I was in town for the Chicago Marathon and stayed at a nearby hotel. I took a red line train down…read moreto Chinatown to head over to the race expo at McCormick Place. This station was underground and pretty standard for a train station. It was pretty clean, well-lit, and rather empty at about 10 am on a Saturday.

It's ok. We entered on State and Harrison. It's a card only entrance. You can pay with your phone…read morebut nowhere to buy a pass. We counted 15 cameras on each side of the platform which makes for what feels like better security. It was cleanish, as clean as a CTA stop gets. Train came on time and there was maybe one or two unhinged persons sleeping upright on a bench.

Okay, until yesterday, I didn't even know that there was such a thing as "X49 Western Express" CTA…read moreBus. I was waiting for the #94 California bus at the Western /Orange Line Station. I thought I could get some pics of the #94 and also the #49 Western buses to put on their Yelp Business Pages. The only pictures that I took that looked pretty good, turned out to be for the X49, so I felt compelled to open a business page, write this review, and, of course, post my pics. . I found out this X49 bus runs on weekdays during rush hours. The #49 Western makes all of the usual stops between 79th St on the south side and Berwyn Avenue on the north side. The X49 Western Express only stops at the main intersections, so you should be able to save some time on this bus - - if your stop is a main intersection. Since I have not personally experienced riding this bus, I feel 3 stars is an appropriate rating - - sure does sound like a time saver, if the stops fit your needs. CTA Review #6

Like New York City, Chicago has one of the best public transportation systems in the U.S. I've had…read moreseveral meetings in the Loop where my office is located. The trains are clean. The seats are comfortable. The conductors are professional, and most of all, the train is on time most of the time. I don't have to deal with expensive parking, and walk underground to the elevator to my office. Sweet! I go to the office twice a week and enjoy unwinding on the train. I prepare for meetings, too. The train takes you to the museums stop, Hyde Park, the south burbs, and the University of Chicago. It's the cheapest and most convenient way to visit the city.

I travel on Metra Electric when I use Public Transportation about 90% of the time. Its usually…read moregood. Yesterday there were electrical delays at Millenium Station during Rush Hour. Got on tje train more delays. The conducter was great. He didn't take our tickets. Today as I'm in Hyde Park waiting on the Metra now 8 minutes late, the announcer says it the train conductor doesn't see you, he won't stop. I get on. Riding south they pass my stop without any announcement. The conducter says its the Engineers fault with NO compassion or recourse just Mitchy Attitude. I said bacl the MF up! He said can't do that. I had to ride to tje end of the line wait 10 minutes and get home an hour past the time I should've been. Wouldn't you be pissed at such an easy fix? Mistakes are human but arrogance and incompetence are unacceptable!

CTA has an L station on Damen. It's not the one you're thinking of, but the one on the Brown Line…read more Of course, this one is a lot quieter. Even though there's not as much going on, there's some things worth checking out if you're around here. There's some nice bars and restaurants. About the best thing to say about it is that it's a classic. It serves the Brown Line. The station has a hell ton of stairs. It's a bitch to climb. Of course at the top of it you have some good views. It's one of the best ways to get to Ravenswood. There's a few bars and restaurants close to it that don't have the crowds like the Blue Line station. Also check out the suitcase furniture. There's nothing like sitting on a wooden suitcase, that's for sure. Besides the nearly endless stairs, this station is a favorite. It maintains history while slightly modernizing. The only thing is there's often some kind of track issue so it can take awhile waiting for trains.

A nice historic L stop that is wonderful when it's not rush hour and the weather is pleasant. The…read moreneighborhood around here has changed so much over my lifetime but the station is a constant. Much safer now than decades ago. The climb seems steeper than before but of course it's me that's changed. As with elsewhere, CTA employees are unfriendly and disinterested at best, hostile and loathing more typically.

Easy peasy transfer between Metra / Union Pacific and CTA. This station is right next to the Metra…read moreDavis Street Evanston station, and is a quick walk past a turnaround to get to. The signs are easy to read, and it's handicapped accessible. I was really appreciative of this station. I enjoyed the fact that there's some public artwork here- some drawing/paintings of people that must live in the neighborhood. Colorful! There's one other stop in Evanston (Main Street) where you can transfer between CTA and the Metra / UP Line, and this one is FAR superior to the other one. Take this one to transfer, not the Main Street one! When I went, the platform wasn't busy, and it was easy hopping on the train!

