Chicago: Arrival
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (tel 773/686-2200, ), the national HQ for United, American and several other airlines, is seventeen miles northwest of downtown Chicago. It is connected to the center by 24-hour CTA (Blue Line) trains from the station under Terminal 4, which take around forty minutes and cost $1.50. Midway Airport , smaller than O'Hare but used by an increasing number of domestic airlines, is eleven miles southwest of downtown; take one of CTA's Midway (Orange Line) trains, which take thirty minutes, or the #99M Midway Express bus (weekday rush hours only). Taxis into town from O'Hare cost around $25-30 (there's also a shared ride program with a flat rate of $15), and take thirty minutes to an hour. From Midway the fare is about $25 (shared rides are $10) and the journey time twenty to forty minutes. Another option is Continental Air Transport's express bus and van service between the airports and downtown hotels ($20 from O'Hare, $15 from Midway; tel 312/454-7799, ). The highways are often clogged, so allow at least an hour for the trip from either airport.Chicago is the hub of the nationwide Amtrak rail system, and almost every cross-country route passes through Union Station (tel 312/558-1075) at Canal and Adam streets, west of the Loop. Greyhound and a number of regional bus companies pull into the large 24-hour bus station at 630 W Harrison St, three blocks southwest.
Arriving in Chicago by road , racing towards the gleaming glass towers of the Loop, can be memorable. Bear in mind, though, that traffic on the expressways to and from downtown can be bumper-to-bumper during rush hours. Parking can also be a problem. Meters are expensive (25ยข for 15min) and usually have a two-hour limit. Check street signs for additional restrictions, which are rigidly enforced - violations may result in your car being towed and impounded. Perhaps the best place to leave a car in the downtown area is in the garage under Grant Park at Columbus Drive and Monroe Drive ($13 for 24hr; tel 312/742-7644), close to the east side of the Art Institute.
Copyright Rough Guides Ltd as trustee for its authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved. The Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd.
Copyright © 2006 United States.biz
