BART from downtown San Francisco to SFO = $5.35. Blue Line from ORD to downtown Chicago = $2.00. Blue wins! Blue wins! Bonus: did not get knifed and/or peed on. read more

I saw a man clipping his beard on the blueline last week with a regular sized scissors. I felt my bowels involuntarily loosen and constrict. I almost lost it. He didn't even have a mirror, he was just feeling around and cutting off what he felt necessary.. read more

Blue Line CTA - man clipping beard on train - Trains Near Me

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Can someone explain to me why every morning during rush hour, there are about 25 trains with noone on them going to O'Hare and about 3 total trains going to the loop that are crammed like sardines? What sense does this make? None? Right. Also, it's dirty, smelly and has a lot of people begging for money. I'm over the blue line and can't wait to live in Linoln Park again. read more

It was a late night, I'd been drinking far too heavily for my own good. I had, had my fill with the friends who had accompanied me that evening. Filled with annoyance, and a need for immediate distance, I told the three of them "I'm going back to the hotel. I'll see you when you get back!" I didn't wait for a response or the questioning of my departure, I just left. As I waited, tired and depressed, for the Blue Line to pick me up I wondered how often people jump on the tracks. What kind of benefits come with a job for the clean-up of that, sure to be, mess?There was no need to think about that anymore, my ride had arrived. I had foolishly booked a hotel in Schiller Park. Partially out of ignorance, partially out of price convenience. Needless to say, each days journey involved an hour+ ride back towards the Schiller Park area. I had grown used to the ride, but was feeling a bit out of it due to my recent social activity. The train car I was in was relatively empty. The only inhabitants were a two couples, a man sitting playing with his hat, some rando in a Nike track jacket, and myself. Somewhere around Division, an individual far more intoxicated than I, boarded my car. The new passenger opted to stand, despite an overabundance of seats, in an effort to prove his failing sobriety. This passenger, who I've since dubbed Rico, was dressed in a bright white tank top, jean shorts, and wore a "Puerto Rico" baseball hat. Track jacket man got off at the next stop. For some reason, Rico took great offense to this turn of events. Rico turned and said "Who fuck do you think you are? Fucking think you're better than me?" I assumed the statement could easily be shifted towards me, due to my close proximity, so I opted to befriend Rico. "Spfft, yeah that guy?" was my attempt at making a connection. For whatever reason, Rico saw this gesture as worthwhile and then proceeded to express his ability to "fuck um up" if need be. He then decided to show me his true worth by demonstrating his ability to have house keys and a pocket knife. Rico then got a phone call from his "girlfriend" which ended with him saying "I'll fuck a bitch up!". At Addison, Rico found his stop, said "Have a good one!" and then stumbled off into the night. As the doors closed, the man playing with his hat asked "Do you know that guy?!" All I could say was "I'm from L.A., I don't know anyone here!" I could have made a snide comment about not knowing my "friends" who had traveled with me, but then again that wasn't his question. He laughed and applauded me on my ability to befriend the dangerous and then started talking about Los Angeles traffic and his obsession with watching it online. I found my stop at O'Hare and got my ride back to the hotel. Several days later, I checked out and flew home. Damn those trains were great. Except for douche bags sharing their lame obsession with traffic. That I could always do without. read more

Normal behavior of the blue line between Division and Clark/Lake, between 9am and 10am, which is RUSH hour. These are my observations over the past 3 years. 1. Trains come every 10 minutes or so. For each train going to downtown, 2 to 3 trains go in the opposite direction. 2. Due to 1. and RUSH hour, so many people gather on the platform, that 1 out of 3 days I have to wait for the next train because the train comes full and the hoard of people cannot get in. When I get on the first train, it is a "can of sardines". 3. Almost every single time there are workers on the track, which slows down the train to a crawl, usually between the Division and Chicago stops. 4. Today, at 9:36, according to the online schedule, the next train was due in 11 minutes. It actually arrived at 9:51. This is not the first time this happens. SUGGESTIONS: 1. Consider that the stops mentioned (probably starting from Logan Square to downtown) are very busy and a lot people still go to work by 10am. 2. Reduce the interval between trains going to downtown to come every 3-5 minutes at least till 10:30am. 3. Have workers do their daily job on the tracks after 10:30am. So far, biking and UberX beat the blue line! read more

