This is a question that gets asked pretty consistently on the board, so I thought I would provide a *basic* guide. This isn't perfect; I just wrote this out in one sitting because I had some time and thought it was needed now. Unfortunately, I can't edit this due to not being able to edit on this site, but hopefully other folks can chip in with additional tips/tidbits. Hopefully this will also be of help to people coming to the city. I tried to get in all the hotels, but may have missed a few.
Also, for those reading this, PLEASE (!) go to transitchicago.com, which is the official CTA website, so you can see how the transit system is laid out and familiarize yourself even further. You can also see how to get the remainder of the way to your hotel on the map, and spot if any busses go from the station past your hotel. The site has great maps and is very easy to use. It's a great place to study how to get around the city - while Chicago is very easy to get around, if you really study where everything is, you'll use your time here much more effectively and won't have to always refer to a map when you're on the street.
Those wanting to see the history of the "L" can go to chicago-l.org
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In General:
Chicago's bus and "L" train transit operates on fare cards. Large blue machines are placed within subway stations and in some additional spots - there is one just off the family area/stage at Navy Pier, by one of the restrooms.
The fare cards are rechargable, which means that you can put as much as you want into the machine, and that value is on the card. Whenever you take a ride on bus or L, when you put the card in the machine/turnstyle, the amount is deducted. When you run out of money, you can put the card back in the machine and put more money on it. I recommend - and this is if no one is waiting behind you - to get rid of your pocket change in the machine.
Rides on the "L" are $1.75. If you transfer within 2 hours, it's 25 cents. If there is an additional transfer within the first two hours, that's free. After the second transfer, it's $1.75 again for the next ride.
With the transit card, multiple people in a group can use it. When I'm in a group, I run it through and then hand it back to the next person.
There are also visitor passes: (Visitor Passes cannot be shared or recharged.)
1-Day Visitor Pass for $5
2-Day Visitor Pass for $9
3-Day Visitor Pass for $12
5-Day Visitor Pass for $18
"Your pass activates the first time you use it. Just dip your pass into the bus farecard machine or the train station turnstile---and go! The pass is good for the number of consecutive days shown on the front of the card. As an example, a 3-day pass is valid for 72 hours from the time of first use and the expiration date and time is printed on the back of the card after it is used." Phone number for pass ordering: 1-888-YOUR-CTA. Passes can also be bought online at transitchicago.com, or at local outlets, such as:
Chicago Cultural Center
312-742-0079 Shop at the Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.
Open 10 a.m. - 6 P.M. Weekdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun.
Hot Tix Ticket Center
312-554-9800 72 E. Randolph St.
Open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tue. - Fri.,
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat.,
Noon - 5 p.m. Sun.
Osco Drug (right by the Palmer House)
312-609-1215 137 S. State St.,
Open 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Mon. - Fri.,
8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sat.,
8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun.
Chicago Transit
Authority
888-YOUR-CTA 567 W. Lake Street,
Chicago, IL 60661.
Open weekdays 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Chicago Water Works
Visitor Center 163 E. Pearson
Visitor Pass Vending Machine
Open daily 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Accepts Credit and Debit cards
Chicago Water Works
312-742-8811 City of Chicago Store, 163 E. Pearson
Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon. - Sat. , 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun.
Jewel Foods (not far from Omni Ambassador East)
312-944-6950 1210 N. Clark St.
Open 6 a.m. - 12 a.m. Mon.,
24 hours Tues. - Sun.
Navy Pier
312-595-5413 Navy Pier Store in the Family Pavilion
700 E Grand Ave.
Open 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sun. - Thru.,
10 a.m. - midnight Fri. - Sat.
Midway Airport Orange
Line Station
4612 W. 59th St.
Visitor Pass Vending Machine available 24 hours per day
Accepts credit and debit cards
O'Hare Airport Blue
Line Station
Main Parking Garage, Lower Level
Visitor Pass Vending Machine available 24 hours per day
Accepts credit and debit cards
Chicago Red
Line Station
800 N. State St.
Visitor Pass Vending Machine available 24 hours per day
Accepts credit and debit cards
These places:
Chicago Cultural Center
312-742-0079 Shop at the Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.
Open 10 a.m. - 6 P.M. Weekdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun.
Chicago Water Works
Visitor Center 163 E. Pearson
Visitor Pass Vending Machine
Open daily 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Accepts Credit and Debit cards
Are also visitor information centers, and provide quite a lot of booklets and information about the city. The Water Works center also has a restaurant area. Both should also have the official city coupon books, but sometimes they do run out.
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Coming From O'Hare:
From O'Hare downtown, you will be taking the Blue Line (no confusion possible, since it's the only line going from O'Hare and it's the end of the line, so you're not going to be getting on the wrong way.
If you are going to one of the hotels in the downtown loop area (The Swiss, Hard Rock, Hyatt, Renaissance, W, Palmer, Burnham, Crowne Plaza, Westin River North and House of Blues, among others) then you will take the blue line to one of these stops, and may/may not need to transfer.
* Allegro customers can get off at the Clark station.
