Public transit is THE best way to get to the four-day festival in Grant Park
With tens of thousands of music fans expected to descend upon Chicago’s Grant Park to enjoy one of the country’s most popular music festivals, Metra and CTA are adding service and expanding capacity to serve customers throughout the Chicago area.
Starting Thursday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 4, Metra will provide extra trains, expand passenger capacity and adjust schedules on most lines to accommodate the increase in ridership anticipated during the four-day event. CTA will add service on rail lines, and various bus routes provide connections from Chicago Union Station or Ogilvie Transportation Center Metra stations and Grant Park.
To help Metra riders locate CTA buses at Union and Ogilvie stations, CTA and Metra will place sign boards directing riders to the appropriate CTA bus route. Buses serving those routes will also have signs in their windows indicating they serve the Lollapalooza site in Grant Park.
From Union Station: Take the #126 Jackson.
From Ogilvie Transportation Center: Take the #J14 Jeffery Jump.
“Lollapalooza attracts music lovers from all over the world to enjoy a diverse lineup of artists in a uniquely Chicago setting,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “With added service and discounted train tickets, Metra will be the best and most economical way to travel into the city to enjoy this festival.”
“Without a doubt, public transit is the fastest, most convenient and most affordable way to visit Lollapalooza,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “CTA will have ample train and bus service to get music fans to the festival easily and comfortably.”
This year, Metra is offering a two-day Lollapalooza train pass valid for unlimited travel on trains on Thursday, Aug. 1, and Friday, Aug. 2. This special pass, which is only $10 if purchased prior to Aug. 1 and $15 Aug. 1-2, is available at all ticket windows, including all downtown and outlying stations, and on the free Ventra App, available in the App Store or Google Play. Music fans are strongly encouraged to travel on Metra after 9:30 a.m., when more capacity is available.
For travel Saturday, Aug. 3 and Sunday, Aug. 4, festival-goers can purchase Metra’s $10 Weekend Pass, which is good for unlimited travel on Metra lines all weekend.
CTA riders can purchase a 3-day or 7-day unlimited-ride pass, a great option for those attending Lollapalooza for multiple days, or attending Lollapalooza after-show concerts. CTA riders can also use Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay, or any contactless credit or debit card, for pay-as-you-go rides ($2.25 for bus, $2.50 for train).
Festival-goers are also advised that Lollapalooza restricts items that can be carried into the festival grounds. For more information on what is permitted at Lollapalooza, go to: www.lollapalooza.com/information/.
For more information on Lollapalooza service offered by Metra and CTA, visit metrarail.com or transitchicago.com/lollapalooza
Twitter: @metra and @cta
About Metra
Metra is one of the largest and most complex commuter rail systems in North America, serving Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Kane and McHenry counties in northeastern Illinois. The agency provides service to and from downtown Chicago with 242 stations over 11 routes totaling nearly 500 route miles and approximately 1,200 miles of track. Metra operates nearly 700 trains and provides nearly 290,000 passenger trips each weekday.
About CTA
The CTA operates the nation's second largest public transportation system and covers the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs. On an average weekday, CTA serves more than 1.6 million riders.
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