nice if Chicago were to do like --let's say--Rome? Trains every half hour at a minimum during the day from Termini to Fiumicino, and non-stop. Couldn't be easier. Expensive thing to do, as I believe Metra would actually have to tunnel its way into the airport, as the Blue Line does.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you need/want an elevator from the blue line, get off at Jackson. It is a longer walk to the Union Station - about 6 blocks.

 

[Palmetto]

6 blocks for me is now a taxi ride, unfortunately. And a taxi ride it would be were I ever doing an airport to Amtrak transfer and v.v. I've come to learn the a mobility impairment drastically changes one's modus operandi.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

6 blocks for me is now a taxi ride, unfortunately. And a taxi ride it would be were I ever doing an airport to Amtrak transfer and v.v. I've come to learn the a mobility impairment drastically changes one's modus operandi.

I understand. I'm still mobile enough to do it. There's also the buses - would have to head north to ?Adams? to catch one to the station.

 

[Paul CHI]

You can catch a #60 or #124 or #157 bus at the corner of Canal and Adams that will take you to Washington St, where you would get off at the Clark/Dearborn stop. Then it's just half a block to the blue line. You have to take stairs, though.

 

[ToniCounter]

6 blocks for me is now a taxi ride, unfortunately. And a taxi ride it would be were I ever doing an airport to Amtrak transfer and v.v. I've come to learn the a mobility impairment drastically changes one's modus operandi.

I once drove my rental car from O'Hare airport to downtown Chicago. Traffic was brutal, even at 3pm on a weekday. It took nearly 2 and half hours before I pulled up at my hotel.(Hyatt Regency by the Chicago River) On my way back to the airport at 11am a few days later, it was slightly better, but still took 2 hours.

 

[RPC]

Note that the Blue Line O'Hare station is not right at the terminals; there are at least two escalator/elevators and a long moving walkway between the station and the actual terminal buildings.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

There *is* an escalator up from the platform level to the mezzanine level at Clinton, but none up to the street level.

It is true that the O'Hare station isn't at "the terminals" but it's central to the domestic terminals and directly underneath the main parking garage/structure, not requiring the people mover ride that the Metra station does.

 

[ToniCounter]

There's a Metra, North Central Service that goes from Union Station to the O'Hare Transfer station. But this line only runs on weekdays

I read your reply again. Since my flight is on a weekend day, no Metra train. So I guess it's the Blue Line CTA for me.

Is the entrance to the CTA Clinton station underneath the overpass? That's what it looks like on Google Maps.

Thanks!

 

[calwatch]

There's also "airporter" service like this one: http://www.airportexpress.com/

 

[Eric S]

There's a Metra, North Central Service that goes from Union Station to the O'Hare Transfer station. But this line only runs on weekdays

I read your reply again. Since my flight is on a weekend day, no Metra train. So I guess it's the Blue Line CTA for me.

Is the entrance to the CTA Clinton station underneath the overpass? That's what it looks like on Google Maps.

Thanks!

Yes, there are stairwells down to the subway station underneath the expressway overpass.

EDIT: fixed typo

 

[NorthShore]

Take the 151 bus from Union Station a few blocks east to Dearborn. There are elevators at the Jackson L stop. Also at the Clark/Lake L stop. One can take an escalator to the mezzanine/payment area at the Washington stop by entering the Block 37 shops. But you still have to walk down to the platform from there.