* Renaissance, Hard Rock, Hyatt, Swiss, Fairmont, Hotel 71, Club Quarters Wacker/Michigan and Monaco visitors first. Those headed to the Renaissance could get off at Clark and walk the brief remainder, as could Monaco visitors. Those going to the Swiss, Hyatt and Hard Rock could also get off here and cab the brief remaining distance. The other option for Hard Rock/Hyatt/Swiss/Hotel 71/CQ customers would be to transfer from the Blue Line to the Red Line at Washington and head one stop North to Lake, then go from there. Renaissance and Monaco visitors could also transfer here, as the Lake Red Line stop would put them a little bit closer than if they get off at the Clark Blue Line station. Fairmont customers can head the rest of the way from the Washington stop by cab.
Burnham, Crowne Plaza and Palmer customers should get off at Monroe, while W or Club Quarters Downtown customers should get off at Jackson, walk one block North to Adams, then begin their fairly short trek West. Those at the House of Blues or Westin can get off at Clark, then trek the short distance over the River.
Those going to the Holiday Inn Merchandise Mart should get off at the Clark Blue Line station downtown, then go above ground to the Clark Brown Line station, and then take the brown line one stop to the Merchandise Mart stop.
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If you are coming from O'Hare and going to the Travelodge, Essex or Hilton Chicago, then you will need to transfer.
Take the blue line downtown to Jackson. Transfer there to the Red Line heading South. Those headed to the Travelodge will get off at the Red Line Harrison Stop, while those headed to the Essex or Hilton will get off at Roosevelt and then walk East the to Michigan Ave, then the remaining distance to their hotel.
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If you are going to one of the hotels North of the River, things are a little (just a little) more complicated.
From the CTA website:
Connections within rail stations and using transfer tunnels (at Roosevelt, Jackson, and Washington) between rail routes are free.
I would recommend taking the Blue Line train from O'Hare to Washington, then transfering to the Red Line at that station. From there you will head North (there will be signs saying "to Howard" - you are NOT(!) going to Howard, that is simply the Northernmost stop.)
You will then take the Red Line North to:
Grand (the Courtyard Marriott Downtown is right there, as well as the Embassy Suites Downtown, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn. The Amalfi is a few blocks away, as is the Homewood Suites. The Sheraton Four Points, Cass and Lenox are a bit west and those who are going to the W Lakeshore, Holiday Inn City Centre, Best Western Mag Mile, Fairfield, Sheraton, Wyndham, Red Roof, Embassy Suites lakefront, Courtyard Mag Mile, Intercontinental, Marriott Downtown should consider taking a taxi or bus the remaining distance.
Chicago (The Peninsula, Four Seasons, Sofitel and Talbott are nearby, and the Omni Chicago is not far. Also near, but a bit more of a walk - The Radisson, the Fitzpatrick, the Allerton, the Westin River North, the Drake, the Millenium Knickerbocker, Doubletree, Seneca, Tremont, Rapahel and Residence Inn. Those with a lot of luggage may want to cab it the brief distance to the Residence or to the Drake/Millenium/Four Seasons.
or Clark/Division (Omni Ambassador East, Sutton Place)
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Those coming from Midway will be getting on the Orange Line and headed downtown.
Those going to the Essex or Hilton can get off at Roosevelt.
Those headed to any other hotel (aside from the W, Club Quarters and Allegro) can get transfer here to the Red Line and continue to head North.
Those going to the W or Club Quarters Downtown should continue on the Orange Line and get off at Quincy. Those going to the Allegro should get off at Washington.
Those continuing on the Red Line should stop at for these specific hotels:
Monroe Stop: Palmer, Crowne Plaza Silversmith
Washington Stop: Burnham, Fairmont
Lake Stop: Monaco, Club Quarters Wacker/Michigan, Hotel 71, Renaissance, Hard Rock, Swiss, Hyatt. Those going to the Westin River North or House of Blues can get off here and walk up State, over the river to their hotel.
Grand (the Courtyard Marriott Downtown is right there, as well as the Embassy Suites Downtown, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn. The Amalfi is a few blocks away, as is the Homewood Suites. The Sheraton Four Points, Cass and Lenox are a bit west and those who are going to the W Lakeshore, Holiday Inn City Centre, Best Western Mag Mile, Fairfield, Sheraton, Wyndham, Red Roof, Embassy Suites lakefront, Courtyard Mag Mile, Intercontinental, Marriott Downtown should consider taking a taxi or bus the remaining distance.
Chicago (The Peninsula, Park Hyatt, Four Seasons, Sofitel and Talbott are nearby, and the Omni Chicago is not far. Also near, but a bit more of a walk - The Radisson, the Fitzpatrick, the Allerton, the Westin River North, the Drake, The Seneca, Raphael, Tremont, the Millenium Knickerbocker, Doubletree and Residence Inn. Those with a lot of luggage may want to cab it the brief distance to the Residence or to the Drake/Millenium/Four Seasons.
or Clark/Division (Omni Ambassador East, Sutton Place)
