Transfers to/from Chicago

Getting downtown after your plane lands will be one of the first things to see and do in Chicago during your next visit to the city. Conveniently, both Chicago-O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport are fairly close to the city's urban epicenter and the commute to get downtown from both alternatives is fairly short overall.

Read on if you want to learn about the best ways to get to your downtown Chicago lodging quickly, conveniently and inexpensively. I have researched them all to give you the most convenient in price and quality.

Private transfers have always been the most comfortable and exclusive alternative to reach any place by land. Many of these car trips can be made in vehicles of moderate luxury as well as in top quality cars.

Conveniently, those that take you from the closest airports to Chicago to the center of this great city fulfill these characteristics. Therefore, they are the best option if you do not have budgetary limitations to guarantee comfort for you and your companions on your arrival to the windy city.

Chicago-O'Hare Airport is one of the largest airports in the country, in fact in terms of its structural dimensions it is the second largest in the United States behind Atlanta International Airport. It is a little farther from the city center than Midway International Airport, 27 kilometers exactly, but it is more likely to reach the city through the first one, since 60% of its air traffic comes from international destinations.

Either way, these private transfers are available from both airports and one of the most interesting aspects of this mode of transportation is that you don't have to be moving anywhere, since the car will pick you up exactly at your departure gate by the terminal being used by the airline of your trip.

Keep in mind that you have the option of choosing a 4-door sedan car that you could share with two more people because its maximum capacity is three people. This makes it the ideal option for those who come to the city all alone or as a couple or even with a couple of friends.

The other alternative is to choose a luxury SUV that will allow you to be accompanied by 4 more people. This is a much more suitable and prudent way for those who travel with family or for those who have a fixation for modern and large vehicles that are often used by escorts in movies or Hollywood celebrities to get from one place to another.

Details of interest

• Prices: Prices vary according to the airport from which the trip starts and the type of vehicle chosen. For example, the cost of the trip from Midway Airport to downtown Chicago is usually around 90 euros per person in a 3-passenger sedan, while in a larger SUV from O'Hare Airport for 5 passengers is usually around 96 or 98 euros per person.
• Duration: if you take into account that traffic is usually significant on the highways connecting both airports to the Downtown Chicago area, then on average a trip like this can take anywhere from about 30 minutes to a full 1 hour.
• Conditions: keep in mind that tolls are additional costs to the private transfer fare and that the driver will usually wait for you just outside your terminal for a very limited number of minutes. So if for any unexpected delay he has to park the car, you will have to pay the airport parking fee.
• Advantages: A transfer as private and exclusive as this can be the perfect opportunity to recharge your batteries and participate in any of the things to see and do in Chicago in the evening that you have ahead of you for the rest of your first day in the city. At the same time, if you are arriving very late it is also a good way to ensure peace of mind on your transfer to the hotel to start the next day touring some of Chicago's best museums or other tourist attractions.

If what you are looking for is savings and you consider that you are arriving in the city with little luggage that will allow you to move comfortably through a shared means of transportation, then you have to bet on the CTA trains, also known as Chicago Transit Authority.

Basically, this is the system that combines the city's subway system with intercity buses to form a complete transportation solution for the population of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

Depending on your point of arrival, you will have to take different train lines. For example, if your plane lands at O'Hare Airport, then you will have to take the blue line that starts at the station located in the airport parking lot. It can take you to Washington, Monroe and Jackson stations. They are all located right at the intersection of all the city's subway lines in what is known as the Chicago Loop.

If you are arriving from Midway Airport you will also have the opportunity to be downtown in less than 30 minutes via a trip on the CTA's orange line. I advise you to get off at the Clark/Lake or State/Lake stations if you are staying in the area near the Chicago Theater.

Although leaving the subway system and taking a cab to your Downtown hotel would be a prudent and cost-saving decision if you have to walk several blocks and have no interest in changing train lines at those interconnected stations, such as Jackson or Adams/Wabash.

Details of interest

• Prices: A basic one-way ticket starting at O'hare Airport usually costs 5 euros. However, it is very likely that you will find yourself interested in paying for another mode of access to the CTA knowing that you will continue to travel around the city by subway during the following days of your visit. So the pass for a week of use is approximately 20 euros per person.
• Duration: in about 30 minutes you will be at a downtown CTA station whether you are coming from Midway or O'Hare Airport. Keep in mind that the blue line operates 24 hours a day and the frequency of trains is quite favorable during the morning and evening hours.
• Conditions: CTA trains will clearly not pick you up right at your departure from either the international or domestic terminal at either airport. However, at both airports there is clear signage indicating where to walk to get to the train station. Both are located at either end of the car parking lot.
• Advantages: by choosing this option you are saving a lot of money on your way to downtown and you are also experiencing first hand how Chicago's public transportation works so you will know if you will continue to use it for the rest of your trip. The financial savings are so significant that it is logical to suggest that you use the money to pay for some of the best Chicago sightseeing buses or to purchase Chicago sightseeing passes that will allow you to enjoy discounts for many of the city's attractions.

