Chicago Travel Forum

Hi everyone!
1. Is this the card that I buy to use the bus/subway/train in Chicago?
2. Is there more than one type of card or this is it? Not sure if there is only the one kind of transit. For Toronto, it's the TTC for example.
3. I read on the website that the $5 fee is waived if I register the card. Well, I won't have access to a computer while in Chicago?

TIA!

From the CTA's website
http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/fares.html

"Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus: Full fare is $1.75; transfer for 25 cents. Transfers allow two additional rides within two hours after the first boarding.

Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus offer lower fares, quicker boarding, protected fares and a guaranteed bonus. Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus customers get a $2.00 bonus for each $20 of value added.

Transit Card: $1.75 on buses; $2.00 at rail stations; transfer for 25 cents. Transfers allow two additional rides within two hours after the first boarding.

Cash: $2 per ride on bus and rail; exact fare only; no change returned. No transfers issued when paying with cash."

As you can see there's not that much advantage to getting a Chicago Card, I think it's designed for Chicago commuters rather than visitors. I would look at one of two options

If you plan on using it a lot, get a visitor pass, they have 1, 2, 3 and 5 day passes for $5/$9/$12/$18.

Or if you don't think you'll be riding the transportation all that much in Chicago, look at getting a transit card, you put a value on the card and you pay the same rate as the Chicago Card on buses ($1.75) and slightly more on the el ($2)

I ordered my Chicago Card online and had them mail it to me for no cost, waiving the $5 fee because I registered online, but that might not be an option for you since you seem to be based in Canada and it doesn't appear to take non US addresses.

Hi Dabs,

Thanks for the detailed info. So the Chicago card is not the same as the Transit card?

We don't know where everything is right now, don't have a car, but will be using the bus each day. I am unable to walk far, so I believe the "passes, perhaps a 5 day pass as we will be in Chicago for 6 days" will be the most economical.

No the Chicago Card is a plastic, almost credit card like, pass, as I said mainly for local commuters. The transit card is a cheaper plastic card that you can keep adding value to as you need it, the Chicago card gives a slightly lower price on the el (subway) but it's only 25 cents per ride, not much in the scheme of things.

If you expect to ride the el or bus 3 times a day or more, you should just get the visitor pass. If you are limited in walking, I suspect you will use it more than 3 times a day.