The Chicago Transit Authority is a convenient travel option for spectators heading to the Chicago Air & Water Show this weekend. The event will take place along the lakefront from Oak Street Beach to Fullerton on Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16. The best viewing location will be at North Avenue Beach. This year, the air and water performances have been combined into one show beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing until 4 p.m. on both days.
Additional buses will run on Saturday and Sunday on the #72 North and #151 Sheridan routes, which operate close to all the activities. To avoid traffic congestion, #72 buses will only travel as far as North and Clark instead of continuing east to North Avenue Beach.
Customers traveling on Metra may take #151 buses from Union Station and Millennium Park Metra station (formerly Randolph Street) to Oak Street and North Avenue beaches. The #151 buses also are within walking distance of the Ogilvie Transportation Center and the LaSalle Street Metra station.
Buses on the #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express and #147 Outer Drive Express routes operate to Michigan and Delaware, within walking distance of Oak Street Beach. Customers also can take the #22 Clark or #36 Broadway routes to North and Clark, within walking distance of North Avenue Beach.
To avoid street traffic altogether, spectators can reach the Air & Water Show on Red Line trains from subway stations at Chicago/State or Clark/Division, which are both just a few blocks away from Oak Street Beach. Additional Red Line service and added capacity will be available over the weekend.
Customers may take the Pink, Orange and Green Lines to downtown and transfer to the Red Line at State/Lake. Customers can reach the Air & Water Show by transferring from the Red Line at North/Clybourn, the Blue Line at Damen or the Brown Line at Sedgwick to board additional #72 buses that will supplement regular service along North Avenue from California to Clark. Capacity will be added to Brown, Blue and Orange Line trains throughout the weekend.
Additional Customer Assistants will be on hand at all downtown rail stations to assist customers with fare and travel information.
Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $2 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.
Parking is available for approximately 6,000 cars at facilities adjacent to 18 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.
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