<p>I'm visiting Chicago in a few weeks, and I'm looking for some tips with regards to transportation. I commute via subway everyday, and I always get frustrated with people who don't know where they're going or how to use the system, and I don't want to be "that person" (who makes everyone else miss their train!). I'm comfortable and familiar with the NY and DC subway systems, but I've never been to Chicago before.</p>
<p>I'll be coming in from O'Hare, so as far as I can tell from maps, I should take the blue line downtown, and then transfer to the green line, and then get off at Garfield. With regards to transferring, is that all underground like it is in NY and DC, or do I get out and walk to the next stop and reenter the system?</p>
<p>Any other tips about visiting Chicago would also be much appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>I take it you’re trying to get to Hyde Park and the University of Chicago.</p>
<p>I haven’t done this in a while and others may have different views, but I think the Garfield stop on the Green line is in a pretty sketchy area. I’d be more inclined to take the Blue line downtown (“to the Loop” in Chicago parlance), transfer to a southbound Red line train at Jackson (you’ll need to walk one short block through an underground tunnel, but you’ll be familiar with this from NY), then take the Red line to Garfield where you can catch an eastbound #55 bus that will take you right into Hyde Park. The Red line is just a busier train and there will be more people around at the Red line Garfield stop than at the Green line Garfield stop, so to my mind it’s a safer place to wait for the bus. Both the Blue line and the Red line are subways at the downtown transfer point, but both will be either surface level trains (running down the medians of expressways) or elevated at various points along their respective routes.</p>
<p>If you want to take the Green line, the best transfer point from the Blue line is Clark Street. The Blue line is a subway at that point and the Green line is elevated, so you’ll need to take the stairs up to street level and then another flight of stairs up to the elevated station level. I believe a $0.25 transfer charge will be recorded on your farecard, which you’ll need to buy before getting on the first train. Second transfer (to the bus) should be free.</p>
<p>Fares are a standard price-per-ride (like NY), not time-and-distance like the DC system.</p>
<p>An alternative–possibly a more pleasant and efficient one–would be to take the Blue line downtown to the Jackson stop, come up from the subway and walk one block east to State Street and transfer to a southbound #6 Jackson Park Express bus which will take you down Lake Shore Drive and right into Hyde Park. (Depending on the time of day the #2 Hyde Park Express bus will do the same thing, but the #2 operates only during morning and evening rush hours).</p>
<p>You’re a brave soul to visit Chicago in January. Chicago is enormous. Manhattan and DC are very compact cities; Chicago isn’t, and you may be shocked by its enormous girth. It will take you an hour, more or less, just to get to the Loop from O’Hare. Other tips? Theater is very good. Blues scene is great. I’m partial to Chicago-style stuffed spinach pizza (Giordano’s is my favorite) but many New Yorkers think it’s an abomination. Lots of great ethnic eateries, usually a bit cheaper than NY. The Art Institute is well worth a visit if you’ve got the time. Chicago’s lakefront parks and beaches are its crown jewel in the summer and fall, not so much this time of year. Plenty more but I’ll let others chime in.</p>
<p>The first thing you should do is see if you can fly into Midway rather than O’Hare. Midway is a straight-shot 30-40 minute bus ride from the University of Chicago (on the #55 or #59); O’Hare will likely take you more than two hours on public transportation.</p>
<p>For whatever reason, Chicago students don’t like to take the Green Line. They seem to prefer the Red Line, even though its Garfield stop is farther from the University and approximates Hell on Earth (it’s in the middle of the Dan Ryan Expressway). What the Admissions Office would tell you to do is what bclintonk suggests: Get off the Blue Line at Jackson, and take the very pleasant #6 bus ride down Lakeshore Drive to Hyde Park, then walk or bus through the lovely, toney part of Hyde Park to the University. Trust me, you will feel better about the University if you do that.</p>
<p>The other thing to consider if you are going to be there long enough is buying the special unlimited 3-day CTA pass only available at the airports. It’s a great deal if you are travelling around the city on public transportation.</p>
<p>The CTA lines are all mostly above-ground, but some (the Red Line, maybe part of the Blue Line) have significant underground stretches. Free transfer stations are marked on the maps; a transfer to or from the Red Line or buses requires a transfer purchase (or a visitor pass, or a Chicago Plus card).</p>
<p>I haven’t lived in Hyde Park for 23 years, but I wouldn’t take any El that dropped me off on Garfield. When I was at the GSB (now Booth), we took the Metra Electric between the loop and Hyde Park. The have a stop right on the Midway.</p>
<p>Shootingsilver, I second the poster who suggested Midway. The only problem is I believe the only airline flying non-stop from NYC to Midway is Southwest (I’m the mom of another prospie looking into this for the first time ) But they fly from LaGuardia and are usually competively priced. We’ve been told to avoid O’hare in general but particulary if ones final destination is as far south of it as UChicago. Good luck!</p>
<p>When we visited UChicago this past summer, we stayed at a hotel downtown in the loop but took a bus directly to Hyde Park. I think it was a number 6…? There are many different ways to get around but you can call the admissions office and they will direct you. Are you going to be staying a few days? Then it might be easier to get to the school from you hotel - concierges are also good for telling you about public transportation options.
We did try Giordano’s pizza - different but yummy and filling</p>
<p>I’m usually not a fan of pizze, but when in Chicago…I feel like I should make an exception! I’m staying overnight, but since I’m trying not to miss much school, I’m flying in in the morning (landing at 7 am) and flying out the next evening around 6. Unfortunately, there’s not much time to poke around. </p>
<p>I think I’ll definitely be shocked by the size. DC, NYC, Moscow, and Philadelphia, and Portland are the only major cities I’ve spent a significant amount of time in. We booked tickets a few weeks ago, and I remember researching both O’Hare and Midway for my mom, but I can’t quite remember which one we decided on. I’m pretty sure it was O’Hare (cheaper) but I’ll double check just to be sure</p>
<p>A couple months ago I walked from the Garfield station to the U. of Chicago. It wasn’t bad during the day, but it would be a long walk if you are carrying any bags. I don’t think I would do it if I was a woman walking alone - you are walking through a largely empty park. I took the bus back to the Loop along Cottage Grove to State St., which was very crowded. </p>
<p>Everyone says the area has greatly improved, but you can still see plenty of signs of past deterioration near the Garfield station. One of the things that gave Southside of Chicago a bad reputation were the tens of thousands of high rise low income housing units along State St. Almost all of them have been demolished.</p>
<p>Most of the train lines are above ground, except a couple stretches in the center of the city.</p>
<p>As noted above, the Metra rail system is the heavy regional rail line for commuters. It is probably a little more expensive that the El trains, but you may feel it is a little safer.</p>
<p>College visits in general.<br>
Look at the specific college for suggestions on travel and where to stay. U of C offers a great hotel rate through their site for the Hilton. Visit the website of the local public travel options. I’m planning a visit to an east coast school for DD next month. No car rental means less headaches.
If you don’t have much time in Chicago The Oriental Institute [Oriental</a> Institute | Museum & Public Education](<a href=“http://oi.uchicago.edu/museum/]Oriental”>http://oi.uchicago.edu/museum/) is on the campus.
Enjoy!</p>
<p>I lied! Turns out I’m flying into Midway, which seems like it will make the trip to the campus much easier. I’m also doing an overnight at the school, which means I don’t have to worry about hotel reservations and the like.</p>
<p>Midway!-that’s the ticket. Good, it will all work out better for you. Hope you fall in love with the school. And then you can join Southwest’s frequent flier club…</p>
<p>Midway’s definitely more convenient–yippee! You do go through some of Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods on the bus ride from Midway to campus, but you’re an experienced world traveler, so I know you won’t be alarmed when I remind you to please just follow the usual safety precautions and stay aware as you use public transit to/from. Resist the urge to text on the bus ride; you will want to put that baby out of sight! </p>
<p>I’m also visiting Chicago in February - first timer. My daughter is visiting DePaul, and as a southern girl I thought she might need to experience Chicago in February before she makes her decision. We’ll be arriving at O’Hare around 8pm on a Friday, and we’re staying at the Radisson Blu near Millenium Park. Looks like from the blue line we can go to Clark-Lake, transfer to the subway and get a few blocks closer to State -Lake, but we’ll still have a 10 minute walk to the hotel - will this be a problem at night? What about this pedway system, especially if the weather is frightful? We’re light packers, so only carry-ons to deal with. We are going to get the 3 day CTA pass at the airport.</p>
<p>Other food suggestions include a Chicago style hot dog at Portillo’s (many locations) and ribs at Carsons (west of the Mag Mile). For an out of town traveler with luggage going from Midway to U of C, I would suggest you use a cab instead of a city bus. Sure it will cost more but Hyde Park is a relative oasis in a generally scary part of Chicago. The Parent’s weekend website says a cab is $15-20.</p>
<p>For entertainment, I also recommend checking out some improv comedy. Second City is teh most famous, but there are a lot of great troupes. Chicago has more comedy than almost any city, including NYC.</p>
<p>Check out Taylor St. in Little Italy and have an Italian Beef sandwich at Al’s No. 1. It is one of the worlds great sandwiches. When in the Loop (downtown), a must is Xoco. Delicious Rick Bayless restaurant, very casual: [XOCO:</a> Restaurants - Rick Bayless | Frontera](<a href=“http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco.html]XOCO:”>Rick BaylessXoco - Rick Bayless)</p>
<p>So much to do, so little time! Since I’m only there for one night, I’m just packing a change of clothes into my drawstring Nike bag and bringing my current project: Bleak House/Charlie Dickens! The book will probably weigh more than my clothes.</p>
<p>YaleGradandDad - I wish I could take you up on your suggestions, but I’m actually one of those crazy vegetarians. I do, however, have a friend who LOVES ribs, so I’ll pass the recommendations on to her!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice everyone - I’m sure I’ll be posting about the visit in a month or so, hopefully all good things :)</p>
) But they fly from LaGuardia and are usually competively priced. We’ve been told to avoid O’hare in general but particulary if ones final destination is as far south of it as UChicago. Good luck!</p>