As a California resident, I look at Chicago's public transit system and am filled with envy. The trains aren't the cleanest nor do they smell the best, but no one can argue their affordability, efficiency, and convenience. The Chicago transit system is affectionately coined as the "L", short for elevated. One of the most popular trains in Chicago is known as the Blue Line which is 34 miles long and encompasses 33 stations. The part I love most is that it's connected to the O'Hare Airport and goes directly downtown which is the Clark/Lake station. No need to spend a $50+ taxi/Uber ride to get to your destination! The Blue Line can get you downtown for a flat fee of $5 (with one free transfer). It does take 40 minutes, but with the horrendous traffic in Chicago, a taxi ride can take much longer than that and certainly cost a fortune. If going back to O'Hare, it'll only cost $3. ---- Conclusion: Dear Los Angeles, take note of these systems in Chicago and revolutionize the transport game for SoCal someway, somehow. Thanks! Extra Notes: -Accepts credit card and cash -If using cash, have exact change as the machine doesn't give change back -Blue Line runs 24/7! -An unlimited one day pass costs $10, and a three day, unlimited pass costs $20 -If visiting Chicago for the weekend, I recommend just paying for the ride to and from O'Hare. Most of the popular sights in Chicago are within walking distance or a short Uber away. -Be wary of your bags and wallet as the people on the train station can be suspect. -Restrooms in the train stations are dirty. There aren't any restrooms physically inside the train. read more

CTA - Irving Park Blue Line - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Another lame station and pretty nasty place to be. Irving Park has a station on the Blue Line. Of importance is that it's one of the last stops before O'Hare. Metra also has a station you can get to from here. This has a reputation for being windy. Busy station compared to any. It serves the Blue Line. This is one of the final stops before the L gets to O'Hare, and so it's busy most of the time. It has numerous transportation options surrounding it. There's a Metra station, the UP Northwest Line, that's here so you can easily transfer between these. Also there's a parking lot for those in cars. The Kennedy goes along this station and it's fucking loud. Pulaski is another major street close by. There's no need to say a lot of people pass through here daily, so it's not good for those with social anxiety, or those who don't like smelling body odor. Good transportation options make this as good as it is. It also is close to many restaurants and shopping, so it gets points for location. This gets even better if you're able to hold your breath, and avoid the rancid stench. read more

CTA - Irving Park Blue Line - Station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's the blue line. Hard to rate very high. This location can be a little confusing in where you want to exit and it can make a huge difference to be wrong. Outdoors so can be cold and long walk to trains. Nicely located in area though and accessible. read more

CTA - Irving Park Blue Line - Clearly better then traffic! - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You need to go under the bridge and the side walk is full of pigeons sh*t. It is dark and scary there. Even you're lucky to get upstairs, the platform is very narrow, so you should be really careful there. I cannot imagine how people with disabilities should behave there. It is nearly impossible to use that station for the am. And of course it is very noisy and probably super cold in winter, considering the wind speed on a highway. read more

CTA - Irving Park Blue Line - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The CTA- Irving Park Blue Line station doesn't appear as fancy as some other transit centers in the city. The platform is quite narrow on both O'Hare and Forest Park bounds, so watch your steps while entering and exiting, especially when ladies who have heels on. Yes, don't fall because clumsy Rosa J. likes to do that sometimes. There are two (2) entrances: one on Pulaski (where CTA #53 bus has a drop-off stop) and the other one is on Irving Park (near N. keystone and Kennedy Expressway; where CTA #80 bus drops off). Since the entries of this station is underneath the Kennedy Expressway, please watch your surroundings in the evening or after dark. I've seen some suspicious individuals, beggars, homeless people wondering around and settling in. For ladies who want to protect themselves while traveling solo at nights to/from work, download the police scanner app. and play the radio when needed. Know a few police jargon and slang terms (10-4, 10-10, 10-17, 10-33, maybe 10-45). Anyways, whatever way you prefer to use, my point is that you ought to ensure your personal safety at all times. There's not a good coffeeshop by the station. The nearest Starbucks is two (2) or three (3) blocks west. However, a new Lou Malnati's Express location just opened recently, and there's a Moroccan restaurant (Shokran), less than one (1) block east of the station. I've never been there, but I knew that this establishment only accepts cash. Speaking of obtaining cash, there's a PNC ATM inside station on the Irving Park side of the main entrance. Oh oops, I lied. There's actually a great coffeeshop, relatively close to the station. "Versailles Cafe" is located on Pulaski, one (1) block north from the gas station on the northwest corner of Pulaski and Irving Park. The owner is from Algeria and renders friendly service, quality coffee, and delicious CREPES! The CTA- Irving Park Blue Line station isn't my go-to station for commuting every morning and evening, yet I'm there if I ever need to take care business in the downtown area, or head to the south side through the loop. read more

