Chicago Travel Forum

I am arrivig on Thursday the 24th, can you please tell me how to get from Ohara airport to the InterContinal Hotel downtown. I have never been to Chicago and have no clue but would like to take the train if that is available

If you want to take the el, Chicago's version of a subway, you can catch it at the airport and take it to downtown, get off at the Clark/Lake stop and take a taxi the rest of the way. It should cost $2 for the el and no more than $5 for the taxi. There is only one line leaving from O'Hare and it only goes one direction so it's very easy to use.

The CTA trip planner has you taking the el and then the bus, I think it would be terribly inconvenient to try and get luggage on one of the buses.

Other options include a shared van like Airport Express which is $27 or a taxi which would be even more.

While the previous reply is good as far as it goes, I would like to offer a slightly different route. Take the CTA train to Chicago. You'll see icons of a subway car to find the station in the airport, or you can ask someone. This line in the transit system is called the Blue Line. Take it and get off at Jackson. While still in the Blue Line Jackson station, you'll find a short tunnel that will take you to another line, the Red Line. When you get to the Red Line, wait for a train in the direction of Howard (Northbound). Once you're on the Red Line, you'll pass the Monroe and Lake stops and get off at the Grand stop. You will now be about a block from your hotel (you want to walk east on Grand for a block til you come to Michigan Ave. From there you should be able to see your hotel. The whole trip is $2. You should be able to ask any of the agents at any station you are at for a CTA route map, which is handy to have if traveling this way. If you are leaving on a weekend, check with your hotel concierge...there are some changes to routing of the Southbound Red Line on weekends right now due to construction. Have a great trip.