Customers Urged to Enjoy the Convenience and Ease of Public Transit
The Chicago Transit Authority is encouraging people headed out to holiday celebrations on New Year’s Eve to take advantage of the convenience of CTA bus and rail service. The agency will once again will provide rides on all CTA buses and trains for one penny, beginning at 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 31 until 4 a.m. Sunday, January 1.
The CTA is pleased to provide this convenience to its customers but is reminding them to not use their magnetic strip farecards or Chicago Card/Chicago Card+ farecards during this time to avoid being charged the value of a regular full-fare. No refunds will be issued if a full-fare is deducted from a farecard during the penny ride period.
CTA Customer Assistants and bus operators will assist customers with any questions regarding fare payment. In addition, signs will be posted on buses and at rail stations reminding customers to not swipe or insert their farecards during the penny ride period.
In addition to the penny rides, CTA is also offering extended service hours on several bus and rail routes making CTA a convenient, safe and affordable travel alternative for those out celebrating the New Year.
NOTE: All CTA bus and rail service will operate on a regular Saturday Schedule on Saturday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve. A Sunday/Holiday schedule will be in effect on Sunday, January 1 – New Year’s Day and Monday, January 2.
Bus Service
#4 Cottage Grove buses will operate all night between Washington/State and 95th/Cottage Grove. Buses will operate approximately every 15 minutes north of 63rd Street and every 30 minutes south of 63rd.
#6 Jackson Park Express buses will operate southbound from downtown every 15 minutes until 3:15 a.m. The last northbound trip to downtown will leave 79th Street/South Shore Drive at 2:15 a.m.
#20 Madison buses will operate more frequently between Austin and Michigan every 15 minutes during the overnight period.
#22 Clark buses will operate more frequently between Polk/Clark and the Howard Red Line station approximately every 15 minutes until 3 a.m.
#29 State buses will operate in both directions all night between Navy Pier and Roosevelt/State in both directions. Service will be scheduled to operate every 15 minutes or less north of Roosevelt, and every 30 minutes or less south of Roosevelt to the 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line station. In addition, service only southbound from Navy Pier to 95th/State will be provided all night.
#65 Grand buses will operate westbound from Navy Pier to Grand/Nordica until 3 a.m. The last eastbound bus to Navy Pier will leave Grand/Nordica at 2 a.m. Service will operate approximately every 15 minutes or less.
#66 Chicago buses will operate westbound from Navy Pier to Chicago/Austin until 3 a.m. The last eastbound bus from Austin to Navy Pier will leave around midnight. Regular Night Owl service will operate between State/Washington and Chicago/Pulaski. Service will operate approximately every 15 minutes or less east of Pulaski and every 30 minutes or less west of Pulaski.
#124 Navy Pier buses will operate southbound from Navy Pier to the Millennium Park Randolph Street Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station until 1 a.m. The last northbound trip to Navy Pier from Union Station will be at 12:30 a.m. Extra service also will be provided to accommodate those traveling to Navy Pier for the Family Works Show at 8:15 p.m. and also the Midnight Fireworks Show at midnight.
#151 Sheridan buses will operate all night between the Berwyn Red Line Station (Foster/Sheridan) and Union Station. Service will operate approximately every 15 minutes.
Rail Service
The last Brown, Orange, Pink and Green line trains will leave downtown at 1:30 a.m. from the following downtown stations:
- Brown Line – Washington/Wells
- Green Line – Adams (northbound) and Clinton (southbound)
- Orange Line – Library-State/Van Buren
- Pink Line – Clark/Lake
Purple Line trains will operate from Howard to Linden until 2:00 a.m.
More frequent service will be provided on the Red Line (approximately every 10-12 minutes from midnight until 6 a.m.) and Blue Line Forest Park and O’Hare branches (approximately every 12-15 minutes from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m.). Both lines operate 24 hours daily.
Yellow Line trains will operate from Howard to Skokie until 2:00 a.m.
For details about all CTA service on New Year’s Eve call 312-836-7000 or visit the CTA website at
www.transitchicago.com.
# # #