CTA is the best way to get to 2017 Warrior Games, Fourth of July Fireworks at Navy Pier, Skokie Fourth of July Parade, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dead & Company concerts and more!
NOTE: Customers planning to travel on Tuesday, July 4 are reminded that CTA buses and trains will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule. To accommodate all customers, CTA will require all strollers and carts be folded prior to boarding buses and trains. Bicycles will also not be allowed on 'L' trains. Bicycles will, however, be allowed on buses via the bike racks on the front of the vehicles.
Why pay per-ride, when you can go unlimited? CTA is the original ride share service of Chicago and the most affordable way to get to games, concerts and events throughout Chicagoland this holiday weekend with the purchase of 1-day, 3-day or 7-day unlimited ride passes. CTA will be providing additional service for events happening throughout the city, including the 2017 Warrior Games, Fourth of July Fireworks at Navy Pier, the Skokie Fourth of July Parade, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dead & Company concerts.
The CTA encourages riders to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and purchase fares in advance to decrease travel times and avoid long lines at rail station vending machines. Customers can add unlimited ride passes (1-day, 3-day, 7-day and 30-day) or add money to pay per ride to their Ventra cards ahead of time via the free Ventra app, at rail station vending machines, online or at nearly 1,300 local retailers (for locations visit ventrachicago.com or the Ventra app). Other ways to pay fares include purchasing from CTA vending machines 1-day unlimited ride tickets ($10) or single-ride tickets ($3) that include up to two transfers in two hours. Customers can also pay their fares with their personal contactless debit or credit cards.
Warrior Games
The CTA is honored to welcome the 2017 Warrior Games to Chicago! To show our support for all of the men and women of the U.S. Military, as well as the United Kingdom Armed Forces and Australian Defence Force in this year’s events -- the CTA will provide free rides to all Warrior Games athletes, staff and volunteers during the games.
To receive a free ride on a CTA bus or train between Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 8, event participants need only show one of the following:
- An active military service card
- A veterans service card
- A Warrior Games participant, staff, or volunteer ID card
- Active duty military personnel in uniform can also ride free (no ID required).
4th of July Festivities
To accommodate customers who are traveling to events throughout the city, the CTA will provide additional rail service beginning early Tuesday morning. In addition, increased bus service will be provided along routes serving Navy Pier, downtown Loop and lakefront areas.
Rail Service
- Red Line: More frequent service will be provided from 6 p.m. until midnight from Howard and from 7 p.m. until midnight from 95th/Dan Ryan.
- Blue Line: Longer trains will operate from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m.
- Brown Line: Longer trains will operate from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m.
- bLonger trains will operate from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m.
- Orange Line: Longer trains will operate from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m.
- Pink Line: More frequent service from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m.
- Purple Line: More frequent service from 4:30 p.m. until 11 p.m.
- Yellow Line: Service will be provided until approximately 1 a.m.
Bus Service to Navy Pier
Routes that regularly serve Navy Pier will provide extra service on Tuesday night from 9:30 p.m. until one hour after the fireworks end: #29 State, #65 Grand, #66 Chicago and #124 Navy Pier.
Additional bus service also will be provided on the following routes serving the downtown lakefront area: #3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove, #12 Roosevelt, #72 North and the #J14 Jeffery Jump.
In addition, the Navy Pier Terminal will be closed Tuesday, July 4, from 7:45 p.m. until
11 p.m. to regularly scheduled bus service due to the Navy Pier Fireworks Event. As a result, customers who are traveling to Navy Pier during that period will exit their buses at Grand and Peshtigo and simply walk a couple of blocks east to the Pier. Related to the terminal closure, the following reroutes will be in effect:
- #29 State: Northbound buses will operate the regular route to Streeter/Grand and then turn west on Grand to Peshtigo. Southbound buses will operate on their regular route from Grand/Peshtigo.
- #65 Grand, #66 Chicago, #124 Navy Pier: Eastbound buses will operate regular route to Streeter/Grand and then turn west on Grand to Peshtigo. Westbound buses will operate on their regular route from Grand/Peshtigo.
Additional reroutes may be implemented due to heavy pedestrian and traffic congestion. Following the fireworks, CTA customers at Navy Pier will be directed to buses awaiting them at the circular drive at the Pier. Having a dedicated space for buses will help CTA to board customers quickly and help mitigate congestion.
Skokie Fourth of July Parade
The CTA Yellow Line Oakton-Skokie station is just a few steps away from the Skokie Fourth of July Parade that begins at noon on Tuesday, July 4. The route starts at Oakton Community College, 7701 N. Lincoln Avenue, and proceeds west to Oakton Street and then east to Oakton Park, 4701 Oakton Street, which is across the street from the Oakton-Skokie station. The annual parade will include bands, floats and more. For more information on the parade and taking CTA to get you there, visit: www.skokie4th.org.
Wrigley Field Events
CTA will provide additional bus and rail service to accommodate concert-goers heading to Wrigley Field for the following concerts this weekend:
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Thursday, June 29
- Dead & Company – Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1
Additional service will be provided on the #80 Irving Park and the #152 Addison beginning approximately two hours before each event, and then again for one hour following the event. In addition, Yellow Line trains will continue to operate until approximately 12 a.m., from Howard.
Red Hot Chili Peppers at the United Center (6/30 and 7/1)
Service along the #19 United Center Express will be provided for fans attending the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert at the United Center on Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1. The concert begins at 8 p.m. both nights.
- #19 United Center Express: Service will begin approximately 1.5 hours before the start of each event. At the end of each event, #19 buses will operate for one hour and await riders on the north side of the United Center eastbound on the Madison near Gate 3.
- #50 Damen: The #50 Damen route is another option for fans traveling from the north or south, which also make connections with the Orange, Pink, Blue and Brown lines. Northbound #50 buses will await customers on Damen at Madison after each event.
- Green/Pink Lines: Exit at the Ashland/Lake station and walk a few blocks southwest to the stadium or transfer to a southbound #9 Ashland bus.
- Blue Line: Exit at the Illinois Medical District station and walk a few blocks north to the United Center.
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.