The Chicago Transit Authority encourages visitors attending the 2010 Taste of Chicago at Grant Park to take public transportation to the annual food festival. Convenient and affordable service is available for the event held from Friday, June 25 through Sunday, July 4.
Extensive bus and rail service will be available to accommodate the crowds expected to attend the festival. Longer trains will operate into the Loop until late night on Taste weekends and extra buses will be available toward the close of each evening’s activities. During Taste weekdays, regular CTA service will be in effect.
To speed travel and reduce lines, customers are encouraged to buy farecards in advance with sufficient value or to add enough value to their existing farecards (either the Chicago Card or magnetic strip Transit Card) for their return trips later in the day.
Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $2.00 to ride. For rail customers or customers who pay cash on the bus, the fare is $2.25. Customers who use magnetic strip cards or other CTA fare media may transfer for a 25 cent fee. Transfers are not available for customers paying fares in cash.
For details about all CTA service call 836-7000 (all local area codes) or visit the CTA website at
www.transitchicago.com to use the travel planner feature.
EXTRA SERVICE FOR THE TASTE OF CHICAGO JUNE 25-JULY 4
A mobile CTA sales facility will be set up on Jackson just west of Columbus to allow customers to purchase fare media. Vending machines will offer: 3-Day Visitor Passes, 7-Day Passes and CTA/Pace 7-day passes. Customers also can purchase or add value to transit cards or Chicago Cards at vending machines or use a credit card at Express Vending Machines.
Rail Service
Blue/Brown/Green/Orange/Pink/Red Lines
Longer trains will operate on all six of these lines until approximately 10:30 p.m. on the following dates: June 25, 26 & 27 and July 2 & 3. On all other dates, normal CTA service will be in effect.
Purple Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)
Normal Purple Line service will be in effect.
Yellow Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)
Trains will operate later than usual on Taste weekdays; with the last train leaving Howard at 12 a.m. On Saturday, July 3, trains will operate every 10-15 minutes until 11 p.m.
Park & Ride Facilities
Parking is available for approximately 6,000 cars at facilities adjacent to 17 CTA rail stations, mainly at terminals, throughout the CTA system. Park & Ride locations are listed on CTA’s system map and on the CTA website,
www.transitchicago.com. Customers also may obtain information on Park & Ride facilities by calling 836-7000 from any local area code.
Street Closures
Currently in effect until 5 a.m. Monday, July 5, the following streets will be closed to all traffic:
- Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Monroe
- Monroe Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Jackson Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Congress Drive between Michigan and Columbus
- Balbo Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
Bus Service
As Taste activities wind down each evening, additional service will be available for trips out of the downtown area at the following locations:
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#3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove buses can be boarded at all regular stops southbound on Michigan starting mid-block between Lake and Randolph.
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#6 Jackson Park Express and #29 State buses can be boarded at all regular stops southbound on State starting at Lake.
- #20 Madison and #56 Milwaukee buses can be boarded at all regular stops westbound on Madison starting at State.
- #151 Sheridan buses can be boarded at regular stops northbound on State starting at Adams.
- Additional service on the #126 Jackson will be provided only on weekends during the Taste.
July 4 Service
CTA buses and trains will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule on July 4; however, additional service will be provided in the evenings for customers heading to the new north and south lakefront firework display.
Additional service will be provided on all CTA rail lines and hours of service will be extended on the Yellow and Purple Lines. On July 4, bikes are not allowed on CTA trains. In addition, as a courtesy to others, strollers and carts must be folded on CTA buses.
CTA bus routes in the vicinity of the firework displays may undergo reroute so customers are advised to allow extra travel time.
More detailed information on CTA service on July 4 will be provided at a later date.
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