Pretty good station, large and spacious, and a homeless guy let me in for free. The platform is…read morenext to a glass building, which makes for a really pretty spot to see the sunset

It's ok as far as CTA stations go. It's one of the major stations in this part of town, and the bus…read morestops here as well. The station has a Dunkin Donuts inside, but what really makes it unique is the memorial in the southwest corner of the station. The Berlin Wall Monument is a large section of the wall which once faced West Germany, and that side is filled with graffiti; the side facing East Berlin is blank. This makes sense when you consider that East Germany was under communist rule, but West Germans were free to express themselves and not face the sort of severe consequences their counterparts across the wall would have. The monument has a plaque expressing its dedication to Chicago and the gratitude of Germany toward the United States for the support of destruction of the wall.

Regardless of my option of this CTA station, I live very close to here and this is the closest and…read morebest station to get downtown and to points South in Chicago. At the time of this review, I have been living in Lincoln Square and using this station almost everyday for about seven months. First, it's dirty. You will often find trash inside the station or on the platform. Also, the platform is often covert in bird poop that is rarely cleaned. Second, it smells. I've smelled worse things on the CTA, but it a constant low level damp bad smell that is omnipresent. Third, the escalator is often broken. Recently, at least, it seems the escalator had been out of order more times that not. It makes the long walk up the stories tiring. There, however, some good points. First, the station has some amenities. There is a piece of the Berlin Wall located on the ground floor. It's worth popping in to view this even if you're not catching a train. There is Dunkin' Donuts on the ground floor. The downside is that it closes early (6:00 pm). Also, you can catch the the 49, 49B X49 and 11 buses here. Third, the platform is wide and accommodates a good number of people. If you live in, or want to visit, either the North Center or Lincoln Square neighborhoods this the best and most convenient L stop to use. I just wish they kept it in better repair and much cleaner.

I've spent a few 15 minute stretches, after narrowly missing a Howard-bound train, hanging out at…read morethis station. At 8pm it's generally deserted and the eerie glow from the yellow lamps at the end of the platform have all the trappings of a slasher flick. I make it home safe every time though...boring movie, decent station.

"Harlem Avenue" is a LONG road, reaching the north end in Glenview and Extending all the all down…read moreto the southwestern suburbs of Frankfort and Tinley Park. CTA #90 (Harlem) bus doesn't provide the entire Harlem tour, but it provides nice sceneries of Norwood Park/Dunning/Montclare/Galewood neighborhoods that belong to the city of Chicago. Since Harlem, or Route 43, is a far-west end, north-south running road, #90 also passes through Norridge, Harwood Heights, Elmwood Park, Oak Park, and River Forest that are villages bordering the city. #90 southbound begins at the CTA Harlem Blue Line station (O'Hare branch) in Norwood Park. I guess the first major point of interest is the Halrem-Irving Plaza (HIP). This mall anchors retailers such as Kohl's, Carson's and Target. Other standalone shops can also be located in Norridge Commons. At this time, passengers can make connections to CTA #78 (Montrose) or CTA #80 (Irving Park) busses near the shopping mall. Now look at the opposite direction from the mall. "Mr. Beef" has some of the best Italian beef sandwich in the city. "Pasta Fresh," a tiny mom-and-pop shop (cash-only) near the intersections of Grace and Harlem, can give you a taste of authentic Italian home-style cuisine. My recommendation will be their amazing pesto sauce. I not only pour it on pasta, but also "drench" my omelet with a generous amount of it! As far as grocery stores go, "Angelo Caputo's Fresh Markets," on the northwest corner of Harlem and Grand (in Elmwood Park) can help you execute one-stop grocery shopping. Continue our southbound journey and arrive at North Avenue. If you would like another Italian beef sandwich, get it at Johnnie's in Elmwood Park (cash-only). This time you can also order a cup of Italian ice to go with it. We are also at the south-end terminal stop in downtown Oak Park. The bus route will end near the CTA Harlem Green Line station. There are festivals and concert series on Lake St. in Oak Park throughout the year. I'm a city gal, but Oak Park has voted one the best suburbs to live and to raise a family in the U.S. By the way, the green line El takes you to the loop and south-side of Chicago. #90 isn't very rush-hour friendly since frequently drivers utilize Harlem as the alternative instead of using the interstates. Discounting those traffic uncontrollables, I'm quite satisfied with their performance.

I hated the fact that I had to take public transportation from Edison Park on this bus to…read moreLincolnwood/Skokie for a previous job because it just took a lot longer than driving (but I didn't have a car at the time). Fortunately, that bus ran late. THEN, at the end of 2008, they changed the hours and it only runs until 7pm on Saturdays! (None on Sunday.) This really makes it difficult for me to plan evening activities in the city on the weekend.... BOO.