In most cities around the world, a train ride to or from the airport costs a lot more than a train ride from one end of the city to the other. Luckily, Chicago isn't one of them. The Blue Line is like any other CTA line really ... convenient, fast and a cheap way to get around for someone who relies on public transport. Each stop is announced and any connections are explained quite clearly, making travel easier for tourists as well. Yes, the trains are old and the seats are rickety. But for $2.50, should you really expect to get to O'Hare sitting on leather recliners? read more

Just when I thought the blue line was shaping its act up- consistently coming on time, fewer delays, etc.- it turned into the biggest asshole this weekend, and I'm talking HUGE asshole. Friday night towards the loop- Consistency in delaying the train for about 1 minute at each stop due to delays from the train ahead of us. This of course made me late to my destination- the movies (bad place to be late to). Later that night heading North from the Chicago stop- the stop was crowded as hell, 10 minutes later when the blue line decided to show up I realized why. The blue line and its 3 cars were jam packed and no one could fit on. I watched 2 sardine packed short trains go by until I could finally fit on one. All of that, in my opinion, is not even as bad as what the blue line did to me on Saturday night. I use the website trip planner often, and it informed me a train would be there at 11:09pm. On my walk to the station, I watched a train go by at 10:55. Once I got on the platform, I only watched trains come towards O'Hare until about 11:17 when a train flew by express & didn't stop. Who the F' needs to run express non-rush hour on a Saturday night. Especially when the next train didn't come for another 7 minutes. Thats almost 30 minutes without a train coming by. You can do better than this blue line. Shame on you for being such a jerk this weekend, I hope you shape up your act before Lollapalooza comes, thats gonna be a rough one to handle on the short, slow train. All of that being said, I will continue to transport myself via blue line due to insufficient funding. read more

If you're relying on the Blue Line to get you to O'hare, there's about a 50/50 chance that you'll make your flight on time. You better leave about an hour earlier than you think it should take to make it. Yep and this is even after they've claimed that the "slow zones" have been fixed. They're still constantly working on the tracks. I was once on a blue line train heading to O'hare with PLENTY of time to spare before my flight. The train was moving along just fine when all of a sudden we pulled out from the Harlem station and went about 25 yards and stopped. And sat. And sat. And sat some more. No announcements. 45 minutes later we moved up about 10 more yards and then stopped again. And sat. And sat. And sat....you get the point. Took a total of 2 hours to get from Jeff Park to O'hare. There was never any explanation or announcement other than "we apologize and we'll be moving shortly..." Well I made my flight with just seconds to spare but you just can't rely on the Blue Line to get you to O'hare on time. Why for the love of God can't the CTA allow a train to back up just a few yards to the station that it has just left to let the people off and at least give us the option of taking a cab!? Oh yeah, there's also a very high possibility that a homeless person will chose to sit right by you and fall asleep. Once you get a whiff of the b.o. you'll have to change seats. read more

I take the Blue Line multiple times a week to work, and have to say as of late it has been more garbage than usual. The slow zones are back (after having been supposedly fixed) - and the number of trains any time after 7pm is prodigously shitty. WTF mates? read more

I once saw a large white rabbit sitting in the corner, on one of the solo seats on the blue line. A man was standing in the aisle, snapping his fingers and giving it commands. He then placed it in front of the doors, and waited for a rush hour crowd to come on as he instructed it to hop away. It sat there, and people were confused. Yeah. The blue line is not awful. I complain about it until I have occasion to ride the red line, and then I realize how much better off I have it. When "crews" aren't "working on the tracks," the blue line is fairly efficient. When they are, as they seemingly have been for the past 2.5 years, unfortunately, the blue line can run at the speed of anywhere from 'crawl' to actual 'rapid' transit. That is to say, if you're planning on cutting it close on your way to O'Hare, give yourself the extra 45 minutes to an hour. read more

I find the Blue Line really depressing. It generally runs along the highway - which means that you have to watch cars pass you as you wait in the cold for the train to come. But it gets me to where I need to go, which is what counts... I guess. read more

