Even if you’re not running the marathon, CTA’s trains and buses are the best and most affordable ways to get around the city to cheer on runners, attend various sporting events and concerts; Ongoing construction work impacting service on the Forest Park Blue Line Branch will be coming to an end
Marathon participants and supporters can get two hours of FREE rides on Sun. 10/8 —courtesy of Milk. The free rides will be available only on the Red Line between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Customers can also save by purchasing the CTA’s 1-Day ($5) – far more economical and convenient than the price of gas and parking - or the 3-Day ($15) pass – a real budget-saving move.
2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon &
Abbott Health and Fitness Expo
McCormick Place – Thu. 10/5 at 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fri. 10/6 and Sat. 10/7 at 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Service:
- Rail: Take the Green Line and exit at the Cermak-McCormick Place station.
- Bus: The #3 King Drive route provides the closest service to the expo.
Chicago Marathon
Grant Park and Citywide – Sun. 10/8 gates open at 5:30 a.m. at Grant Park and first runners start at 7:20 a.m. for their journey around the city. Added capacity is planned for several rail lines, as needed.
Service:
- Rail: Red, Brown, Blue, Pink, Green, and Orange lines will get you access to the start and finish lines in Grant Park or anywhere along the marathon route. Southbound service from Linden to Howard on the Purple Line will begin at 5:30 a.m.
- Bus: Many CTA bus routes will be rerouted to accommodate the marathon. These include all routes in the Loop and most routes that operate south of Irving Park, east of Damen, and north of 35th St. Check this link for specific reroute information: https://www.transitchicago.com/schedules/
Service for Upcoming Events
71st Annual Columbus Day Parade
State Street between Wacker Drive and Van Buren – Mon. 10/9 at 12 p.m.
Service:
- Rail: All rail lines will get you access to the parade and exit in the loop.
- Bus: Multiple bus routes in the loop will be rerouted. Check out the alerts on our website for more information: https://www.transitchicago.com/alerts/
United Center
Get to and from the following events via the #20 Madison and #50 Damen bus routes. Customers can also take the #19 United Center Express route post event:
- Preseason game: Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks – Thu. 10/5 at 7:30 p.m.
- Dave Chappelle – Fri. 10/6 and Sat. 10/7 at 7:30 p.m.
- Wu-Tang Clan and Nas – Sun. 10/8 at 8 p.m.
- Sza – Tue. 10/10 at 8 p.m.
Ryan Field in Evanston
The Purple Line will provide the closest access to the stadium.
- Howard Bison vs. Northwestern Wildcats – Sat. 10/7 at 2 p.m.
Soldier Field
Service on the #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express
- Charlotte FC vs. Chicago Fire FC – Sat. 10/7 at 7:30 p.m.
Forest Park Branch Rebuild Phase 1:
- Track work associated with Phase 1 of the Forest Park Branch Rebuild will be concluding this weekend.
- Beginning at 2 a.m. Sun. 10/8, Blue Line trains will run between O’Hare and Forest Park, making all stops.
- Bus shuttle service between UIC-Halsted and Illinois Medical District will end when train service resumes through the area.
- For more information about ongoing work associated with Phase 1 of the Forest Park Branch Rebuild, please visit: https://www.transitchicago.com/fprebuild/
Know before you go!
The CTA strongly recommends customers allow extra travel time and plan ahead by downloading the Ventra app, which allows you to manage your Ventra account, and also features a new trip planning tool powered by Google Maps.
Fare payment options: We offer a variety of convenient payment options—from smart devices to contactless credit cards. Learn more about payment options and ways you can maximize your dollars with our lower-priced unlimited-ride passes by visiting: transitchicago.com/fares/
Service updates: Stay in the loop on CTA service changes and alerts by subscribing to CTA Updates. For details about all CTA service, call 312-836-7000 or visit the CTA website at transitchicago.com.
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