Gotta say, I've flown through O'Hare twice and this second time was actually pleasantly surprising -- despite how big the airport is, the efficiency is pretty good! It took me almost no time to check in and get through security then get to my gate because the signage is posted up well. There are several food courts throughout the place too so it's easy to find a place to eat. I really had no trouble, and the bathrooms were fairly clean too. Compared to some other big/hub airports that really have a lot of issues (e.g. the Vegas Airport), O'Hare is actually doing a pretty good job. read more

If you're flying into O'Hare International Airport and want to skip the traffic and high ride-share prices, the CTA Blue Line is hands-down the best move. It's conveniently located right inside the airport, clearly marked, and easy to find even if you're running on post-flight autopilot. Trains run frequently, the ride is smooth, and it drops you straight into downtown Chicago -- no stress, no transfers, and no sitting in rush-hour gridlock. Plus, it's super affordable (seriously, one of the best deals in the city). I also love that the station is clean, well-lit, and feels safe, even for solo travelers or late-night arrivals. Just tap your Ventra card (or use your phone wallet), hop on, and enjoy watching the city unfold as you roll in. Whether you're a tourist or a local heading home, the CTA at O'Hare is one of Chicago's most underrated travel perks. Efficient, budget-friendly, and reliable -- exactly what public transit should be. read more

CTA - O'Hare - Metro Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great, convenient metro stop! The signage at the airport makes it very easy to navigate to the stop. Ticket kiosks are available right by the station, with day passes, 3-day passes, and Ventra cards available for purchase. The kiosks do not offer change, so be sure to have the appropriate bills available should you pay in cash. read more

I remember the first time I had the pleasure of using this station. It was September of 2022, on my very first visit to Chicago, about three years before I became a full-time resident! I seem to recall my initial thoughts being about how clean and sensical this station was! As a terminus, it's very easy to navigate, with clear signage telling you which track the next train will depart from. The station is also extremely well-lit and clean, especially given how many people pass through at all hours of the day and night. I've never had any safety concerns, at least in part due to the large number of fast-walking people, security, and police presence. While not a museum piece, I appreciate that the glass walls have some colorful lighting behind them. For a station that is technically underground, it's a warm retreat from the otherwise fully utilitarian ones. The one tiny hope I have is that signage along the platform would reflect when the train will actually depart. I generally like to be as close to the head car as possible and always worry the doors will start to close on me. Though to be fair this is more a CTA issue than one with the station itself. Last, but certainly not least, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the convenience of having an El station right under the airport! I am able to connect to the rest of the city without having to fuss around with buses and other transit options. With all this, the O'Hare El Station ticks all the boxes for what I would expect and hope for in a station serving one of the nation's busiest airports. read more

When you land at ORD, getting to this station should be easy. Just look for signs directing you to the CTA Train to City. Your experience or mileage will vary greatly depending on when you ride the L. During the daytime, station employees will try to keep the homeless out of the train system especially when the train pulls into this station. However, when it's nighttime, all bets are off. Try and find yourself a clean car, preferably one without a homeless person. For the most part, this will be a good cheap alternative mode of transport to get into Downtown Chicago. Normally, the fare is $2.50 to ride the L. However, it will be $5 if you ride it from this station. At that point, you might as well buy a 1-day pass for the same price. read more

CTA - O'Hare - Metro Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Not a fan of public transit.... But I kept an open mind and removed whatever negatives I was told about subways and weird people that might be using it. We got on the blue line, early Wednesday morning from O'Hare airport and took it all the way down to Clark/Lake. It was about an hour long ride. Not bad. Only several people were riding along on the same cart that we were on. We took the same route back today, Saturday late afternoon. It was jam packed but had dwindled down as we arrived closer towards the last stop, O'hare airport. Not many left at this point but four passengers. Overall, both ride experience was surprisingly good. Such a convenience. Staff members working at ticket booth were helpful and patient with our inquiries. Security guards were also helpful. Recommend CTA read more

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Blue line is at the very bottom of the airport. Terminal 2 is where you can get to the main entrance. Once there do not forget to buy your tickets. I personally buy day tickets over rides. Hope this info helps. read more

I was impressed on how clean the station is and how amazingly good it smelled. