# Midway to No. Michigan Ave Options **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957 "2014-10-30T02:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/1 "2014-10-30T02:33:16Z")
Anything available other than a taxi? If not, I assume I’ll pay about $50.00. True? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/2 "2014-10-30T03:40:12Z")
Taxi could be closer to $40. It’s been years since I had to take a taxi. There’s the Airport Express shuttle vans, though they often will stop at two or three other hotels before yours. If your luggage is manageable, ride the CTA Orange Line (rapid transit train) from Midway to State & Lake. Perfectly safe, about 35 minutes. Downstairs on State St., in front of the Chick-Fil-A, transfer to the #146 bus, which promptly turns east for two blocks and then heads north on Michigan. The transfer is free if you bought a $3 single-use Ventra ticket at the airport station. If luggage is substantial, leave the train a station earlier—Clark & Lake, where there are elevators—and hail a taxi for the last mile to your hotel. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/3 "2014-10-30T05:05:32Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > If your luggage is manageable, ride the CTA Orange Line (rapid transit train) from Midway to State & Lake. Perfectly safe, about 35 minutes. Downstairs on State St., in front of the Chick-Fil-A, transfer to the #146 bus Or transfer to the Red Line subway and take it north to either Grand Ave. or Chicago Ave. Both are a couple of blocks from Michigan Ave. and most of the major hotels. ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/4 "2014-10-30T12:01:23Z")
thx ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/5 "2014-10-30T16:01:52Z")
The $3 CTA fare that “Mr. Downtown” quoted breaks down to $2.25 basic fare, 25¢ for the transfer(s), and 50¢ for the one-time use farecard. You can avoid the farecard fee by getting a regular Ventra (transit) card: > **[Where to buy fares, in person - CTA](https://www.transitchicago.com/ways-to-pay/)** When you register it (done on-line), the $5 issuing fee converts to cash value for fares. That’s a couple of additional steps, but worth it if you ride the CTA again during your visit to Chicago (such as back to Midway). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/6 "2014-10-30T17:45:07Z")
If you are staying at a swanky Michigan Avenue hotel, don’t forget to check if they have a free airport shuttle. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/7 "2014-10-31T07:53:50Z")
> [@FeAudrey](#): > > The $3 CTA fare that “Mr. Downtown” quoted breaks down to $2.25 basic fare, 25¢ for the transfer(s), and 50¢ for the one-time use farecard. > > You can avoid the farecard fee by getting a regular Ventra (transit) card: > > [Where to buy fares, in person - CTA](http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/fares/wheretobuy.aspx) > > When you register it (done on-line), the $5 issuing fee converts to cash value for fares. That’s a couple of additional steps, but worth it if you ride the CTA again during your visit to Chicago (such as back to Midway). You can get the card for free at the [Ventra web site](https://www.ventrachicago.com/purchase/). However, you have to load it with either a pass or a minimum purchase of $5 in “transit value.” Do allow at least two weeks to receive it in the mail. They do not mail outside the United States. Waiving the $5 card fee for internet purchases seems to have become a permanent thing, although I’ve never seen any official policy that says they intend(ed) it to be permanent. The $5 fee still applies at vending machines and for in-person purchases at Ventra retailers. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/8 "2014-10-31T18:26:08Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Or transfer to the Red Line subway But that means going down two more flights of stairs and then back up at the other end, and still ending up two blocks west of Michigan Avenue. Why? To avoid a six block bus ride? The 146 runs frequently all day and evening, and gets you almost to the door of your Mag Mile hotel with no stairs to negotiate. **Tim R. Mortiss,** I’ve never heard of a downtown Chicago hotel that would shuttle you from the airport. That’s something they do out in Rosemont or Bedford Park. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/9 "2014-11-01T00:27:36Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > If you are staying at a swanky Michigan Avenue hotel, don’t forget to check if they have a free airport shuttle. I agree. Try the shuttle first and then go for the Orange Line. I used to live three miles west of Midway and I used to park my car at the Orange Line’s lot and take it downtown. It’s clean and safe; no big deal. Take it to the terminal and change over to the Red Line. Or take a taxi from the terminal. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midway-to-no-michigan-ave-options/702957/10 "2014-11-02T03:10:55Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > But that means going down two more flights of stairs and then back up at the other end, and still ending up two blocks west of Michigan Avenue. Why? To avoid a six block bus ride? The 146 runs frequently all day and evening, and gets you almost to the door of your Mag Mile hotel with no stairs to negotiate. Just putting options out there. Honestly I find buses are a bigger pain to navigate with luggage than trains.