Those headed out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this weekend are encouraged to save their money for….other things…and take advantage of CTA’s additional rail service!
On Saturday, March 16, CTA can get you and your friends closer to the parade and river dyeing action than other travel options and at a fraction of the price.
Ride-hailing vehicles won’t be allowed to pick up and drop off in the area bounded by State Street, Ohio and Roosevelt—making CTA the only way to get to the front row of the festivities.
CTA will provide more frequent service on the Red Line as well as longer trains on Brown, Blue, Orange, Green and Purple Lines on Saturday, March 16. Customers can also use the following rail stations and bus routes to get as close to the lucky celebrations as possible.
Chicago River Dyeing – Sat. 3/16 at 9 a.m.
- Nearest rail stations: Clark/Lake, State/Lake, Red Line Lake and Grand
- Nearest bus routes: #3, #4, #6, #J14, #20, #22, #29, #36, #56, #60, #62, #124, #146, #147, #151 and #157
St. Patrick’s Day Parade - Sat. 3/16 at 12 p.m.
- Nearest rail stations: Lake (Red), Blue Line Washington, Monroe and Jackson, Washington/Wabash, Adams/Wabash and Harold Washington Library
- Nearest bus routes: #3, #4, #6, #7, #J14, #20, #29, #36, #56, #60, #62, #124, #126, #147, #151 and #157
We recommend loading your Ventra card with cash value or unlimited-ride passes a few days in advance so you can skip the lines and get straight to the fun! More information about purchasing fares is below.
Note: Street closures, reroutes and traffic congestion may affect the estimated bus arrival times on CTA Bus Tracker. For the most up-to-date information, please visit: transitchicago.com/alerts.
It’s also a busy weekend for sports fans. CTA will provide extra service for various sporting events taking place at the United Center.
United Center
Big Ten Tournament:
Wed. 3/13 at 5:30 p.m., Thurs. 3/14 and Fri. 3/15 at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sat. 3/16 at 12 p.m. and Sun. 3/17 at 2:30 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks - Mon. 3/18 at 7:30 p.m.
Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls - Wed. 3/20 at 7 p.m.
Fare Information
The CTA recommends that customers plan ahead and purchase fares in advance to decrease travel times and avoid long lines at rail stations. Below are some of the convenient methods to pay your way on the CTA:
- Existing Ventra card users: Customers can load their registered Ventra cards ahead of time with either transit value or unlimited ride passes (1-day, 3-day, 7-day and 30-day) via the free Ventra app, at rail stations, online or at nearly 1,000 local retailers (for locations available or to download the app, visit ventrachicago.com).
- Visitors: Available at Ventra vending machines located in all CTA rail stations are 1-day unlimited ride tickets ($10) or single-ride tickets ($3 at all rail stations except O’Hare, which costs $5) that offer up to two transfers within two hours. Customers can also obtain reloadable Ventra fare cards at all Ventra vending machines.
- Electronic fare payments: Customers can pay their fare with contactless bankcards and mobile wallets (e.g. Apple Pay or Android Pay), which will deduct $2.50 for each tap of the card or mobile device on buses or at rail stations. Transfers are not available with these payment options – to transfer, customers will need to obtain a Ventra fare card or ticket.
- Cash: Cash payments are accepted on buses and require exact fare. No transfers are available with cash fares, only with Ventra fare cards and tickets.
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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