I'll say this in the nicest way possible: The Irving Park Blue Line station is a fucking miserable experience. I grew up in Norwood Park with the Harlem and Jefferson Park stations as my gateway to the rest of the city. Accessing the train from the IP stop is the equivalent of downgrading from a Harley Davidson to a motorized scooter. Let's begin with the entrances. The train pulls into the station so far above the street-level that it's an actual hike to board. Before you call me a lazy son of a bitch, know that you're hindered in your quest for a punctual arrival to wherever you're going by a stairway so narrow that Tracey Gold would have barely been able to squeeze her way through at the height of her battle with anorexia. (If that reference is too dated for you, swap her out for any in the long list of celebrities with eating disorders). A senior or slow-moving sloth on the stairway will completely impede your progress. The narrow stairs give way to a narrow platform. It might not be as bad as the Addison stop, but it's enough to make you feel that the Montrose station sits on a football field. Here you're exposed to the worst of Chicago's wintry elements: freezing winds and snow blowing sideways into your face while you wait for a train that will inevitably arrive with nary an empty seat and the foul smell of the homeless who've turned entire train carts into their bed-and-breakfasts (and toilets). The only way to avoid the harsh weather conditions - considering you're willing to risk missing your train - is to wait at the other end of the aforementioned narrow stairways. Since Irving Park doesn't have any monitors or audio indicators for when the trains are pulling into the station, your only source for their unreliable train tracker is your cell phone. All of the bus stops outside of the station are absolute cesspools. You're stuck waiting underneath the Kennedy while hoping that the pigeons don't splash their diseased shit all over your face like you're an 18-year-old harlot breaking into the industry with her first bukkake scene. Oh, and because the crosswalks are so far removed from the actual bus stops, you'll watch countless buses pull away while you wave your arms up and down in a frantic and desperate attempt to get the bus driver to feel sorry for you while you play a real-life game of Frogger. read more

CTA - Irving Park Blue Line - Skyline in the background. - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Supposedly 2016, Irving Park was updated. Just arrival times. But Belmont and Jefferson Park Blue Line major updates. Irving Park needs some doors or closed up more, since you can really feel the cold ..cold air behind you and from front. There's no where to really stay warm. Of course downstairs where the scheduled times indicates 2 mins. You start heading up and bamm.mm train actually leaving. Upstairs shows DUE! Heat vents downstairs before you pay and other vents are straight out in the middle of platform. Why?! read more

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It doesn't matter what blue station this is for because they are all meh, and the train will break down on your ride so you're late. Don't use at night since this is the hobo hotel express smelling of urine at every stop. read more

My poor rating is due to their lack of security. I've been riding my bicycle in Chicago for 5 years now and the other day my bike (in the middle of the day) got stolen from this station. My bike was locked up right infront of the station as I had got on the train to go to work. When I returned about 5:30-6pm my bike was gone. My tire was still there. It's a rather busy station which means people must have seen something going on-on some level. If someone is tinkering with the bikes for a period of time and then works off with a bike without the tire someone should see and say something. Later, when I asked about security camers I was told that they do have them but they were unsure on what they could do for me. read more

Close to shopping, convenience stores, YMCA, banks, restaurants, gas stations, jewel osco, walgreens and bus stops along on Irving park & Pulaski and the Metra trains! :) The busiest times to travel are 7am-10am & again at 4pm-7pm on weekdays. If you plan on driving then taking this train into work, school, leisure then you'll be able to find street parking allover! Non metered and metered parking on the street. Just be aware of the permit parking signs around residential neighborhoods. Other than that you're golden! Happy and safe travels!:) read more

CTA - Irving Park Blue Line - Irving blue line station - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This stop is one of the only stations that is conveniently located across a Metra line so transferring is made safe and easy. There is a booth to purchase a CTA fare card and an attendant is available to answer questions and help a newbie. The difference between here and Jefferson Park: JP is a bit better with it's available parking for those of us being picked up, an elevator and many more bus lines than just the #80. It's amazing how windy it gets standing on the platform. What helps pass the time before the next train arrives is watching what the people are doing in their cars as they drive by. The drivers and passengers have no idea I can see them. read more

It's a train station and the trains were on time so I don't have any complaints here. This stop is very close to Smoque BBQ so if you live anywhere on the blue line it is an easy trip to this popular restaurant. From the reviews written here I see one complaint about a stolen bike and one complaint about the amount of stairs. None of these things effected me experience here so my trip was decent. I can walk up a couple flight of stairs without any problem. We actually just missed the train back to the loop and within 5 minutes another train had arrived so I was happy. I think someone else complained about it being cold because of the highway. It's Chicago, suck it up. read more

This cheap station he entrance on Pulaski is far from its main entrance. The Pulaski side of entrance has no CTA card vending machines! It's under construction since the summer of 2017! The stairway is very narrow, people are very struggle to get in and out! It's very bad that CTA has no competition! read more

CTA - Irving Park Blue Line - Train Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Like a precious reviewer wrote, the Irving Park Blue line stop is a shithole. It's one of the city's worst stops. Both North and South aide station entrances are a combination of two things: an unintentional petri dish/city science project and public health hazard. Each day I walk through the area and I think to myself that this is where a Zombie plague virus first forms. The sidewalks under the Kennedy are dressed in a consistent caking of white and gray Pigeon excrement; some of it fresh and watery and some of it days to weeks old. It's that bad. There are so many pigeons, some of them dead in the netting under the Kennedy and some of them alive and nesting, because stupid fucking people keep feeding them. It's blows my mind. Stupid people. Don't blame the birds, they're doing what hardy creatures do, but the people who created this problem by not opting for a subway instead and the people perpetuating the problem now. Also, If you like feathers and the smell of piss and vinegar then this will be your favorite assault on these senses. It's especially pungent in the summer humidity. This stop is also a haven for Chicago's homeless population, who sleep on the benches, litter, piss in the corners, and vomit at the stair entrances. This is also Chicago's loudest L stop. You could be mugged and beaten and nobody would hear it. Metallica could be playing Blackest album and I doubt you could make out the screech of a Kurt Hammet guitar lick from the deafening Irving Park road or Kennedy expressway. I've asked the city and CTA to take some type of action to address the problems and they have done nothing consistent. Unbelievable. read more

When are they going to fix the escalator? It's so horrible how long the process is taking. Or did they decide not to fix it!?The narrow steps should be one reason why this stop should NEVER have inoperable escalators. CTA needs to get it together. read more