<p>Hey guys, </p>
<p>I'm visiting U of C 1.5 weeks from now and I was wondering what are my transportation options and what you guys would recommend. Is there a shuttle of some sort? Am I better off just taking a taxi?</p>
<p>If you're flying into Midway airport, the 55 and 55x (express) are available. If it's your first time visiting and you're visiting alone, I wouldn't particularly recommend it, not because it's unsafe but because I find traveling by public transportation incredibly stressful if I'm doing it for the first time. From Midway, it's about a 20-30 minute bus ride for 2 bucks. You'd get off at ELLIS, which the computerized voice announces.</p>
<p>More often that not, though the computer is out of sync with the actual streets, so if "Ellis" came up and you requested a stop, the bus could stop a few blocks away from Ellis, which I imagine could be extremely confusing/frightening. Did I mention already that I didn't like public transportation?</p>
<p>I think you're much better off taking a taxi from Midway airport, which will set you back about 20 dollars.</p>
<p>If you're flying into O'Hare, your best bet is a taxi. Public transportation from O'Hare to Hyde Park is horrendous at best.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help amykins!</p>
<p>I have taken the subway from O'Hare to downtown (Jackson exit) and then grabbed a cab to Hyde Park (UChicago). Much cheaper and usually faster than a cab from the O'Hare to the campus.</p>
<p>I'm actually flying into Chicago Midway Airport. Thanks anyway idad.</p>
<p>Usually if you tell the cab driver the address or say "University of Chicago" or whatever it works out fine, but the first time I visited campus I gave him the address of the admin building - 1101 E. 58th, I think - and he tried to drop me off at 101 E. 58th. Which is, uh, not a great place to be wandering around lost. So it's probably a good idea to specify that it's in Hyde Park (if the driver seems unsure). Literally, you can't go wrong just heading straight east on 55th, although he might want to take the expressway to Lake Shore.</p>
<p>Some of this is a little silly. </p>
<p>Midway is actually on 55th St, which is the main drag along the northern edge of the Chicago campus. It's impossible to get lost between the two unless you have an uncontrollable compulsion to turn.</p>
<p>There's no reason not to take the 55 bus (or especially the 55X-for-express, which is twice as fast) unless saving 10-15 minutes is really worth $20, or public transportation really scares you. If you don't trust the computerized voice, look at the street signs, which are visible from the bus.</p>
<p>But have some idea where you're going at the University, because it's wide and deep enough that if you get off at the wrong stop you increase your walking distance by up to 5 or 6 loooong blocks.</p>
<p>What about taking the Metra? How does that work?</p>
<p>The Metra runs north-south through the other end of campus, it doesn't go to Midway or even come close to it. </p>
<p>JHS makes a good point, if you're familiar with public transportation at all it's not a bad idea to take the 55. However, it won't save you "10-15" minutes, every time I take the bus it takes upwards of an hour while a cab takes a third that much time.</p>
<p>on that note, Im taking Amtrak into downtown Chicago. Is it pretty easy to catch metra southbound?</p>
<p>If you're coming from Midway for the first time, I also suggest taking a cab. You may want to tell the driver to take 55th; if you're alone and don't look like you know what you're doing, he may take a longer route than necessary (happened to me my first time visiting alone).</p>
<p>A cab is probably the best way to get there on the first time, mostly because you then don't have to worry about where to get off the bus and keeping track of all your luggage. It's also faster (bus takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 1hr 15 min). I'd echo corranged comments about the 55th Street route if you are alone/don't look like you know your way around. (The Expressway/LSD route can be pretty fast, but if you don't know Chicago, you would have no idea whether the driver was going the right way). Also it might be helpful to be able to give an intersection. The east-west streets are all numbered, so drivers should be able to figure that part out. Most drivers should also recognize Ellis or Woodlawn (which are both two-way). You should arrive at the University a few blocks after going through a big park.</p>
<p>Re: Amtrak/Metra - to the best of my knowledge it's pretty easy. The Amtrak comes into Union station, and you'll want to catch the South Shore Metra line (to 57th St.) at the Van Buren station.</p>
<p>Here's where Union is at:
<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.87864,-87.64025&q=41.87864,-87.64025&spn=0.015,0.025%5B/url%5D">http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.87864,-87.64025&q=41.87864,-87.64025&spn=0.015,0.025</a></p>
<p>Walk south to Van Buren, and then just walk east (crossing the bridge) until you reach the station, which looks like it's a little ways into the park.</p>