Advice needed getting from O'hare to downtown Chicago..

[Beth76]

I'm going to Chicago in a few weeks for a girls weekend. A couple of the girls are arriving at ORD (seperately) and are concerned about getting downtown. One will arrive on Thursday afternoon, the other Friday early afternoon. Neither one has flown alone before or ever traveled to Chicago and they are nervous.

Any advice on the best way to get to the hotel downtown? Would a cab be best (but there could be lots of traffic) or the el? Is the el safe (and easy) for a single woman with a suitcase? Is it possible to get a flat rate cab so it doesn't end up costing a ton if stuck in traffic?

Thanks for any tips or advice.

 

[poohandwendy]

The last time I flew into Ohare, we stayed at an Omni hotel that had a shuttle service from the airport. (you just call the number they give you when you land and they meet you at the baggage claim area) Definitely check with the hotel and see if they offer the service. (it was relatively inexpensive, although I cannot recall how much we paid) Very convenient.

 

[Beth76]

Thanks PAW, that's being looked into as well. I'm still curious about the safety and ease of the el/cabs.

 

[poohandwendy]

Thanks PAW, that's being looked into as well. I'm still curious about the safety and ease of the el/cabs.

I didn't ride the el, but the cabbies (do they still call them that, LOL) are FABULOUS and extremely polite and helpful. Merely glance down the street and they pull right over...it was like magic! LOL, they obviously have learned how to spot a clueless travelling woman! I just don't know what the price would be for a ride from the airport.

 

[JamieW]

I'm going to Chicago in a few weeks for a girls weekend. A couple of the girls are arriving at ORD (seperately) and are concerned about getting downtown. One will arrive on Thursday afternoon, the other Friday early afternoon. Neither one has flown alone before or ever traveled to Chicago and they are nervous.

Any advice on the best way to get to the hotel downtown? Would a cab be best (but there could be lots of traffic) or the el? Is the el safe (and easy) for a single woman with a suitcase? Is it possible to get a flat rate cab so it doesn't end up costing a ton if stuck in traffic?

Thanks for any tips or advice.

I went to college in Chicago, so here's my two cents. I wouldn't take the el unless they get very explicit directions on how to get from the airport to the hotel. Maybe I'm just a scaredy cat but just thinking about taking public transportation by myself the first time I've ever set foot in a new city scares me. It's not that the el is unsafe. I rode it plenty of times by myself with no problems (after I became familiar with the system). I'm more worried about getting lost, but if it's just a direct shot from the airport to the hotel with no transfers, they might want to do it. Of course, they'd have to figure out where to go once they got to their stop, but I guess y'all could meet at the stop?

You can go on the el's website and plan an itinerary http://tripsweb.rtachicago.com/ to see what exactly it'll take to get from the airport.

 

[mariolatry]

There is a direct shot El (the blue line) from O'Hare that drops you in the loop. If you are good with directions and/or public transit, it's totally doable. It's $2.00 to ride, although they make you put the money in the machine to get the stupid fare card. Now, if you're staying on North Michigan/the Magnificent Mile, it's too far to walk.

If you're nervous about it, take a cab. It shouldn't be more than $35, depending on where your hotel is. How much is piece of mind worth?

 

[sharbear]

Hopefully someone from Chicago will see this and answer but when I was in Chicago this spring the expressway was a nightmare. The expressway was torn up and traffic was crazy. Personally I would take the El. Much easier and you don't have to be tied up in traffic.

 

[zulaya]

I go to Chicago every July for a national conference with The Pampered Chef. I always fly into MDW and I ALWAYS take the train into the city. I am always hauling luggage, too. And I am not the only one.

Take the train. Traffic is a "witch" if you know what I mean, especially if you come in at a busy time of day. Train costs $2 I think each way. Cab would cost way more than that.

ORD has a train direct to downtown as well. If you want to get her directions from ORD to the specific hotel, check out transitchicago.com and you can plot where to get off and where to walk to.

About being too far to walk...all depends on the person. I have rolling luggage and I'm more than ready for a little walking after sitting on a plane. When I have come in on the train, I have never walked more than a 1/2 mile. But it is possible you could walk more if you have a hotel on the outskirts of downtown and not in city central. If that's the case, I'd still take the train into the city and if the walk is prohibitive for you, then take a cab from the station to your hotel.

 

[Beth76]

The expressway was torn up and traffic was crazy.

That's what I'm afraid of too. We drove into downtown last May on a Wednesday late afternoon and it took us nearly 2 hours to get from the southern suburbs to our hotel. I'd hate for these girls to be stuck in awful traffic in a cab by themselves ($$$). Not to mention wasting away their weekend. But I know they're both nervous about flying into Ohare by themselves. Our hotel is near Navy Pier and from what I can see is not near any el line.

Also, they are planning on speaking to the concierge at the hotel, but I wanted to get some "real life" eperience on this.

 

[YachtClubWoman]

There are airport shuttle services that will drop you off wherever you need. I don't remember the name of the service but I found them on the web (maybe the tourism site) and pre-booked - I think there may also be a booth at O'hare. Very easy to use. I was there for a convention and had a lot of bags and they helped with the bags.

 

[katied]

I live in Chicago, and work downtown every day. I frequently travel for work, and I take the el to the airport all the time. It's easy to do and it's safe.

From the airport, you follow the signs to the trains from down in baggage claim. Buy a ticket, go through the turnstyle, and get on whichever train is loading. Take it into the city. Should be about a 40 minute ride. Once you get off, getting around Chicago is really easy. The streets are laid out on a grid, so if you have a map, it should be simple. If your hotel is too far to walk, you can catch a cab once you exit the el. I would exit at the State of Illinois building if you're going to catch a cab.

Cabs into the city can range from $30 - $60, depending on traffic. There's no way of really knowing how it will be ahead of time.

 

[katied]

Sorry - just read and saw hotel is near navy pier. No, that's not near the el line - but still, you can take the train into the city, and then a cab from the state of illinois building (the train comes in underneath, and once you go upstairs and exit the building, there's a cab stand). If they're going to do this, send me a PM and I can give you some exact details on how to get on, where to get off, etc.

There are busses that would go to Navy Pier, but thay may be too much to handle (with the suitcases too), and the walk's not bad (about 1 mile) but again, not with suitcases.

 

[Beth76]

Hey Thanks for all the info. I forgot about this thread. My friends have actually decided on an airport shuttle. I just hope it doesn't take them forever to get downtown.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

I live near the Pier. I'd be happy to give directions if they change their minds.

 

[Southern4sure]

Whatever you do, do not walk to the EL from Chili's with leftovers. I hear it is frightening....

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

now now

 

[Southern4sure]

now now

I forgot to

 

[Beth76]

Whatever you do, do not walk to the EL from Chili's with leftovers. I hear it is frightening....