# Anyone familiar with O'Hare airport taking train to Union Station?



## Guest_Gingee_* (Sep 13, 2007)

Someone just mentioned to me that you can take a train or the L from O'Hare airport to Union Station. Do we have anyone who knows anything about doing this? We could take the bus from our town and it goes to O'Hare airport.

Thanks for any help. You guys are great.


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## jamesontheroad (Sep 13, 2007)

The blue line of the CTA runs from O'Hare to the downtown 'loop'. It doesn't go to Union Station, where all Amtrak services terminate, but it gets close. Clinton station is three blocks south of Union Station. From O'Hare take any blue train towards the loop. This map will help:

http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/maps/2007D.html

which is the downtown detail of this one:

http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/systemmaps.html

But beware! The CTA is not in great shape. The last couple of miles to O'Hare always seem to be in pretty bad shape: it's slow or stop-start running for much of that stretch, so allow yourself plenty of time: double what the timetables would suggest, especially if you're going to or from a plane.

*j*


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## WhoozOn1st (Sep 13, 2007)

The L Blue Line runs from O'Hare (right inside the airport) to the downtown Chicago Loop, but not to Union Station. The Blue Line runs as a subway in the Loop area, and it's kind of a hike to the station, especially with luggage. I've seen posts about Metra from O'Hare, and my impression was that it's pretty inconvenient at the airport. Hopefully someone else can provide more info on that.


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## Guest_Gingee_* (Sep 13, 2007)

If I found the right place, it looks like a long walk with suitcases. I see Clinton that is in the northwest corner. Am I looking at the right one?


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## WhoozOn1st (Sep 13, 2007)

Guest_Gingee_* said:


> If I found the right place, it looks like a long walk with suitcases. I see Clinton that is in the northwest corner. Am I looking at the right one?


The Blue Line Clinton stop is almost due south of Union Station on the detail map. It's really not that far.


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## Mark (Sep 13, 2007)

I've done it a few times but always rode to Jackson. Either way its about a six to seven block hike. The blue line out of O'hare seems painfully slow. There is/was numberous slow orders on that line. It takes about 40 minutes to get downtown to Jackson. Now, the last time I did this was about four months ago so it could be faster but knowing the CTA, I doubt it. The CTA cars are not real luggage friendly. If you travel during rush hour with a lot of bags it can be difficult. If you're up for a little adventure go for it! A limo/taxi will cost about $30 dollars. The blue line about $2-$3. Its easy to find just follow the signs to 'Ground Transportation' and you'll see where you need to go. From Terminal 1 its about a 10-15 minute walk.


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## AlanB (Sep 13, 2007)

Guest_Gingee_* said:


> If I found the right place, it looks like a long walk with suitcases. I see Clinton that is in the northwest corner. Am I looking at the right one?


It's about a 2 and 1/2 block walk from the Clinton Blue line station to Amtrak's Union Station. One enters the Amtrak station on Clinton and walks through the old main waiting room, to reach the new waiting rooms.

As for the Blue line trains running slowly that other's have mentioned, the CTA as noted by Robert Madison in a topic in the special forum for the gathering, is currently undertaking the needed repairs to fix the problems and allow the trains to run at normal speeds. This work should most likely be done long before you'd be using this line, next summer.


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## wkaemena (Sep 14, 2007)

AlanB said:


> Guest_Gingee_* said:
> 
> 
> > If I found the right place, it looks like a long walk with suitcases. I see Clinton that is in the northwest corner. Am I looking at the right one?
> ...



I took the CTA in June when making my CZ trip to EMY. As long as you have a rolling suitcase it is pretty close and covenient from Clinton to CUS. As advised on the CTA website due to trackworks the travel time is a bit longer than published, but it took me 50 min from ORD via the downtown to Clinton. The train ( at 10 am ) was totally empty almost the whole way. To stowe your luggage on CTA it was good to sit at the end of any coach next to an unmanned driver cabin where is plenty of room for sitting and luggage without obstucting anything. Trains are running every 15 min and it could not be cheaper to get from ORD to Downtown CHI. As 90% of the trip is not underground, there is even to see a lot.


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## Guest_Gingee_* (Sep 14, 2007)

Thanks for the idea of a limo. We may have one large suitcase and at least a carryon. This is two women and two men.

Do limos cost the same as a taxi? How do you find a limo at the airport? $30 is not bad for four people. I think it costs $30 for a bus from Peoria to O'Hara airport. Then you have to double it for round trip so it is $60 x 4 people. Hmmm


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## sechs (Sep 14, 2007)

http://metrarail.com/System_map/index.html

Realise that Metra is a commuter rail service and, therefore, times are catered to that group....