Blue Line CTA - Trains Near Me

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If the rules against panhandling were actually enforced on the Blue Line it would be better. I recently rode it from O'Hare to Logan Square. In that distance, the following occurred: 1) One homeless guy with diabetic wounds was panhandling the line, asking for handouts (money). I even saw where he stuck himself full of needles on his arms and legs. Do not know if it was due to drugs. 2) One drug addict came through with a cup asking for change. Please enforce the rules. I understand if people are are in dire straits, but a crowded train is not the place for this. There are many other places in the city that assist you if you are homeless and seek assistance. read more

Very interesting experience taking this transit in and out of Chicago. The Blue Line was the closest transit to where I was staying and was the only way to get the real feel of being a local. I actually felt more safe than I thought thanks to the guards at the entry point to the transits where you purchase funds for the Line. Although the ride can be pretty rough and shaky, it is definitely the best way to move through the city if you want to be somewhere on time. Especially during rush hour! Sitting next to strangers seems to be a common trend that I seen. Most people just mind their own business and kill time by reading a book or listening to music. If you miss your ride, no worries because another one follows up right behind it within 10 minutes. Moral to the story is, don't get discouraged by what you see on social media. read more

I have made love to the Blue line more than anyone else in my time in Chicago...so I guess I better give...?him? a review. Stinky, covered in residue (especially today with the salt), and filled with a questionable cast of characters, but it was my lifeline to work the first 2 years, and my artery to downtown the last 2. We went through a bad spell with track construction that slowed down our time to the jackpot by 40 minutes, but now its back to smooth vibrating slickness in the dark. Its good to be thrust against the public now and then. read more

5 stars for getting me to O'Hare for $2 (free if I'm in school and using my U-Pass) 1 star for being so unpredictable 0 stars for sometimes being really smelly On the upside the Blue line gets me to and from O'Hare for cheap. Unfortunately, the positives end here. I've spent a lot of time I'll never get back waiting on the Blue line to take me places (usually O'Hare or my parents house). Today I took the Blue line from the loop to my parents, it's a short walk from the station to their house and runs a lot more frequently than the Metra, but as Cher said, 'if I could turn back time.' The car I got in was stinky, not just unpleasant, but really bad. I couldn't place the smell, but the closest I can get to describing it is that someone peed on a bag of trash, left it in the car and then let it bake in the sun so the smell would permeate the whole car. If that wasn't bad enough the car was hot. Not slightly warm, but HOT - it made my shower at the gym a total waste of time. My idea of a workout isn't sitting completely still and sweating like a pig! And like an idiot I stuck it out too. When I got off the train I almost kissed the ground of the platform for the cool breeze and fresh air; luckily I came to my senses before it was too late. Bottom line, the L has never been known for its cleanliness or the Blue line for its timeliness so plan in advance if you're taking it to catch a flight. I guess you get what you pay for, for $2 I shouldn't expect a car that smells like roses. Despite it's faults I will continue taking the Blue line, as a student I can't beat the price. read more

I wish I lived closer to a blue line because there is a lovely stop that's just a hop, skip, and a jump in front of where I work...well, maybe a few hops, several skips, and a couple jumps because I am vertically challenged. I also wish I used the blue line more to go to O'Hare and save some dinero by not using cabs/shuttle buses. I have issues with hauling my luggage (I don't pack as lightly as I would like) up and down the steps transferring from the red line to the blue line. I get all awkward when it comes to this stuff, and I fear I will trip or knock myself (or someone else) down the stairs with luggage bags in hand. What's my point? Oh yes, blue line is also convenient when I can pick-up or make a short visit with relatives/friends coming into or leaving Chicago. PS: My dad likes it too because for some reason he does not get so dizzy on the El as he does in a cab or bus. He's sensitive when it comes to riding in vehicles. That's it...just a random bit of info to add to my review. read more

