5/22/02
Frequent CTA service between downtown and both major Chicago airports will provide holiday travelers with reliable and economical transportation to their destinations throughout the Memorial Day weekend May 25 ? 27. Fares are $1.50, or 30 cents more to transfer.
Air travelers can reach O'Hare Airport on the Blue Line in 45 minutes or less from stations in the Dearborn subway downtown, where free connections can be made from all other 'L' lines serving the Loop. Transfers to the Blue Line can also be made from all east-west bus routes from Grand to Foster and most north-south routes.
Midway Airport is served by Orange Line trains, which make the trip from the inner Loop 'L' downtown in about 30 minutes. As with the Blue Line, free connections can be made to Orange Line trains from other 'L' lines downtown, and customers can transfer to the Orange Line from most bus routes serving the Southwest Side.
Service to both airports runs every 10 minutes or less from early morning until late in the evening. Blue Line trains operate at all hours daily. The first Orange Line train leaves Midway at 3:55 a.m. daily, and makes its first stop on the Loop at Library-State/Van Buren at about 4:18 a.m. The last train leaves the Midway station every night at 12:51 a.m. and arrives downtown at about 1:18 a.m.
Chicago visitors should consider purchasing a visitor pass that is valid for unlimited riding on all CTA buses and trains, beginning with the first use. The 1-Day Visitor Pass costs $5; 2-Day, $9; 3-Day, $12, and a 5-Day Pass costs $18. The passes are sold at both O'Hare and Midway 'L' stations, Visitor Information Centers, and at several museums and other locations.
To avoid highway congestion, car drivers picking up or discharging air travelers using O'Hare, or who go downtown to shop, might wish to park at Blue Line stations near O'Hare and complete their trips by train. More than 1,600 spaces are available in the garage at Cumberland (8400 West) along the Kennedy Expressway, where cars can be parked for up to 12 hours for just $1.75. Parking is also available at 15 other 'L' stations throughout the CTA service area, including Rosemont on the Blue Line and Pulaski on the Orange Line, where the cost is $1.50.
For information about all CTA service, call 836-7000 (all local area codes).
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