2021-02-05 00:37:45
Downtown, also known as the Loop, serves as the hub of Chicago’s public transit network that extends to surrounding neighborhoods and suburbs, as well as O’Hare and Midway international airports. This network includes the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Metra commuter rail. TAKE THE ‘L’ Eight ‘L’ lines — the Blue Line (24 hours), Brown Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line, Red Line (24 hours), and Yellow Line — serve 145 train stations.transitchicago.com RIDE THE BUS There are 129 bus routes lacing the city — buses stop every few blocks and have mounted maps within the cabs. Several lines operate 24 hours. transitchicago.com TAKE METRA High-speed Metra trains connect outlying suburbs to downtown and are an easy way to travel into the heart of the city. Single trip fares start at $4. metrarail.com RIDE AMTRAK Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail services to more than 500 destinations in 46 states. amtrak.com HAIL A CAB Taxis are plentiful and easy to hail. Check individual companies for rates. CHICABS offers options for taxicab passengers to electronically hail and pay for a taxi cab through mobile apps ARRO (ridearro.com) and Curb (gocurb.com). Chicago is also Uber (uber.com and Lyft (lyft.com) friendly. GRAB A BIKE Chicago’s Divvy bike-sharing program is an inexpensive and easy way to get around. Thousands of bikes are available at hundreds of stations across the city. Rates start at $3 for a single 30-minute ride. Or try Divvy’s e-bike, with a pedal-assist motor. Pay $3 to unlock the e-bike, plus 20¢ per minute. divvybikes.com GLIDE ON A SCOOTER For the past two years, the City of Chicago has operated electric scooter pilot programs from summer through early winter. Scooters have been available for rent in most parts of the city, except for The 606, Lakefront Trail, and central business district. Find out how you can rent an e-scooter this year. chicago.gov TRY A WATER TAXI Seasonal water taxis are a scenic and budget-friendly way to reach points of interest along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Take a ride with Shoreline Water Taxi (shorelinesightseeing.com) or Chicago Water Taxi (chicagowatertaxi.com). All fares are subject to change. CTA FARES CTA fares start at $2.25 for buses and $2.50 for trains with a reloadable Ventra card. Single-ride Ventra ticket: $3 (includes three rides within two hours of use) or $5 (from O’Hare Airport). One-day Ventra ticket: $10 (unlimited rides for 24 hours). transitchicago.com Follow @CTA for the most up-to-date travel information. To learn about public transit sanitation protocols, go to choosechicago.com/updates.
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