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Chicago! One of America’s windiest cities (not literally). Home to stunning architecture and academic trail blazers. Chicago is an amazing city to get lost in and explore. But before you do, take some time to learn how to get from O’Hare to downtown Chicago.

Here at Vandvoyage we take pride in breaking down all of the options. From the fastest and the cheapest, to the most adventurous. So before you navigate the maelstrom that is O’Hare Home Alone (with or without Kevin‽) style take a look at the best ways to get from Chicago O’Hare Airport to downtown Chicago.

Note: Chicago is home to two major passenger airports: Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). ORD handles international and domestic flights while MDW handles national and cross border flights to Canada and Mexico.

This article focuses on how to get from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to downtown.

Read this article about how to get from Chicago Midway International Airport here.

Cheapest: CTA ‘L’ Blue Line Train

Easily the most straightforward ride to downtown Chicago. (What makes Chicago great are the direct rapid transit (subway/metro) rides from Midway and O’Hare to downtown Chicago. No transfer. Just hop on and ride.

The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority)’s Blue Line starts right at O’Hare Station. Located immediately adjacent to the lower level of Terminal 2 via an underground tunnel (but within walking distance of Terminals 1 & 3). Travel time is approximately 50 minutes to The Loop - the circuit loop where all ‘L’ (metro) trains converge in the downtown core of Chicago. Giving you multiple stations to transfer at if your final destination is beyond downtown. Even better, the Blue Line runs 24/7. If you’re going from ORD to MDW transfer from the Blue Line to the Orange Line at the Loop to continue towards O’Hare airport.

Fare is $5.00 to take the Blue Line. This includes a premium fare surcharge only applicable to traveling from O’Hare Station. There is no surcharge if you are heading to ORD. You can purchase Chicagoland’s fare card - Ventra for $5.00 to explore the entire region.

Read information about the CTA Blue Line here.

Fastest: Metra North Central Service (NCS) Train

Arguably the fastest way to get from ORD to downtown Chiago but with a major caveat: limited service. Metra’s North Central Line only operates on weekdays at select hourly times. So if your flight arrives during the weekday, the North Central Service to downtown Chicago is a perfect choice. Travel time is only 35 minutes. However, getting to O’Hare Transfer Station**** requires taking O’Hare’s Airport Transit System (ATS) - O’Hare Airports people mover connecting terminals and the Multi Modal Facility (MMF) - long term parking garage and rental car complex. From here, walk to the northeast corner of the parking complex to find the standalone O’Hare Transfer Station and the fastest route from ORD to downtown Chiago. While a bit of a journey, NCS to downtown is a fast, under utilized option compared to the subway.

Read more about Metra North Central Service here.

Fare is $3.75.

Most Semi Private: Shuttle Bus

Go Airport Express Chicago offers shuttle, taxi and limo service from Midway Airport to downtown Chicago. WIth multiple options depending on the size of your travel group or budget Go Airport Express is a good option if you’re in a group.

Expect to pay about $30.00 for a 45 - 60 minute ride depending on traffic.

Most Private: Taxi / Ride Share

Undoubtedly, the most expensive option from our list but the most private. In addition to taxis, Uber and Lyft offer private rideshare services from the airport. Travel time is approximately 45-60 minutes to downtown. If you arrive at rush hour expect to sit in traffic. Expect to pay about $35-50 for a ride.

Note:

Prices are accurate as of October 2024.

Chicago! One of America’s windiest cities (not literally). Home to stunning architecture and academic trail blazers. Chicago is an amazing city to get lost in and explore. But before you do, take some time to learn how to get from Midway to downtown Chicago.

Here at Vandvoyage we take pride in breaking down all of the options. From the fastest and the cheapest, to the most adventurous. So before you grab that ‘L’ train take a look at the best ways to get from Chicago Midway Airport to downtown Chicago.

Note: Chicago is home to two major passenger airports: Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). ORD handles international and domestic flights while MDW handles national and cross border flights to Canada and Mexico.

This article focuses on how to get from Chicago Midway International Airport to downtown.

Read this article about how to get from Chicago O'Hare International Airport here.

Cheapest: CTA ‘L’ Orange Line Train

Easily the most straightforward ride to downtown Chicago. (What makes Chicago great are the direct rapid transit (subway/metro) rides from Midway and O’Hare to downtown Chicago. No transfer. Just hop on and ride.

The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority)’s Orange Line starts right at Midway Station,**** a short walk through the terminal and parking structure to the station. Look for signs indicating “CTA Trains” or “Train to City”. Travel time is approximately 20-25 minutes to The Loop - the circuit loop where all ‘L’ (metro) trains converge in the downtown core of Chicago. Giving you multiple stations to transfer at if your final destination is beyond downtown. If you’re going from MDW to ORD transfer from the Orange Line to the Blue Line at the Loop to continue towards O’Hare airport.

Fare is $2.50 to take the Orange Line. You can purchase Chicagoland’s fare card - Ventra for $5.00 to explore the entire region.

Read information about the CTA Orange Line here.

Semi Private: Shuttle Bus

Go Airport Express Chicago offers shuttle, taxi and limo service from Midway Airport to downtown Chicago. WIth multiple options depending on the size of your travel group or budget Go Airport Express is a good option if you’re in a group.

Expect to pay at least $20.00 for a 20-30 minute ride.

Most Private: Taxi / Ride Share

Undoubtedly, the most expensive option from our list but the most private. In addition to taxis, Uber and Lyft offer private rideshare services from the airport. Travel time is approximately 20-30 minutes. If you arrive at rush hour expect to sit in traffic. Expect to pay about $30-40 for a ride.

Note:

Prices are accurate as of October 2024.

North American long distance train tracker app by Vandvoyage

Our Amtrak train tracker and VIA Rail train tracker will enable you to discover the perfect route to your destination by train. Yes, North American train travel can take you places and show you things you will never see or experience from other modes of transportation. Planning and tracking the current Amtrak and VIA train routes puts you one step closer to your great adventure. At vandvoyage.com we highlight all the train routes and train traffic as well as provide valuable information about train stations near you.

In addition to intercity train tracking we also offer regional and commuter train information. In Toronto we offer a GO Train tracker as well as a UP Express train tracker for those traveling from Toronto Pearson International Airport to downtown Toronto. For beautiful Montreal we also offer the EXO Train tracker.

When you are on our Amtrak train tracker and VIA train tracker site Vandvoyage you will see your train's position which we strive to be as accurate as possible. Unlike other modes of transportation there is a set structure of train stations and railways, which can cause unwanted timing issues as the same passenger trains are used by freight trains. If your VIA or Amtrak train is delayed please check with us to see the trains position.

The unique scenery and routes more than make up for a few delays on the train trip - especially on VIA Rail’s Canadian or Amtrak’s Empire Builder. Travelling by train is a step back in time to when things were calmer with much less hustle and bustle. Traveling by train is a fantastic relaxing way to travel and breathe easy. So get ready to track that intercity train and plan your next big rail adventure with Vandvoyage.