Oh, Blue Line.... where do I begin? You run 24 hours a day with only a short wait between trains (usually, anyway), so that's good. And you don't smell like the Red Line, which is even better. I've never been pan-handled on you or seen anyone try the shell game (Red Line again), and you're not filled with obnoxious yuppie types that make me want to stab my eardrums out with a fork. Loud, grating cell phone conversations are kept to a minimum since you run underground for a bit. Plus, I love that I can pretty much always get a seat when I get on at Irving Park in the morning. With that said, your little incident this summer has put the fear of god into me. I can barely stand to ride you without wondering if the train is going to derail. And you're so slow now! Trips on you take almost twice as long as they did only a couple of months ago, and that makes me sad. And the hipster trash that you subject me to between Western and Damen is almost as bad as the yuppie types that make me dislike the Brown Line so much. Also, if I have to trip over someone's luggage one more time, it's possible that I'm going to go postal. (Note to other CTA riders: If you are travelling with luggage, please do not stand right by the doors, ESPECIALLY when there is room on other parts of the train. Grrrrr!) I get really upset with how you're managed in general, and I hate knowing how much money the CTA wastes. But driving to work would be expensive, and taking the train is better for the environment. Which means that we're stuck with each other, Blue Line, so I suppose I should try focusing on your strong points. Sigh. read more

"Leave Early. Leave Late. Alternate." OR ELSE YOU WILL WAIT FOR AN HOUR. And then be crammed onto a train with a million other crabby Chicagoans who just want to get home or get to work. Gah. I hate the blue line. read more

You know how they say you don't know what you got until it's gone? Yeah. I knew what I had when I lived in Lincoln Park/Lakeview. Being right on the Red/Brown/Purple line is HEAVEN. Even when it was busy, it was heaven. I had my choice of train in the morning and evening, I could go anywhere and the trains came pretty often. The Blue Line? Don't make me laugh. What a joke. It's one of two trains (and what I'm sure MOST tourists use) when they first come to Chicago. They get a stinky urine soaked train car. Welcome to Chicago, suckers. Our trains are disgusting. We still have the old school cars where the doors open into the car and still, the asshole commuters haven't figured out they can't stand in front of them when the train is packed and people are trying to get off. PLEASE STEP OUT OF THE CAR!!! Now, let's talk about schedules. WHAT.A.JOKE.com. At 7am, I'm often left standing on the station (Western O'Hare going downtown) watching train after train run express downtown, always skipping our overly packed station. Hey, CTA, people actually do use the Western stop on the O'Hare line. Then there are the constantly malfunctioning turnstiles at the top of the stairs. When they are working, they often go whipping around causing me to lose my turn, or it's so hard to get through it's like pushing a boulder. And then there's the line getting out of the turnstile. In the morning don't bother trying to catch that train downtown because there is a huge line of people trying to get out and catch the Western bus and if you use your card, you just lost your fare. Ridiculous. In the evening...HA HA HA NO. Now trains start to run express out of downtown always skipping Monroe. I just can't win. I want to go back to the Rolls Royce of the CTA, the ghetto blue line is getting old. read more

Whether its the smell of urine or the 135 decibels of noise it makes, you gotta love the Blue Line. I am afraid to sit down on the seats sometimes, so I opt to 'surf' the Blue Line instead by standing up like a friend of mine always does. Just hope that its not closed on the weekends in the summer again. read more

$2.25 to get from OHare to inside the loop... I'm a fan.

Clear markings. Relatively reliable. Exits announced well. Doors to be used announced. CTA trains could be the class of the world. But... No attendants selling tickets or giving change. Use a machine or walk! No one-day fun passes until you get to a Jewel, Walgreens, etc... and they run out all the time!!! Those two issues make the CTA 3-star... just OK. read more

I've never thought it was useful to review individual subway lines, but now I'm caught up in what seems to be a growing trend. I like the Blue line. I wish I could review portions of the Blue Line separately from each other. Can I just say that the O'Hare branch is much better than the Jefferson Park branch without inciting a riot? That is... until they go closing it down on weekends to speed the thing up. I can't count the number of times they've made me get off 3 stops early and take a shuttle bus to the next stop because the tunnel was closed. Now if it would only stop derailing... read more

