Taking Public Transportation to Great Lakes Office
Getting Downtown from the Airports
This information sheet is intended to get you into the downtown area from both Midway and OHare Airports. The information contained herein is reasonably accurate, but may be subject to change.
OHare Airport
- By Train. Escalators descend from the terminal to an underground
corridor (its safe) and an eight-minute walk, partly on moving walkways,
to the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) Blue Line Terminal. Signs show
the way from all the airlines. The L (elevated train) fare is $1.50 (payable
at the agents window) and a train is always waiting. Go 18 stops for Jackson/Dearborn,
and get off. You are in the Loop. The Jackson/Dearborn is the closest one
to the EPA Regional Office and the Union League Club. Takes about 50 minutes.
- By Taxi. One way cab fare is about $25.50 on the meter, $29.50
with a 15 percent tip. The ride is about 29 minutes on a good day. Note:
See share-ride info under Midway taxis.
- By Limo. $30.00 to $50.00 for a sedan, $45.00 to $65.00 for a
limo. About 29 minutes.
- By Bus. Continental Air Transport runs buses and vans to various
downtown hotels. One way fare is $14.75, $25.50 round trip. Call them at
1-800-654-7871.
Normal travel time is about 25 - 45 minutes. Watch signs for buses and taxis at the terminal. Buses run every half-hour beginning at 5:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Midway Airport
- By Train. The CTAs Orange Line leaves Midway terminal east
on 57th Street. The terminal is accessible via a pedway that is a six-minute
walk. No agents to collect fares here. Rather, you slide your money ($1.50)
into a machine that gives you a token and change. Trains run every ten
minutes. Go eight stops to the LaSalle/Van Buren stop for the EPA Regional
Office and the Union League Club. Were a block and a half away. Time from
the airport is about 25 minutes.
- By Taxi. From the starters booth inside of the terminal into
the Loop is $16.00 to $22.00. The price to share a cab is only $10.00.
Tell the starter that you want to share a cab and they designate the next
one as a share-ride cab. From the time you enter the cab, the driver
is obligated to wait ten minutes for two other passengers. Once they enter
the cab, you go. Three riders is maximum. If after ten minutes there is
only one other passengers, the driver must take you at the shared-ride
rate. If no other passengers show up in ten minutes, you take off and pay
the metered rate. This program also runs out of OHare, but for $15.00.
Travel time is 22 minutes. Drivers expect to be tipped.
- By Bus. See bus particulars under OHare, above. Buses to hotels from Midway are $10.75 OW, $19.00 RT. Runs from 6:25 a.m. through 8:55 p.m. Takes about 28 minutes.