In a couple of weeks, I’ll have a layover from 2pm to 5pm at Chicago O’Hare. Rather than just sit around the airport, I thought it could be fun to head to the city. I see they have trains, so I figured I could just take one of those. My ideal trip would be to take a train somewhere (direct from the airport to the location. no transfers, no taxi, no Uber) where I could get something Chicago-ish to eat and meander around someplace interesting until it was time to take the train back to the airport. I like walking around, so anyplace within walking distance of the train stop is fine. Anyone from Chicago have any suggestions?
Honestly, I’m not sure 3 hours is really enough time to leave the airport. Considering you need you leave enough time to get back through security and get to your gate when you return to the airport, I think you’ll pretty much be getting off the train and immediately turning around and getting back on the train to go back to the airport.
ETA: I’m not sure what terminal you will be in, but I would recommend getting something Chicago-ish to eat in the the airport. When I had a layover there last fall I got an Italian beef sandwich from the Billy Goat Grill in the food court in United’s terminal. I’m sure there’s somewhere in the airport where you can get a Chicago dog, as well.
Yeah, if you conservatively assume an hour to get through security that gives you just enough time to take the Blue Line downtown and then immediately return, assuming the timing works out and you enjoy being hassled by panhandlers. O’Hare is out in the ‘burbs and there really isn’t that much of great interest or particularly walkable nearer the airport.
Stranger
Oh no. Just 3 hours? Approaching prime commuter rush hour time? No way!
Now if you had say 6 hours maybe.
I was in a similar situation a few months ago. There’s a “Chicago Style Hot Dogs” in Terminal 2. I hope they really aren’t, because I wasn’t impressed.
To pile on, if this a weekend trip, they’re doing construction work on the Blue Line (train line from O’Hare). That means track closures and slow zones.
I agree three hours is cutting it close. According to the CTA timetable, at that time of day it takes 40 minutes to get from the airport to the Loop, and 45 minutes to get back to the airport. If you wanted to ride to Wrigley Field (Addison) you could subtract maybe 20 minutes in each direction. But walking around Wrigley Field on an afternoon when there’s no game isn’t particularly exciting, either.
Thanks for all the info. Doesn’t sound like it would be worth the effort to try to get to the city. Looks like I’ll using my three hours to explore the wonders of the O’Hare airport.
If you’re a drinker, three hours at an airport bar is nothing.
If not they might have a good 60 minute massage option.
I usually just hang out in the airline lounge and have a glass of wine.
Others have said it already @filmore but sadly that won’t give you enough time to go into the city.
However, here is a good list of places to eat or drink in the airport if that is of interest. Others have said Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless and I wholeheartedly agree. Publican Tavern is another very good option. Here is a list of the best places to eat in O’Hare chosen by Time Out. I think it’s a pretty solid list of options.
The Berghoff Cafe is very good. Other than eating, just wander up and down the terminal. Three hours isn’t very long. Garrett’s Popcorn os good, although I prefer Nuts on Clark.
Maybe it’s just a difference in approach, but for 3 hours at O’hare…why not just stay in the terminal, charge the smartphone, read and relax, get something to eat, and take a photo of the ceiling glow-worm?
If it were 13 hours, then sure, go out into town, but it’s just 3.
The last transfer I had at O’Hare (granted this was an international arrival which is always the worst) I barely made a connection with an on-time arrival and a 2-hour layover. It’s a horrible airport, I would pay $300 more on an airfare to avoid it as a connection hub.
3 hours is deffently not enough time to even bother leaving the airport.
As far as airports go I think O’Hare is a decent one. There are some good restaurants, (like all other airports very expensive) but you can get in some interesting people watching time.
I don’t mind O’Hare for domestic connections. I concur with the post above; there are some decent restaurants, people watching, and plane spotting if you’re into that. But I agree that international arrivals at O’Hare suck. International flights all arrive at Terminal 5, and if you’re connecting to a domestic flight you’re going to have to get to a different terminal, and go through security with all the local travelers.
Is it the same for international departures? Contemplating flying from my local airport internationally via ORD.
Thanks
Brian
As I understand it, it depends on the airline. If you’re flying on a US based airline, it will depart from that airline’s terminal (Terminal 1 for United, Terminal 3 for American). I believe Lufthansa flights depart from Terminal 1 as well. IIRC all the other foreign airlines depart from Terminal 5, which will require taking a train over there and going through security again. Not sure about British Airways. Maybe they depart from Terminal 3, but I am not sure about that.
ETA: Apparently they have a bus now that will take you to Terminal 5 from the secure sides of Terminals 1 and 3, to avoid having to re-clear security. That improves things a little bit.
https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/tofrom/connecting/pages/default.aspx
Indeed. On two different occasions we spent a few hours at an airport bar and then had to run to our gate for last call there. Charlotte, I’m looking at you.
Yeah, my wife and I would never try to cut something that close. We plan on getting to the airport 3 hours early. Ya just never know. Traffic delays weather whatever.
Gives us about an hour to just hang out and read while we wait for the flight.