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## Guest_Gingee_* (Sep 14, 2007)

I just had a idea. Not sure if it would work or not. My son lives in McHenry and we took the metra in to downtown Chicago last month from Crystal Lake. We could possibly drive to Crystal Lake and leave our car there and he could pick it up and take it to his place. Then he could reverse it when we come home. Of course he might not like that idea. LOL I have been on the metra but I can't remember where we would put a bunch of luggage. hmmm So when we come into the metra station (can't remember the name), would we take a right out of the station or left? (Just thinking up all these ideas).


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## Guest_TransAtlantic_* (Sep 14, 2007)

If you walk out the exit in the parking garage area on the southwest corner of the station (or better yet, take the tunnel that goes under the street and lets you out into the parking structure one block south), it's one short block to the Clinton station - you can see if under the overpass...I've done it many times, and if you can carry/roll your luggage 100 yards without needing hospitalization, you'll be fine (there are stairs only down into the Blue Line, though)


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## Gingee (Sep 14, 2007)

Thanks for all the great information.

I remember walking out of the metra station but not too sure what street we came out on. I know we came out by some inside stores and two escalators.


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## Guest_TransAtlantic_* (Sep 14, 2007)

Gingee said:


> Thanks for all the great information.
> I remember walking out of the metra station but not too sure what street we came out on. I know we came out by some inside stores and two escalators.


You need to be on the SOUTH side of the station, which is away from the stores and escalators a bit (near the Amtrak waiting room for the LSL/SWC, etc.); go up to the exit by the vending machines, which is actually an "indoor" exit (there's an auto entrance there) OR before going up the stairs/ramp, on the left are glass doors leading to a glassed-in tunnel (overlooking the Metra arrivals and departures to the south) - this tunnel ends in a parking structure across the street from the station, just one block to the north of the overpass/Clinton Blue Line station...


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## Trogdor (Sep 14, 2007)

AlanB said:


> Guest_Gingee_* said:
> 
> 
> > If I found the right place, it looks like a long walk with suitcases. I see Clinton that is in the northwest corner. Am I looking at the right one?
> ...


It depends on which "work" we're talking about. The whole Blue Line Slow Zone Elimination Project (whether or not it has an official name, I don't know), will run through the end of next year. The work is being done in phases. Phase I was just completed, with the slow zones between Grand and Division in the Milwaukee Avenue subway being lifted this past week.

The next phase is Jefferson Park to Harlem, as I noted in another post (in the gathering forum, see my note to folks staying near O'Hare), which should run October to early December. The third phase, which starts next spring, is a varying zone between Jefferson Park and O'Hare (mostly west of Harlem, though). The fourth phase, between Jefferson Park and Belmont, will be next summer through the end of the year.

If you're traveling during a weekday, during daytime hours, you shouldn't see much impact. The trains may be slow in sections (but they're slow now), but service will be running at what passes for normal. If you're traveling during a weekend (or overnight), there is a possibility that the line may be cut and replaced with shuttle buses. Depending on the exact work being done at the time, that could significantly increase your trip times, or only have minor impact.

If you have any questions, let me know as your travel date gets closer, and hopefully I'll have better details on what to expect.


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## Gingee (Sep 15, 2007)

Thanks to all. We are still debating our trainsportation but we were trying to decide if we want to leave from Chicago and I think we do. May book soon. Can always change our mind.


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## wkaemena (Sep 15, 2007)

Guest_Gingee_* said:


> Thanks for the idea of a limo. We may have one large suitcase and at least a carryon. This is two women and two men.Do limos cost the same as a taxi? How do you find a limo at the airport? $30 is not bad for four people. I think it costs $30 for a bus from Peoria to O'Hara airport. Then you have to double it for round trip so it is $60 x 4 people. Hmmm



As you are not traveling alone I would go for the CTA Train it is 2$ per person, running every 15 min directly from inside o'Hare Terminal to Clinton, one block away from CUS. As already told there is one little stair out of clinton. And the advantage: one car less in the streets and many gallons not waisted and transformed in stinky exhaust gas and you are riding on your own track free of any congestions and 8$ more to support CTA for a cleaner transport ( every bit counts,,...)


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## jeffcarp (Sep 15, 2007)

There is no Metra from O'Hare. Metra would not be a convenient option - it would require a taxi to the closest station and would take much longer than the blue line L. The walk from Clinton St on the Blue Line to Union Station is not long at all in good weather if your physical conditions is fine for walking and pulling luggage.



WhoozOn1st999 said:


> The L Blue Line runs from O'Hare (right inside the airport) to the downtown Chicago Loop, but not to Union Station. The Blue Line runs as a subway in the Loop area, and it's kind of a hike to the station, especially with luggage. I've seen posts about Metra from O'Hare, and my impression was that it's pretty inconvenient at the airport. Hopefully someone else can provide more info on that.


