NAVIGATE THE CITY The downtown 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. CTA ‘L’ train in the Loop TAKE THE ‘L’ The eight Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) ‘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 across the city. transitchicago.com RIDE THE BUS There are 127 CTA bus routes throughout the city — buses stop every few blocks. Several lines operate 24 hours. transitchicago.com HOP ON METRA Metra commuter trains connect outlying suburbs to downtown and are an easy way to travel to and from the heart of the city. Single trip fares start at $3.75. metrarail.com RIDE AMTRAK Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail services to more than 500 destinations in 46 states. Catch Amtrak trains at Chicago’s downtown Union Station. amtrak.com HAIL A CAB Taxis are plentiful and easy to hail. Check individual companies for rates. CHICABS offers options for passengers to electronically hail and pay for a taxi 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-and scooter-sharing program is an inexpensive and easy way to get around. Thousands of bikes and scooters are available at hundreds of stations across the city. Single classic bike rides are $1 to unlock and $0.18 per minute. Or try Divvy’s ebike, with a pedal-assist motor. Pay $1 to unlock the ebike, plus $0.44 per minute. Scooters are $1 to unlock and $0.44 per minute. divvybikes.com 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. Scan here to learn about accessible ways to get around Chicago. 62 choosechicago.com BARRY BUTLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Chicago Visitors Guide 2025: Page 62