The third alternative available to you is to use the Chicago bus system which is also part of the CTA and is just as economical as train travel.

If you take them at O'Hare Airport then you will have to plan your decision sequence to the bus stop very well. The international arrivals terminal is terminal 5 and the public bus stop is right in the middle between terminals 1, 2 and 3.

So I advise you to take the internal airport shut tle that will drop you off at any of these other terminals once you have passed the immigration checks, as the walk would be quite long and would make this alternative completely unfeasible.

With Midway Airport everything is less complicated, as all the boarding lounges are located inside the same building. In addition, the bus station is very close to the area where the Midway Station of the city's train system is located.

Another interesting thing about traveling by bus from the airport to downtown Chicago is that you can see the cityscape from the suburbs to Downtown.

Details of interest

• Fares: The fare per ride for buses is usually 2.50 euros if you choose to pay cash when you get on the bus. The fare drops to approximately 2.25 euros if you purchase the Ventra Card which costs about 5 euros. These fares apply to all passengers without distinction by age or origin and provenance.
• Duration: It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to get to the city center on either route. This is logical, since a train travels at a higher speed on a route that is exclusive for this means of transportation. This while a bus has to deal with traffic and accidents that may occur on the streets and avenues it travels.
• Conditions: such a trip is not as exciting as riding a subway train or enjoying a luxurious and private vehicle all to yourself. However, it must also be understood that buses are a favorable alternative if the route they take to get to the center leaves you a little closer to the exact street where you will be staying.
• Advantages: economic savings are once again the most relevant factor of this means of transportation and this can be extremely interesting for you to invest that money in other activities that you could enjoy from the moment you arrive at the hotel. Just like the best gastronomic tours in Chicago that would give you a tour of the culinary identity of this community.

What would airport terminals be without cab lines? I don't know, but the truth is that they are always operating at the exits that are constantly filled with tourists arriving to the cities without the slightest idea of how to get to their hotels.

For that reason, cabs from the terminals of both Chicago airports are always a good alternative to get to the center of the city if you want a private transfer, but your budget does not allow you to pay for a service that is booked in advance.

Keep in mind that depending on the time and the type of vehicle you choose, the rate may change. Although the truth is that everything will be adjusted to what the taximeter indicates and therefore the final rate can be a real surprise when traveling in traditional cabs.

The other option would be to use a transportation service like Uber that guarantees you a fixed rate. Although there is also the fact that this price is adjusted to factors such as the time of year, the traffic on the road, the number of travel requests at the terminal where you are and the type of vehicle you need to fit all your companions.

Details of interest

• Prices: On average a cab from O'hare Airport can cost you around 30 to 40 euros depending on environmental conditions and traffic. Cabs from Midway are usually a little cheaper. Ubers and such trips with private transportation apps can stay at the same rates or double those prices if demand is significantly high.
• Duration: it all depends on traffic, but in general you should be arriving at your lodging destination in downtown Chicago in about 30 to 40 minutes or so.
• Condition: some cars are quite comfortable and modern, while others are older and more neglected. It all depends on the type of service you hire and the supply of cabs available at the time of your arrival at the airport.
• Advantages: cabs are usually air-conditioned and this can help you transition in the cold that characterizes this city during the autumn and winter season. On the way to the hotel you won't have to worry about anything and therefore it is also an ideal time to familiarize yourself with the things to see and do in Chicago during the winter or during the summer depending on the season you have chosen for your visit.

Chicago is a city that is set up for automobile driving and the truth is that if you want to be moving from downtown to the suburbs of the city for several weeks, then renting a car is likely to be a good idea for your financial and practical interests.

Both airports have a Multi-Modal Facility. Which is basically a car rental center where all the major car rental companies in the United States offer their repertoire of cars for all kinds of customers with all kinds of needs.

You could get anything from a minivan to a sports car and everything fits your budget and your expectations. To get to the Multi-Modal Facility you would only have to board a free shuttle bus that takes you from the terminal to this commercial establishment, which is located in the area outside the parking lot at both airports.

Details of interest

• Prices: everything is adjusted to the type of car chosen and the company offering the rental. On average you can expect to pay around 30 to 40 euros per day for the rental of a relatively modern and luxurious car. Although there are also occasions when you can get special discounts that can leave you with a rental rate of 100 euros per week.
• Conditions: you clearly assume responsibility for the integrity of the car and it is imperative that you take good care of it if you do not want to assume a significant debt with the car rental company. You will also have a significant fuel expense and this will be adjusted to the level at which you will use the vehicle on a daily basis and the distances traveled. Keep in mind that most of the accommodations in downtown Chicago do not offer you the possibility of having your car parked on the premises.
• Advantages: It may be your best alternative if you will be moving between the suburbs and downtown for your entire trip or if you plan to visit the entire Chicago Metropolitan Area for a full season.