City guide
Chicago, United States 🇺🇸
Status: ready
Last refresh: 2026-02-22 07:58 UTC
Authorities
3
Transport modes
5
Payment methods
1
Airport links
2
Transport Authorities
Getting Around
| Mode | Operator | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| metro | Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) | 8 elevated/subway 'L' lines: Red (24h), Blue (24h to O'Hare), Brown, Green, Orange (to Midway), Pink, Purple, Yellow. Trains every 5-15 min peak, 15-30 min off-peak. |
| bus | Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) | 140+ routes, most to late evening, some 'N' night buses 24/7. Every 2 blocks, bike racks. |
| bus | Pace | Suburban buses across Chicagoland counties, connect to CTA/Metra, every 30-60 min. |
| train | Metra | Commuter rail to suburbs, 2-level cars, stations: Union, LaSalle, Millennium. For regional travel. |
| other | Chicago Water Taxi | Scenic river/lake shuttles between key points. |
Paying for Transport
- Ventra Card Contactless farecard for CTA 'L'/bus, Metra, Pace. Pay-per-ride or unlimited passes (1-day $5, 3-day $15, 7-day $33, 30-day $105). Load via app, website, vending machines, or retail locations. Open
Operating Hours
- Weekday CTA 'L'/bus: ~4AM-1AM, frequent peak. Metra/Pace: ~5AM-midnight, rush hour express.
- Weekend CTA 'L'/bus: ~5AM-1AM, reduced freq. Red/Blue 24h. Night buses select routes. Metra/Pace: reduced schedules.
- Night service Red/Blue Lines 24h every 15-30 min. Select CTA 'N' buses & Pace owl service 24/7.
Rideshare & Taxis
- Uber/Lyft Available Widely available citywide, airport access. Use for late night or luggage.
Airport Connections
- metro - O'Hare (ORD) - Blue Line 50 min to Loop, $2.50-$5
- metro - Midway (MDW) - Orange Line 20-25 min to Loop, $2.50-$5
Live Delay Info
Local Tips
Download Ventra app for fares/planning/tracking. Use Google Maps for routes. Ventra for contactless pay. Blue/Orange for airports. Metra/Pace for suburbs. Grid layout aids navigation. Avoid rush hour if possible.