Nine bus routes detoured due to street closures in and around the Grant Park area
CTA bus and rail service is a convenient and affordable option this weekend to get to either Lollapalooza in Grant Park or the Chicago Bears Family Fest at Soldier Field.
The CTA on Friday will operate longer trains on the Blue, Brown, Green, Orange and Red lines until at least 10 p.m., and longer trains and more frequent service on Saturday and Sunday until 10 p.m. or later.
To help decrease travel times and reduce lines at rail stations during the return trip, the CTA recommends that customers either load transit value or unlimited ride passes to their Ventra farecard at rail stations, online or at more than 1,300 local retailers ahead of time (see below for more information) or purchase a 1-day unlimited ride Ventra ticket.
Customers are advised to allow extra travel time when heading to/from these events.
ADDED WEEKEND RAIL SERVICE
Beginning Friday night, August 1 through Sunday night, August 3:
Blue Line
- Friday: longer trains will operate to downtown until 11 p.m. Between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. trains will operate approximately every 8 minutes.
- Saturday and Sunday: longer trains will operate beginning 1:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.
Brown Line:
- Friday: longer trains will operate until 11 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: longer trains will operate beginning at noon until 11 p.m.
Green Line:
- Friday: longer trains will operate from Harlem/Lake until 10 p.m., and until 11 p.m. from 63rd/Cottage.
- Saturday and Sunday: beginning 10 a.m., longer trains will operate from Harlem/Lake until 10 p.m., and until 11 p.m. from 63rd/Cottage.
Orange Line:
- Friday: longer trains will operate until 10:45 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: longer trains will operate beginning 10 a.m. until 10:45 p.m.
Pink and Purple Lines:
- Friday, Saturday and Sunday: trains will operate on a normal schedule all weekend.
Red Line:
- Friday: between 6 p.m. and midnight, longer trains will be provided and operate approximately every 6 minutes.
- Saturday and Sunday: longer trains will be provided until 1 a.m., and between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. trains will operate approximately every 6 minutes.
Yellow Line:
- Friday, Saturday and Sunday: trains will operate on a normal schedule all weekend.
LOLLAPALOOZA
Extra rail service will be provided to accommodate concert-goers attending Lollapalooza in Grant Park this weekend – Friday through Sunday night.
9 Bus Routes Detoured Due to Street Closures around Grant Park
Currently in effect until noon Wednesday, August 6, the following nine CTA bus routes are being detoured due to street closures for the set-up, duration and clean-up of Lollapalooza 2014: #2 Hyde Park Express, #6 Jackson Park Express, #7 Harrison, #10 Museum of Science & Industry, #J14 Jeffery Jump, #26 South Shore Express, #126 Jackson, #143 Stockton/Michigan Express and #147 Outer Drive Express.
Streets that are closed during this time are:
- Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Monroe
- Jackson Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Congress Parkway between Columbus and Michigan
- Balbo Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Congress Plaza
Northbound #2, #6, #10, #J14 and #26 buses are traveling over their regular routes along Columbus to Roosevelt then are operating via Roosevelt, Michigan to Balbo and resuming their regular routes. Southbound #2, #6, #10, #J14 and #26 buses are traveling the reverse route.
Eastbound #7, #126 and #143 buses and southbound #147 buses are unable to enter/serve the Congress circle and will instead travel their regular routes along Michigan to Harrison before turning to begin their reverse trips west- and southbound, respectively.
Westbound #7, #126 and #143 buses are beginning their trips from Harrison/Wabash and are traveling south on Wabash to Balbo then operating via Balbo, Michigan and continuing north past Congress over their regular routes.
Northbound #147 buses are beginning their trips from Harrison/Wabash and traveling west on Harrison to State, and then operating north on State past Congress over the regular route.
Customers should allow extra travel time.
CHICAGO BEARS FAMILY FEST
The annual Chicago Bears Family Fest at Soldier Field on Saturday, August 2. Outdoor festivities begin at 3 p.m. and gates open at 5 p.m.
Rail Service
Customers also can travel to Soldier Field via Red, Orange or Green line trains and exit at Roosevelt. The station is located at Roosevelt and State, and is a few blocks west of the stadium.
Bus Service
In general, additional bus service will be provided along the #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express and #130 Museum Campus routes beginning approximately 2.5 hours prior to the event beginning. Additional service also will be provided for approximately one hour after the event ends.
FARE INFORMATION
Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $2 to ride. The fare for rail customers and for customers who choose to pay cash on the bus is $2.25. Customers who use CTA fare media may transfer for a 25-cent fee within two hours of the start of their trip. A second transfer within that period is free. Transfers are not available for customers paying fares in cash.
New Ventra Fare Payment System
Effective July 1, the CTA fully transitioned to the new Ventra fare payment system. Customers are no longer able to purchase or use Transit Cards (i.e. magnetic stripe and Chicago Card/Chicago Card Plus cards) on buses or at CTA rail stations.
Ventra makes it easier to travel on the CTA by allowing customers to pay-per-ride or use unlimited-ride passes from the same reusable Ventra transit farecard. Unlimited-ride passes available for purchase include 1-day, 3-day, 7-day and 30-day passes. Customers can add value or passes to their Ventra cards at rail station vending machines, online (including from mobile phones) or at more than 1,300 retailers (including drugstores and currency exchanges). Customers can also pay for rides using their contactless credit or debit card.
To learn more about CTA fare payment options, including use of contactless personal bank cards, or if you wish to add value or passes to your Ventra card in advance, visit ventrachicago.com.
*New Ventra cards cost $5 at machines, which can be refunded as transit value upon registration within 90 days online at ventrachicago.com or by phone at (877) NOW VENTRA (877) 669-8368.
Stay in the Loop on CTA service
Plan your trip using the Google Transit Trip Planner. Be sure to also check out CTA on Facebook or Twitter (@CTA) for system travel updates and alerts. For details about all CTA service, call 312-836-7000 or visit the CTA website at transitchicago.com.
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