Overview
Chicago's public transport is overseen by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), which is made up of three service boards: the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra commuter rail, and Pace suburban bus. The CTA is the second-largest public transportation system in the United States after New York's, covering the City of Chicago and 40 surrounding suburbs, and it runs 24 hours a day.
For a visitor, the system is easy to use end to end. You plan a trip using the colour-coded 'L' lines and the dense bus network, pay at a station vending machine or by tapping a contactless card or phone at the fare reader, and ride. The CTA's rapid transit system is known locally as the "Chicago 'L'" (also written "El" or "el"), and its eight colour-coded routes mix elevated track, street-level running and subway sections. Two lines run around the clock: the Blue Line (O'Hare International Airport to downtown) and the Red Line (North Side to South Side via downtown).
The network
The CTA operates the city's rapid transit ('L') and bus networks. Metra provides commuter rail from the suburbs into downtown, and Pace runs primarily suburban buses, with some routes reaching into Chicago. Water taxis and a large bike-share system round out the options.
Metro / rapid transit ('L')
- The CTA 'L' operates eight colour-coded routes over 222 miles (357 km) of track, with 1,190 rapid transit cars and 144 stations (145 rail stations by another count) in Chicago, Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette, Rosemont, Forest Park, Oak Park and Cicero.
- Lines are identified by colour. The Blue Line connects the Loop with O'Hare International Airport, and the Orange Line connects the Loop with Midway Airport.
- The Blue Line and Red Line run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- CTA trains provide about 745,000 customer trips each day.
Suburban rail (Metra)
- Metra commuter rail connects outlying suburbs to downtown Chicago, with 11 routes, more than 200 stations and a 3,700-square-mile service area.
- Metra tickets can be bought before boarding via the Ventra app, with options including one-way tickets, day passes and monthly passes.
Buses
- The CTA runs approximately 2,000 buses over 152 routes and 2,273 route miles (3,658 km), serving more than 12,000 posted bus stops and carrying about 1 million passenger trips a day. Stops come every few blocks.
- Pace operates the primarily suburban bus service, with some routes into Chicago. It came into existence under that name in 1985 and as an operating agency in 1995, absorbing routes previously run by suburban towns and private companies. Its weekday ridership was 1,195,308 in November 2023.
Water taxis
- Two water taxi services operate: Chicago Water Taxi (Wendella Boats) and Shoreline Water Taxi (Shoreline Sightseeing). They connect Chinatown, Museum Campus, Willis Tower, Michigan Avenue, Union Station and Navy Pier.
- Bicycles are allowed on water taxis during off-peak and weekend hours.
Bikes and the Pedway
- Divvy bike share operates 1,000 stations in Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park (with 400 more planned), offering classic bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters, 24/7 self-service docking.
- The Chicago Pedway is a network of about 5 miles of underground tunnels connecting more than 40 blocks in the Central Business District, linking buildings and transit.
Tickets & fares
Fares below are approximate and change; check the operator's site for current prices.
- 'L' train: $2.50 per ride from anywhere in the city. A ride originating at O'Hare costs $5.
- Bus: $2.25 per ride.
- Reduced fares and unlimited day passes are available on both trains and buses.
- Payment: Cash is accepted on buses only; train fares cannot be paid in cash. Ventra vending machines in every 'L' station sell disposable paper tickets and reloadable cards, and more than 1,000 retail locations sell reloadable Ventra cards.
- Tap to ride: Contactless mobile payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted at Ventra readers.
- Ventra app: Use it to track bus and 'L' arrival times, reload your balance, and buy Metra tickets before boarding.
- Metra: One-way tickets, day passes and monthly passes are available via the Ventra app.
From the airport
Chicago is one of the few US cities with rapid transit to two major airports. CTA trains reach both for $2.50 from anywhere in the city, which is faster than a taxi during rush hour and far cheaper; rides originating at O'Hare cost $5.
- O'Hare (ORD): The Blue Line runs between the Loop and O'Hare at least every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, taking around 40 minutes (about an hour by some accounts). The O'Hare station is at the end of the line, essentially in the airport basement; walking to the ticket counters takes 5–10 minutes for Terminals 2 or 3, slightly more for Terminal 1, and much longer for International Terminal 5, which requires the free people mover.
- Midway (MDW): The Orange Line runs between the Loop and Midway in around 25 minutes. The CTA Midway station is at the end of the line, linked to the airport by an enclosed tunnel; the walk takes approximately 10–15 minutes.
- Taxis are plentiful but expensive, especially at rush hour — expect upwards of $40 for O'Hare and $30 for Midway. Many large hotels offer complimentary shuttle vans or can arrange one for $15–25 with advance notice.
Etiquette & customs
- Bikes on transit: Bicycles are permitted on CTA buses via front-mounted racks and on CTA trains on weekdays outside the rush hours of 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.; on weekends and holidays they are allowed on trains all day except during special events. On Metra, bikes are allowed during off-peak and non-event times and in reverse-peak directions during rush hours.
- Rush hour: Trains and buses are busiest in the 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m. windows; plan around them if you are carrying luggage or a bicycle.
- Paying: Have your fare ready before boarding — cash is accepted on buses only, and train fares cannot be paid in cash, so tap or use a Ventra ticket at the station.
- Grid awareness: Madison Street divides the city north/south and State Street divides east/west, with eight blocks per mile — useful for judging whether to walk or ride.
Official links
Survival terms
Chicago's transit system operates in English, so the key terms are local names rather than a foreign language:
- 'L' / El / el — the rapid transit (metro/subway) system
- Ventra — the fare card, ticket and app system
- Line — a colour-coded route (Blue Line, Red Line, Orange Line, etc.)
- Station entrance / exit — marked at street level; follow the colour of your line
- Transfer — changing between lines or between train and bus
- Single fare — one ride ($2.50 train, $2.25 bus; $5 from O'Hare)
- Day pass — an unlimited-ride pass available on the CTA
- Loop — the downtown core where many lines converge
Before you set out each day, check live arrival times in the Ventra app so you can time your walk to the platform and avoid waiting in the rush-hour crush.