Participants and spectators heading to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon are encouraged to use the convenient service provided by CTA. The marathon begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, October 11, starting just north of Jackson on Columbus Drive with the course winding through numerous city neighborhoods.
To decrease travel time and reduce lines, customers heading to the marathon are encouraged to buy CTA farecards or Visitor Passes in advance with sufficient value, or to add enough value to their farecards for their return trips later in the day.
CTA personnel will be on duty at select stations along the Blue, Red, Green, Brown, Pink and Orange lines and at major bus stops to assist customers and to provide travel information.
CTA will operate longer trains to accommodate expected crowds. Because bus routes in the vicinity of the marathon also will be impacted with intermittent reroutes or delays due to lane closures, CTA recommends customers allow extra travel time.
There will be no construction this weekend in the Dearborn Subway on the Blue Line.
Rail Service
Blue Line
Longer trains will operate during marathon hours.
Brown Line
Brown Line service into the Loop will begin early; the first trains will depart Kimball at 5 a.m., providing service to downtown. Longer trains will operate during marathon hours.
Green Line
Green Line service will begin early; the first trains will depart from Harlem/Lake at 5:35 a.m., 63rd/Ashland at 5:30 a.m. and 63rd/Cottage Grove at 5:47 a.m. Longer trains will operate during marathon hours.
Orange Line
Longer trains will operate during marathon hours.
Purple Line
Purple Line service will begin early; the first trains will depart Linden at 5:30 a.m., providing service to Howard where customers can transfer to the Red Line for service to downtown.
Red Line
More frequent service and longer trains will operate during marathon hours.
Bus Service
CTA will operate earlier service on the #3 King Drive bus route between McCormick Place and Michigan/Chicago from 5:30 a.m. to 8:05 a.m. to accommodate runners and spectators staying in downtown and McCormick Place hotels.
During the course of the race, there will be intermittent reroutes along several CTA bus routes. The affected routes are:
- #3 King Drive
- #4 Cottage Grove
- #6 Jackson Park Express
- #8 Halsted
- #9 Ashland
- #10 Museum of Science & Industry
- #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick
- #12 Roosevelt
- #14 Jeffery Express
- #18 16th/18th
- #20 Madison
- #21 Cermak
- #22 Clark
- #26 South Shore Express
- #X28 Stony Island Express
- #29 State
- #35 35th
- #36 Broadway
- #44 Wallace/Racine
- #50 Damen
- #56 Milwaukee
- #60 Blue Island/26th
- #62 Archer
- #65 Grand
- #66 Chicago
- #70 Division
- #72 North
- #73 Armitage
- #74 Fullerton
- #76 Diversey
- #77 Belmont
- #124 Navy Pier
- #126 Jackson
- #145 Wilson/Michigan Express
- #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express
- #147 Outer Drive Express
- #151 Sheridan
- #152 Addison
Reroutes can be expected in the downtown area from 6:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.; on the North Side from 6:30 a.m. until noon; on the West Side from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m.; and on the South Side from 6:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. All times are approximate and detours will be determined by Chicago Police and CTA supervisory personnel.
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. Rates are $5 at Rosemont and Forest Park and $4 at all other locations. Park & Ride locations are listed on CTA’s system map and on the CTA Web site, www.transitchicago.com. Customers also may obtain information on Park & Ride facilities by calling 836-7000 from any local area code.
Viewing Areas
For marathon fans interested in following the progress of the race, there are spectator viewing areas designated near CTA rail stations at 11 points along the race route.
First Viewing Area
Monroe (Red Line) Station
Race Start, Mile #2. Board a Red Line train and exit at Monroe. Walk a half-mile east toward Grant Park.
Second Viewing Area
Grand (Red Line) Station
Miles #1, #3 and #12. Board a Red Line train and exit at Grand.
Third Viewing Area
Chicago (Red Line) Station
Miles #3.5 and #11.5. Board a Red Line train and exit at Chicago. Walk three blocks west to LaSalle Street.
Fourth Viewing Area
Addison (Red Line) Station
Mile #7.75. Board a Red Line train and exit at Addison. Walk four blocks east to Broadway.
Fifth Viewing Area
Sedgwick (Brown Line) Station
Mile #10.25. Board a Brown Line train and exit at Sedgwick Street. Walk a half-block north to North Avenue.
Sixth Viewing Area
UIC-Halsted (Blue Line) Station
Miles #16 and 16.5. Board a Blue Line train and exit at UIC-Halsted. Use the Halsted Street or Morgan Street exits. Walk two blocks north on Morgan Street to Adams Street to view runners at Mile 16 in Greektown. Use the Halsted exit to view runners at Mile 16.5.
Seventh Viewing Area
18th (Pink Line) Station
Mile #19. Board a Pink Line train and exit at 18th. Walk one block east to Ashland to Mile 19 in Pilsen.
Eighth Viewing Area
Halsted (Orange Line) Station
Mile #20.5. Board an Orange Line train and exit at Halsted.
Ninth Viewing Area
35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Green Line) Station
Mile #23. Board a Green Line train and exit at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT. Use either the 33rd Street or 35th Street exit.
10th Viewing Area
Sox-35th (Red Line) Station
Mile #23.25. Board a Red Line train and exit at Sox-35th. Walk two blocks east on 35th Street to State Street.
11th Viewing Area
Roosevelt (Red, Green and Orange Lines) Station
Finish Line. Board a Red, Green or Orange line train and exit at Roosevelt. Walk east on Roosevelt Road toward the Museum Campus and Grant Park.
Fare Information
Cash Fare (Bus Only): $2.25
Transit Card: $2.00 (bus) / $2.25 (rail)
Stored value Transit Cards can be purchased with cash at any CTA rail station. Transit Cards also allow two additional rides in two hours on another bus and/or train to complete your trip for an additional 25 cents. Transit Cards also are available online at www.transitchicago.com. Packs of pre-valued Transit Cards are available at neighborhood Currency Exchanges and select Dominick’s or Jewel stores and CVS Pharmacies.
Visitor Passes
Unlimited ride Visitor Passes also are available. A one-day pass ($5.75) offers 24 hours of unlimited riding from the first use; three-day ($14) and seven-day ($23) passes are also available. Visitor Passes cannot be shared or recharged. Visitor Passes are sold at vending machines accepting cash and major credit cards at O’Hare Airport, Midway Airport, Union Station, and the Chicago/State, Cumberland and Rosemont CTA rail stations and the Water Works Visitor Information Center.
Call 1-888-YOUR-CTA or visit www.transitchicago.com for advance sales and other sales outlets. Transit Cards and Visitor Passes will be sold at the CTA booth at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Health & Fitness Expo on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10.
For all CTA service information, call 836-7000 (from any local area code) or visit www.transitchicago.com.
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