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## sechs (Sep 15, 2007)

The O'hare transfer station is on the Metra North Central line....


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## Gingee (Sep 15, 2007)

Transfer station? Could you elaborate?

Thanks


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## AlanB (Sep 15, 2007)

Gingee said:


> Transfer station? Could you elaborate?Thanks


A transfer station is where one transfers from one form of transit to another. In this case, you transfer from the shuttle bus that you boarded at the airport to the train. Please note that the train only stops here on a limited schedule and IIRC, only on weekdays. I believe that there is no serivce at that METRA station on the weekends.


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## Gingee (Sep 15, 2007)

Thanks. Sounds like it may be getting a little complicated. I think we may check other options.


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## Gingee (Sep 15, 2007)

Are you talking "transfer to the metra station or union station?" I know. My brain is having a brain freeze.


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## AlanB (Sep 15, 2007)

Gingee said:


> Are you talking "transfer to the metra station or union station?" I know. My brain is having a brain freeze.


The METRA station, where upon you would board a METRA train to Union Station.


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## Everydaymatters (Sep 16, 2007)

Gingee, I always take Metra from either Woodstock, which is the stop west of Crystal Lake, or from Crystal Lake. It ends up at the Ogilvy Transporation Center, which is about 3 blocks from CUS. I always walk along Clinton to CUS with one suitcase on wheels and a carryon and purse over my shoulder.

As far as where to put the suitcases on Metra, I'm usually traveling with a grandchild and we take up the 2 seats that are facing eachother. If I'm traveling alone, I take up one double seat. Nobody has ever complained, but usually I don't have to travel during rush hour.

I think you take cruises(?), which might mean more luggage, but it's still do-able.

Betty


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## Trogdor (Sep 16, 2007)

The Metra North Central Service does stop at O'Hare. However, that route only runs a limited service, only on weekdays.

From the O'Hare transfer station, you catch a shuttle bus over to the ATS (Airport Transit System, or whatever it's called) tram, which you then ride into the terminal. It's probably an easier option going TO O'Hare rather than from O'Hare (provided the schedule for Metra works out for you). If you do find yourself on the Metra North Central line, it will take you right into Union Station.

The CTA Blue Line will be a one seat ride from the terminal all the way into downtown, which will then be a short walk of a couple blocks up to Union Station.


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## Gingee (Sep 16, 2007)

So many ideas. Hmmm Betty, yes we are cruising people. There will be three or four of us going to NYC and then taking a five night cruise to Nova Scotia area. We are also spending some days in NYC. We want to see things we didn't see a few years ago when we took another cruise from there. Yes we will have a lot of suitcases. Usually a large one and maybe a larger duffle bad per person.

Woodstock sound very familiar. Where do you live Betty?


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## sechs (Sep 17, 2007)

Isn't there an underground walkway between Northwestern and Union stations?

I've never taken it, but I'm sure that I've seen entrances.


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## Trogdor (Sep 17, 2007)

No. You can walk down the platforms from Union Station, and they will get you to the southeast side of Madison Street. Cross Madison and Canal and you'll get to Ogilvie Transportation Center (formerly Northwestern Station).


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## frj1983 (Sep 18, 2007)

wkaemena said:


> Guest_Gingee_* said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the idea of a limo. We may have one large suitcase and at least a carryon. This is two women and two men.Do limos cost the same as a taxi? How do you find a limo at the airport? $30 is not bad for four people. I think it costs $30 for a bus from Peoria to O'Hara airport. Then you have to double it for round trip so it is $60 x 4 people. Hmmm
> ...


Well,

I wouldn't exactly say it was "one" block, unless your definition of a "block" is different from mine. It's more like a third of a mile!


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## wkaemena (Sep 18, 2007)

frj1983 said:


> wkaemena said:
> 
> 
> > Guest_Gingee_* said:
> ...


 well you are right.... but it is shorter than many ways inside of airports..... see here a Google Earth pict showing the way from Clinton to CUS a few steps only


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## TransAtlantic (Sep 18, 2007)

Not to sound snippy about it, but those blocks in that part of Chicago (most of the downtown area, in fact) are "half-blocks", based on the standard block size developed in Manhattan in the mid-19th century...


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## Gingee (Sep 18, 2007)

Okay, I see the blue line and the red line. Could describe what stops where on this map?

Thanks


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## wkaemena (Sep 18, 2007)

Gingee said:


> Okay, I see the blue line and the red line. Could describe what stops where on this map?Thanks


The handdrawn red line is your way from Clinton subway station ( which is located underground below the highway) to CUS. the Blue lines are features of Google Earth showing railroads ( in this case the CTA and the Amtrak / METRA)


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