When I lived in the suburbs and I wanted to go downtown, I would frequently drive out to Cumberland, park my car in the garage, and hop on the Blue Line. ...And arrive downtown about an hour later, due to all the slow zones on the Blue Line. While I am happy to say that the CTA has begun to tackle these slow zones, I would have been a LOT happier this morning had they bothered to turn on the A/C on the Blue Line trains. I picked it up at Damen and the inside of the car was like a sauna. The air was thick and heavy and everyone was sweaty and unhappy. Blue Line, you are awesome for being clean and running 24 hours, but holy hell - turn on the A/C! read more

Taking the blue line is always a pleasant experience. I can get to the north west side fairly quick. I like to sit in cars with the conductor. I've taken every line and have had nothing but great things to say about the blue line. I am used to traveling on the orange line to midway airport, so having to share space with travellers to o'hare isn't so bad. Since half of the ride is via subway, always be alert and always know where your stop is. Blue line tends to be crowded on days of conventions in Rosemont read more

Oh Blue, I tried to take you home from the Metra station at Jefferson Park today and you left me waiting in the rain for a shuttle bus. Rumor has it you hit someone on the tracks. I hope that's not true, it's not a very nice thing to do. Generally you are very reliable, however. You tend to be rather crowded during those rush hour times, but it is rush hour so I understand. I only wish they would add some more trains so that I don't have to wait for three packed trains to pass by before I can squish myself on. Most of the time I can find a seat, though. And you never leave me wondering how I will get home in the wee hours of the night when the other lines aren't running. But Blue, you might wonder why I chose to move from a location near the Brown and Red lines to be closer to you. It's simple: I don't have to deal with the Belmont-Fullerton nightmare now!! YAY! read more

It seems that every time I ride the Blue Line, it manages to get even slower than the last time. I take it to the airport for work, from Damen... and this ride should be about 25 minutes. Somehow, with the advent of the slow zones... they manage to make it a 40 to 45 minute ride. It is grueling. Also, I saw another review that said that the Blue Line didn't smell like urine! Ha! If I get on a train that doesn't have the sickening smell of urine, I feel lucky...because it doesn't happen too often. I have no idea how the CTA can manage to be as inept as they are. The slow zones are tell tale signs that this ship has been rudderless for many years. Tracks wear out, they need to be replaced... that is a given. Instead of using their operating budget wisely, and planning for these foreseeable costs, they'd rather just drive the trains over the old tracks at 6 mph! I can walk that fast. I hope that something can change with the CTA. The Blue Line is the artery to one of the world's busiest airports, it is the first thing many people see of Chicago. It is a mess. The biggest laugh I got is when the CTA had the nerve to hang new schedules in the stops! Are you serious! These trains run on a schedule! Wow... you see I just thought that you went to the station and when one showed up, one showed up. I'd love to see a graph of how close to on schedule these things run. There is no schedule. Please stop trying to placate us with a useless paper schedule that you can't even dream of staying on. read more

The Blue Line SUCKS!!! The slow zones make the trip 3 times longer than it used to be. The trains are so full especially during rush hour and it takes upwards to 25 minutes for a train at anytime but rush hour. I have to take the train to O'Hare atleast 2 times a week and I can never give myself enough time to get there. Every tourist and traveler out of O'Hare has luggage and there is no where to put it besides in the aisle then that leaves no where to stand for those with no luggage. UGH! I HATE the Blue Line!!!! read more

The trains were SO fast yesterday. I didn't have to stand around at UIC-Halsted, watching 30 or more people's faces get more and more grim. I didn't have to lose 20 minutes of my life to the Jackson station, and it was 8:30 maybe 9 at night. on the way home, the train I got on had just been cleaned. The floors were shiny! It was astonishing I wonder what they're trying to pull.. read more

I was told to take the Brown Line when I was going to DePaul, but I found that to be a royal pain in the ass. So one day I discovered that you could take the Blue Line to the Red Line and get to DePaul in 45 minutes opposed to the 1.5 hours it took by the time I took the bus to Irving Park Brown Line. Anyways the only reason I am upset at the Blue line right now is that I can't make the same transfer anymore. :( read more

