I’m going to be arriving in Chicago tomorrow afternoon for a business conference and I’m bringing my adult daughter along so she can see Chicago. It appears that a limo bus ride from O’Hare to the downtown Hyatt at 151 East Wacker Drive is 50 per person which means I'm paying 100.00 for both of us to get to the hotel and then another $ 100.00 when I leave on Saturday.
I notice there is a metro rail stop that appears to go from O’Hare to the downtown. Is the metro a viable scenario to get to the Hyatt with 2 suitcases and 2 laptops?
Yes, the Blue Line is a quick and easy way to get from the airport to downtown. You’ll need to walk about 4 blocks from the nearest station, but two of you should easily be able to manage the walk with that luggage.
Yes, public transport (the subway) is an option if you don’t mind walking with/are able to lug your luggage. Say about a 10 minute leisurely walk from your gate to the airport’s subway stop and another 5-10 minute leisurely walk from the Lake & Clark subway stop to your hotel. (and there are escalators/elevators at both stations).
If you’re willing to spend more, a good compromise would be the airport van shuttle which offers door-to-door service from your airport to your hotel. Not as fast as a direct cab or limo, but much cheaper.
This airport shuttle may or may not be faster than the subway depending on traffic.
I’d second the cab idea. $40 including tip and the driver will usually help you with your bags. The CTA blue line is cheap ($2.25 each), but if you’re new to the city and dealing with luggage and whatnot, a cab would a much better way to go.
If you’re a single party, it’s the price for 2 people. As long as you’re together, and going to the same place, you simply pay the amount on the meter.
Last time i went to Chicago, i caught a cab from O’Hare to the Hancock building with two other people, and it cost us about $38 for the three of us.
All total for both people. The cabs here usually charge a rate based on mileage and time. Most have a flat rate from the airport to downtown. I believe they add $1 for each extra person in the car. You should tip at least $5 each, especially if they help with loading/unloading your luggage.
As for the limo. shuttle, it looks like that the cost of a round-trip ticket for a party of two is $35 per person round-trip (e.g. $17.50 each way per person).
You’re missing the obvious, the subway called the blue line goes right under O’Hare. So follow the signs that say “Trains to City” Take the subway to Clark/Lake (the first stop downtown) and THEN take a cab to the Hyatt. That should cost you around $7.00.
(The last time I took a cab from the John Hancock to Clark/Lake it was $7.00 and that is a bit farther)
There is also Airport Express which runs between O’Hare and the downtown hotels (and other places too). Check them out.
The Blue Line (O’Hare to Downtown) can be crowded during rush hours but it’s easily empty to take a few suitcases otherwise at off times.
Best bet is Blue Line (subway/el train) from O’Hare to Clark/Lake (around 45 min to an hour) then get off and take a cab from Clark/Lake to Hyatt
I can’t imagine taking a cab from either airport to downtown when the Blue and Orange lines are so cheap and effective. You’d get off at the Washington stop of either line and it’s easy to catch a cab from either stop. The Blue line runs right down the middle of the highway, and I can’t recall how many times I’ve ridden it whizzing past cars caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The only time I’d imagine needing to take a cab to and from the airport is if I had far too much luggage. Anything that can be rolled comfortably through an airport can be taken on the train.
Traffic in Chicago is awful. A cab/shuttle to downtown in the late afternoon will likely be no faster and a lot more expensive than the train. ($50 vs $5 for the two of you)
It sounds like you’re coming in on Friday, so this shouldn’t be a problem then, but when going back to O’Hare on Saturday, the Blue Line may be under maintenance, meaning you’ll have to get off the train, on a bus, and back on the train for a portion of the trip. According to this page, you’ll be okay if you get on at Clark/Lake.
But yeah, inbound traffic on the Kennedy is crappy all day on Friday. It’ll take hours by cab or shuttle.
I have always taken the trains to and from the Chicago airports.
OK, I confess - I was using both O’Hare and Midway before either train line went to those airports. So I took the CTA bus there.
Really, especially at rush hour, the trains are the way to go. Some of the train cars even have luggage racks to accommodate air travelers and their luggage. THe airport (either one) has signage directing you to the train stations. The trains stop in the Loop area, and I also recommend taking a cab between the Loop train stations (there are always cabs in the Loop) to the Hyatt.
And astro: If you ask a Chicagoan about the “metro”, he’ll probably think you meant Metra, the suburban commuter rail around here, which is likely not what you want. Calling it the ‘L’ would have much more favorable results. “Subway” would probably work too, though in most cases it’s inaccurate: On a per-mile basis, there isn’t much subway here. It’s mostly elevated rail, and rail in expressway medians.
I have seen them and used them on both the blue and orange El lines. Is that sufficient?
As I have not traveled out of either O’Hare or Midway for about 10 years at this point it is possible they may no longer have these, and if so, I apologize for the outdated information.
Well, now I’m curious…where were these luggage racks? As it is, there isn’t a lot of empty space for such things to have once resided…a train car is all aisle and seats, except for the emergency ladder locked away in its cabinet. Were one of the “priority seats” (the sideways-facing ones by the doors) occupied by the luggage racks?
I agree with others that have suggested that the Blue Line is the best, fastest and cheapest way to get downtown. It’s a straightshot right from O’Hare to the loop. No transfers, no hassles.
It does get crowded at rush hour, but since O’Hare is the beginning of the line, there should be tons of open space when you board the train at the airport. (It will get more and more crowded as you get closer to downtown, but its no problem since you’ll have a comfortable seat).
Moreover- people are friendly on the Blue Line and very used to accommodating people with luggage. I doubt you’ll be the only ones on the train with luggage.
The trains are part of the Chicago experience. You can sit in traffic in a car anywhere.
