CTA Transit Directions to the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon

You may be ready to run a marathon, but don?t waste your breath running to the starting line. CTA is your best option for fast and easy transportation to, from and around all the 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon events, including the Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place, the race start in Grant Park, and key spectator viewing areas along the course. Avoid the hassles of driving, race reroutes and the high cost of parking--rely on CTA to take you everywhere!

The adult full fare is $1.75, 25? extra for a transfer allowing two more rides in two hours. Pay with exact cash on buses or purchase transit cards from vending machines at CTA rail stations. Consider Visitor Pass for unlimited rides on all CTA buses and trains and Pace buses. Passes are available for one ($5), two ($9), three ($12) or five ($18) days. Buy transit cards in advance to make your trip even easier. For sales locations, call 1-888-YOUR-CTA or visit CTA's booth at the Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place where you also can get transit travel information and maps.

This site provides information on:

1. Directions to the Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place

2. Directions to the start of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in Grant Park

3. Special CTA Service to the start of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in Grant Park

4. Directions to Spectator Viewing Areas for the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon

5. General CTA Information

From the Downtown Area and connections with CTA 'L'-subway trains from the Southwest, West and Northwest Sides
Board the #3 King Drivebus southbound on Michigan Avenue, between Chicago Avenue and Roosevelt Road, directly to McCormick Place.

From the South and North Sides
Board any Red Line train to Cermak/Chinatown station. Transfer to the #21 Cermak bus eastbound, directly to McCormick Place or use the #3 King Drivebus.

From Ogilvie Transportation Center (Metra Union Pacific trains)
From Washington Street, board the eastbound, #14 Jeffery Express, #20 Madison or #56 Milwaukee bus and obtain a transfer. Exit the bus at Michigan Avenue and then board the #3 King Drive bus southbound directly to McCormick Place. Buses run every 8-20 minutes.*

From Union Station (Amtrak and Metra Milwaukee, BNSF & SW Service trains)
From Jackson Boulevard, board the eastbound #7 Harrison or #126 Jackson bus, and obtain a transfer. Exit the bus at Michigan Avenue and then board the #3 King Drive bus southbound directly to McCormick Place. Buses run every 8-20 minutes.*

From Randolph Street Station (Metra Electric & South Shore trains)
Exit at Randolph Street/Michigan Avenue. Board a #3 King Drive bus southbound directly to McCormick Place. Buses run every 8-20 minutes.*

Note: Some Metra Electric and South Shore trains serve McCormick Place station. Consult Metra or South Shore schedules, or call 836-7000.

From LaSalle Street Station (Metra Rock Island trains)
Exit the station to Van Buren Street and walk four blocks east to Michigan Avenue. Board the #3 King Drive bus southbound directly to McCormick Place. Buses run every 8-20 minutes.*

*Call 836-7000 (from any local area code) for schedule information.

From North Michigan Avenue
Board a southbound 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line train at Grand/State or Chicago/State and exit at Jackson. Exit the subway station and walk three blocks east on Jackson Boulevard to Columbus Drive. (Red Line runs every 10-15 minutes.)

Board the #3 King Drive or #151 Sheridan bus southbound on Michigan Avenue. Exit the bus at Monroe and walk one block east to Grant Park. (Buses run every 15-20 minutes.)

From the North Side
Board a southbound 95th /Dan Ryan Red Line train and exit at Jackson. Exit the subway station and walk three blocks east on Jackson Boulevard to Columbus Drive. (Red Line runs every 10-15 minutes.)

From the Northwest Side
Board a southbound Forest Park Blue Line or 54/Cermak Blue Line train and exit at Jackson. Exit the subway station and walk four blocks east on Jackson Boulevard to Columbus Drive. (Blue Line runs every 12 minutes.)

Board a southbound Belmont Brown Line train (Brown Line runs every 15-20 minutes) and transfer at Belmont to a southbound 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line train (Red Line trains run every 10-15 minutes) and exit at Jackson. Exit the subway station and walk three blocks east on Jackson Boulevard to Columbus Drive.
(Note: On Sundays, the first Brown Line train does not reach the downtown Loop until 7:12 a.m.)

From the West Side
Board an eastbound O'Hare Blue Line train and exit at Jackson. Exit the subway station and walk four blocks east on Jackson Boulevard to Columbus Drive. (Blue Line runs every 20-25 minutes.)

From the South Side
Board a northbound Howard Red Line train and exit at Jackson. Exit the subway station and walk three blocks east on Jackson Boulevard to Columbus Drive. (Red Line runs every 10-12 minutes.)

From the Southwest Side
Board a northbound Loop Orange Line train and exit at Library-State/Van Buren. Exit the station and walk two blocks east on Van Buren to Michigan. Continue east beyond Michigan and use pedestrian overpass to cross into Grant Park to Columbus Drive. (Orange Line runs every 10-20 minutes.)

From Ogilvie Transportation Center
Exit the station to Washington Street. Board a #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee or #60 Blue Island/26th bus to Michigan Avenue. Walk south one block to Monroe then east two blocks to Columbus Drive. (Buses operate every 20 minutes.)