Had to take a break from cycling, was in the process of ordering my new bike. I had to take the Blue line for few weeks. The suck level was to new heights. I have lived in Chicago since 92 and this is far the worst I have seen. During this time of CTA reliance I had to let one train pass, after 15 minute waiting, because it was too crowded. Once you squeeze on to the next train, you are super lucky if you have a seat next to a homeless person. Many seats smell like homless people. Loading at the station takes forever because the train is so packed that the conductor has to re-set the doors a few times. Of course this does not keep people trying to still get on. Now they are giving out "late slips" for those who have strict tardiness policies at work. Now they routinley announce where those slips can be found. Funny! I am back to biking and soooo happy. I plan going out activities as much as possible WITHOUT the CTA. Plus I save that 4.50 a day. YAY! read more

What are you supposed to do when your pal from out-of-town vomits explosively from the flu on the way from O'hare to downtown? The world may never know. I would be interested to know when and how the cars are cleaned. That is a serious job. Maybe that guy from the discovery channel should look into that? Thank you blue line, for all of the memories. read more

Deducting one star because it could be a lot cleaner and better policed. However to travel from O'Hare without leaving the terminal into the city for only $2.25 is sublime. I once observed a CTA worker waiting at the Jefferson Park station at 6 PM. When the train rolled in, the conductor nodded to her and signaled. A blind passenger exited the train exactly where she was standing and she guided him by the arm out of the station. I assume she meets him at the same time and place every day after work to help him. I was touched by her gesture and by this level of service and kindness. read more

Point Blank, the blue line is a pain. It's congested, often off schedule, and makes for an awkward ride. Getting out to the NW side of town from the city and vice versa is one example. They need to update the infrastructure (which they are working on). However, I am very grateful to have it. I look out at the commuters on 90 as I am on the train and think... "suckas!" I have a car, but I try to avoid 90 like the plague. Hence, the blue line comes in handy when I need to get to and from the NW side easily. We're lucky we have that line, but it needs some work. read more

Skipping whole trains in literal 10 degree weather. Thanks for the 25 minute wait CTA!!!

They suck! Always late and when they finally come there is 3 buses at the same time and all 3 going so slow like is not late already. Goddamnit!!! Ventra is another problem it says 5min to next one to arrive and takes 10min. Are u freaking kidding!!!!... ugh!!!! read more

It always amazes me how quickly I can get from downtown to Wicker Park on this thing, and I love seeing things out the window from the time it surfaces briefly until it descends again in Logan Square. Until tonight I had never gotten off at North and Damen and headed toward the North exit. It's terrifying. Try to wait till the train has left the station as you pick your way along the very narrow platform (more like a trail). I would not enjoy this on an icy night. read more

I am a frequent rider of the Blue Line. I don't have any major problems with it and it does get me to where I have to go. So...I don't have too many complaints but unfortunately have some. You do have to keep in mind that its a public train so its not going to be 5 star quality. The only small complaints I have is that it smells bad, its doors on some cars are too small and open awkwardly, and there isn't a great job of watching whether everybody is done coming in and going out. One day, when riding the blue line home, a man with two large suitcases was having some trouble getting on the train. His suitcases were two big to take into the car at the same time so he decided to take one at a time. He left one on the platform, took the other, and placed it in the train car. When he walked out to get his other suitcase, the doors closed, and the train started to leave the platform. The man wasn't on the train with both of his suitcases, though, and was left at the platform with his other suitcase. When everyone realized what was going on (that a random suitcase was riding the train with no owner!) we pulled the emergency stop. But this is what I mean! No one was watching to make sure everyone was safely on or off! Recently I've noticed that CTA workers have been walking up and down the platform to make sure everything is ok, so it is nice to know they're making more of an effort. The Blue Line isn't too bad, it was just these little things I had a problem with but now it is changing a little bit at a time so that's why I've given it 3 stars. read more

This line stinks. Literally smells terrible. Every time I have come back from the airport it has smelled like an old wet dog. Why wouldn't it homeless people use it to transport bags of garbage all over the place. read more

In a fight with the Red Line, the Blue Line would lose...but in a debate, the Blue Line would WIN. I am scared of the Red Line after riding the Blue for the majority of my 4 years in Chicago. It's like my big brother. And the Red Line - that's my mean, angry older sister that HITS ME. read more