Additional service also provided for Health and Fitness Expo;Customers advised to plan ahead, purchase fares early
The Chicago Transit Authority is a convenient and affordable transit option to get to the 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon at Grant Park on Sunday, October 9, and the 2016 Health and Fitness Expo at McCormick Place on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8, 2016.
The CTA is ready to accommodate the expected crowds with additional service along key routes and extra personnel staffing major bus and rail stops, including at O’Hare and Midway airports, to assist customers with purchasing fares and providing travel information.
The marathon begins Sunday at 7:30 a.m.
Bus service in the vicinity of the marathon will be affected with intermittent reroutes or delays related to lane closures. Customers should allow extra travel time when heading to/from these events.
FARE INFORMATION
The CTA strongly recommends that customers purchase fares in advance to decrease travel times and avoid long lines at rail station vending machines. Customers can load ahead of time transit value or unlimited ride passes (1-day, 3-day, 7-day and 30-day) to their Ventra fare cards via the free Ventra app, at rail stations, online or at nearly 1,300 local retailers (for locations available or to download the free app, visit: ventrachicago.com). Other ways to pay fares include purchasing from CTA vending machines 1-day unlimited ride tickets ($10) or single-ride tickets ($3) that offer up to two transfers in two hours.
The CTA will also have a booth at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo on Friday and Saturday at McCormick Place to provide travel information and transit tips. Single ride, 1-day and 3-day tickets will also be available at the CTA booth.
Additional CTA personnel will be on duty at the O’Hare Blue Line Terminal and the Midway Orange Line Terminal at fare sales tables and will assist marathon participants and spectators arriving Thursday through Saturday. On Sunday, additional staff will be available at several major rail stations and bus stops across the system to help customers with travel information and fares.
RAIL SERVICE (Sunday Only):
To accommodate additional ridership for the 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the CTA will provide extra rail service on Sunday, October 9:
Red Line: Longer trains will be running earlier and with more frequent service, from 5 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Blue Line: Longer trains will be running from 5 a.m. until 4 p.m., with more frequent service from 9:35 a.m. until 11:20 a.m.
Brown Line: Longer trains will be running from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. with more frequent service
Green Line: Longer trains will be running from 5:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Orange Line: Longer trains will be running from 5:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Purple Line: Will provide earlier service, with the first train departing Linden at 5:30 a.m.
BUS SERVICE
On Sunday, the CTA will provide additional service on #3 King Drive: from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Along the race course, there will be intermittent reroutes affecting the following CTA bus routes:
For information on street closures, visit https://chicagomarathon.com/streetclosures.
2016 Health and Fitness Expo
The CTA will provide additional bus service for the upcoming 2016 Health and Fitness Expo at McCormick Place. The Expo takes place Friday, October 7 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
#3 King Drive: Extra service will be provided on Friday from 7:40 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 7:40 a.m. until 7 p.m. between Mies van der Rohe and McCormick Place.
Participants can also get to the Health and Fitness Expo by taking the Green Line and exiting at the wheelchair accessible Cermak-McCormick Place station, which is located a few blocks west of McCormick Place.
VIEWING AREAS NEAR CTA STATIONS
Viewing areas are designated near CTA rail stations at 10 points along the marathon route for those interested in following the progress of the race:
First Viewing Area – Grand (Red Line) Station – Miles #1, #3 and #12. Board a Red Line train and exit at Grand Avenue.
Second Viewing Area – Monroe (Red Line) Station –Mile #2. Board a Red Line train and exit at Monroe Street.
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 Street (Mile 3.5) and four blocks west to Wells Street (Mile 11.5).
Fourth Viewing Area – Clark/Division (Red Line) Station – Miles #4 and #11. Board a Red Line train and exit at LaSalle Street (Mile 4). Walk four blocks east to Wells Street (Mile 11)
Fifth Viewing Area - Addison (Red Line) Station – Mile #7.75. Board a Red Line train and exit at Addison. Walk four blocks east to Broadway.
Sixth Viewing Area – Sedgwick (Brown Line) Station – Mile #10.25. Board a Brown Line train and exit at Sedgwick Street. Walk a half-block north to North Avenue.
Seventh Viewing Area – UIC-Halsted (Blue Line) Station – Miles #13.5 and #16.5. Board a Blue Line train and exit at UIC-Halsted. Use the Halsted Street exit or Morgan Street exit. Walk two blocks north to Adams Street (Mile #13.5) in Greektown or use the Halsted Street exit to view runners at Mile #16.5
Eighth Viewing Area – 18th (Pink Line) Station – Mile #19. Board a Pink Line train and exit at 18th Street. Walk one block east to Ashland.
Ninth Viewing Area – Halsted (Orange Line) Station – Mile #20.5. Board an Orange Line train and exit at Halsted.
Tenth Viewing Area – Sox-35th and 35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Red/Green Line) Stations – Mile #23. Board a Green Line train and exit at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT using either the 33rd Street or 35th Street exit. Board a Red Line train and exit at Sox-35th. Walk two blocks east on 35th Street to State Street.
Eleventh Viewing Area - Cermak-McCormick Place (Green Line) Station – Mile #25. Board a Green Line train and exit at Cermak-McCormick Place. Walk two blocks east to Michigan Avenue.
Twelfth Viewing Area – Roosevelt (Red/Green/Orange Lines) Station – Finish Line. Board a Red, Green or Orange line train and exit at Roosevelt. Walk east on Roosevelt Road toward the Museum Campus/Grant Park.
Park & Ride Facilities
Avoid traffic congestion and combine the convenience of driving with the economic benefit of public transit by using CTA Park & Ride facilities. Parking is available at CTA’s 17 Park & Ride facilities across the rail system.
Park & Ride stations are listed on the CTA’s website at transitchicago.com/parking/.
Commemorative Fare Tickets Available in Select ‘L’ Stations
CTA is offering limited edition commemorative Chicago Marathon fare tickets in select ‘L’ station Ventra machines. To receive a commemorative ticket, customers can purchase a single ride or 1-day ride fare from Ventra machines located at certain high-volume stations across the system:
- O’Hare Blue Line
- Rosemont Blue Line
- Cumberland Blue Line
- UIC-Halsted Blue Line
- Midway Orange Line
- 18th Pink Line
- 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line
- Addison Red Line
- Chicago Red Line
- Grand Red Line
- Roosevelt Red Line
- Sox-35th Red Line
- Cermak/Chinatown Red Line
- Lake Red Line
- Harlem Green Line
- 35th-Bronzeville-IIT Green Line
- Cermak-McCormick Green Line
- Clark/Lake
- LaSalle Blue Line
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.
Note: Due to street closures, reroutes and traffic congestion, the estimated arrival times for buses operating in the vicinity of the marathon route may not be accurately reflected on CTA Bus Tracker.
# # #