From Union Station
Exit the station to Jackson Street and board the #126 Jackson bus to Michigan Avenue or the #151 Sheridan bus to Adams and State. Walk east to Columbus Drive. (Buses operate about every 20 minutes.)

CTA also offers bus service on race day. Note: Not all routes have early a.m. service on Sunday, buses run less frequently, and reroutes will begin after the start of the Marathon. For exact schedule information, call 836-7000 (from any local area code), or visit Maps & Schedules.

From McCormick Place Hyatt
On the morning of the Marathon, the CTA will operate service along the #3 King Drive bus route from the McCormick Place Hyatt to the race start in Grant Park. Board the #3 King Drive bus directly in front of the entrance to the McCormick Place South Building, which is directly south of the McCormick Place Hyatt. Service will begin at 6:00 a.m. and will run every 15-20 minutes.

The cost is $1.75. Exact fare is required. Fares can be paid with dollar bills or change on the bus, or can be purchased in advance at the Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place.

You can use Chicago's excellent public transit system (CTA) to show your support for this year's Marathon from beginning to end. Talk to your runners and find out their planned pace to estimate when they will arrive at particular locations on the course. (See the Marathon Course Map for corresponding locations listed below.*)

First Viewing Area ? Jackson (Red Line) Station ? Race Start, Mile #2
Board a Red Line train and exit at Jackson. Walk a half-mile east toward Grant Park. The Marathon will start just south of Monroe on Columbus Drive.

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.

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. Runners will be heading west on Addison and turning south onto Broadway.

Fifth Viewing Area ? Sedgwick (Brown Line) Station ? Mile #10.25
Board a Brown Line train and exit at Sedgwick.

Sixth Viewing Area ? Medical Center (Blue Line) Station ? Mile #15
Board a Forest Park Blue Line train and exit at Medical Center. Use the Damen Avenue exit.Board a Blue Line train and exit at UIC-Halsted. Use the Halsted Street exit or Morgan Street exit. Either walk two blocks north on Halsted Street to Adams Street to view the runners or head south through UIC campus to the Mile 18 mark at Little Italy.

Eighth Viewing Area ? Halsted (Orange Line) Station ? Mile #20.5
Board an Orange Line train and exit at Halsted.

Ninth Viewing Area ? Cermak-Chinatown (Red Line) Station ? Mile #21.25
Board a Red Line train and exit at Cermak-Chinatown. Walk a half-block west on Cermak Road to Wentworth Avenue or four blocks east to Michigan to the 40K mark.

Tenth Viewing Area ? 35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Green Line) Station ? Miles #23, 24
Board a Green Line train and exit at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT. Use the 34th Street exit and walk one block north to 33rd Street. Alternately, use the 35th Street exit and walk three blocks west to LaSalle.

Eleventh 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 toward Museum Campus/Grant Park.

*The Red Line tends to be very crowded during the Chicago Marathon. When possible, CTA also suggests seeing your runner at Spectator Viewing Stations along the Blue, Brown, Green and Orange Lines.

Up-to-Date Transit Information

Call 836-7000 from any local area code or visit www.transitchicago.com for the latest information on CTA bus and train service to the Grant Park Start/Finish Area (and to receive complimentary maps).

CTA Fare Information

There are two basic kinds of fare media: pay-per-ride Transit Cards and unlimited ride passes. Transit Cards are available at transit card vending machines at any rail station, as well as online at www.transitchicago.com. In addition, packs of pre-valued Transit Cards are available at neighborhood currency exchanges, Dominick's Finer Foods, Jewel Food Stores and select Cub Foods grocery stores.

Unlimited ride Visitor Passes also are available. A 1-day ($5) pass offers 24 hours of unlimited riding from the first use. This pass cannot be shared or recharged. Visitors can purchase 2-day ($9), 3-day ($12) and 5-day ($18) passes as well.

Visitor Passes can be purchased with exact cash or major credit cards at vending machines located at O'Hare, Midway, Chicago/State, Cumberland and Rosemont rail stations and the Water Works Visitor Information Center at Chicago & Michigan Avenues. For Visitor Pass advance sales and other sales locations, call 1-888-YOUR-CTA or visit www.transitchicago.com.

Transit Cards and Visitor Passes will also be sold at the CTA booth at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place and at CTA's O'Hare Airport rail station.

CTA Park & Ride to Downtown Loop

The CTA provides parking facilities at the following rail stations. Rates vary from $2.00 to $3.00, for up to twelve hours. All facilities use pay boxes, so carry exact change.

Blue Line
Cumberland, 54th/Cermak, Forest Park and Rosemont stations

Brown Line
Kimball and Kedzie/Lawrence stations

Green Line
Ashland/63rd and Garfield stations

Orange Line
Midway, Pulaski/51st, Kedzie/48th, Western/49th, 35th/Archer and Halsted/Archer stations

Purple Line
Linden station

Red Line
Howard station

Yellow Line (trains operate weekdays only)
Skokie station