U-Pass
U-Pass offers unlimited rides for students on any CTA bus or train during a single school session (such as a semester—a new pass is issued for each session you’re in school). This service is offered only for full time college students at participating schools.
If your school doesn’t participate in this program and you’d like to be able to have a U-Pass, tell your student services group you’d like for your school to participate!
Notes about U-Pass
- Use U-Pass like any Transit Card or CTA pass--simply insert the card (with the arrow visible and pointing downward) into the farecard slot on any CTA bus or at any CTA train station turnstile.
- Use of a U-Pass is subject to applicable tariffs, conditions, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures CTA may in its discretion adopt from time to time.
- Only you can use your U-Pass.
- You can’t use your U-Pass on Metra or Pace.
- You can’t share or sell your U-pass.
- The U-Pass can be confiscated if the bearer violates any law or CTA ordinance while on CTA property.
- If you break any condition of use or break any applicable law or ordinance on CTA property, your U-Pass may be confiscated (without any refunds, and a new one won’t be issued for the active school term).
Replacement Policy
- If your U-Pass is lost or stolen you can go to CTA at 567 W. Lake Street (it’s a half-block west of the Clinton stop on the Green & Pink Lines) in Chicago, to order a replacement.
- The replacement fee for lost or stolen U-Pass is $50.00 (non-refundable).
- Only 1 replacement of a lost or stolen card, per person, per academic term, is permitted.
- If a U-Pass card is captured by the turnstile, at a CTA train station, ask a Customer Assistant for a Fare Discrepancy Report. Bring the completed report to CTA at 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, IL between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday, to order a replacement. (Don’t worry – if the fare equipment takes your card without reason, you won’t be charged a replacement fee and you are not limited to one card per term if captured. You’ll also be given a 7 day pass for your trouble).
- If your U-Pass is damaged or defective please bring it along with your student ID, to CTA at 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, IL
- To speed up the processing of your replacement request, fill out a replacement form in advance and bring it with you.
Benefits for Students
- Unlimited rides on the CTA all day, everyday
- Cost effective to the students
- Increase access to City of Chicago
Schools: Why offer U-Pass as a student benefit?
- It can improve your students’ experience attending your institution by giving them easy access to all that Chicago has to offer!
- It’s a really great perk to offer for your recruiting efforts.
- It is a way you can encourage your students to explore Chicago. and help reduce traffic congestion by getting them on board with transit.
- By reducing your students’ dependency on personal vehicles, it can help reduce demand for parking on and around campus too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions about the U-Pass? Our FAQ can help!
Participating institutions
Adler School of Professional Psychology
American Academy of Art 
Chicago-Kent College of Law 
Chicago School of Professional Psychology 
Chicago Semester 
Chicago State University
Columbia College Chicago 
Daley College 
DePaul University
- Law
DeVry University
East-West University 
Erikson Institute 
Harold Washington College 
Harrington College of Design 
Illinois Institute of Art 
Illinois Institute of Technology
- Design
- Graduate School of Business
International Academy of Design & Technology
The John Marshall Law School 
Kendall College 
Kennedy-King College 
Le Cordon Bleu
College of Culinary Arts, Chicago
Lexington College 
Loyola University
- Law
- Graduate Business
- Water Tower
- Lake Shore
MacCormac College 
Malcolm X College
Moody Bible Institute 
National-Louis University 
Northeastern Illinois University
Northwestern College 
Northwestern University
- Feinberg School of Medicine
- School of Law
- Medill School of Journalism
- School of Physical Therapy
- Graduate School
- Master of Biotechnology
Olive-Harvey College
Robert Morris University 
Roosevelt University 
Rush University College of Health Sciences
Rush University Medical College
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago 
Taylor Business Institute
Tribeca Flashpoint 
Truman College 
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) 
Vandercook College of Music 
Westwood College 
Wright College