O'Hare Airport in Chicago: CTA and Metra Trains

As the air-to-ground gateway for millions of Chicago visitors, O'Hare Airport can be a daunting hub if you're unaccustomed to giant international airports. Some travelers, eager to leave the crowded airport behind, grab their bags and head right to the taxi stand so they can take a cab to the Loop (around $40) or to another destination equally pricey. But O'Hare Airport enjoys a solid connection to public transit, so visitors can easily connect to CTA and Metra trains to save money and, in some cases, time.

O'Hare Airport and CTA Train Transportation

O'Hare is served by Chicago's Blue Line, one of the two 24-hour trains provided by the CTA. O'Hare is one terminus of the line, which makes a few suburban stops before traversing the northwest side of the city. The train initially follows the freeway before crossing through neighborhoods like Logan Square and Wicker Park and then heading into the Loop via subway. The Blue Line then continues beyond the Loop to serve the University of Illinois at Chicago and other destinations on two branches (one of which is only offered during rush hours).

For the typical tourist or business traveler headed to a hotel in downtown Chicago, the ride between O'Hare Airport and the Loop area takes about 45 minutes. There are admittedly a lot of stops along the Blue Line's O'Hare branch, but the trains operate with such frequency that the travel time compares favorably with taking a cab, especially during rush hours and other times when the freeway system is backed up. Throughout most of the day, the trains run every 7-8 minutes, with rush hour service operating more frequently (every 5-6 minutes) and late-night service operating less frequently (every 10-20 minutes).

No matter which O'Hare terminal you're using, the connection to CTA train transportation is simple. For terminals 1, 2, and 3 (mostly domestic terminals), just follow the signs that will lead you through a tunnel to the station itself, which is part of the huge parking garage. For terminal 5 (popularly known as the international terminal), you'll need to take a short ride on the automated airport tram over to Terminal 3 and then use the tunnel described above. The signage at O'Hare, as with most airports, is quite detailed, so you really can't get too lost.

The fare for CTA train rides is $2 and can be paid in cash, though a visitor pass offering unlimited rides for a period of time may be a better value if you plan to use public transit for more than just the trip from and to O'Hare Airport. For example, $9 gets you all the CTA rides you want for 48 hours.

Fore more details on CTA trains (and buses too!), visit www.transitchicago.com.

O'Hare Airport and Metra Train Transportation

Metra, the commuter rail system for the Chicago area, may also be accessed at O'Hare. Because service to downtown is far less frequent, more expensive, and not much faster than the CTA Blue Line train, taking Metra between downtown and O'Hare is not terribly convenient, though it's a little more comfy. However, the Metra Line that does serve O'Hare Airport, the North Central, does head north to its terminus, Antioch, so it may be useful for folks headed to the northern suburbs.

For more details on Metra, visit www.metrarail.com.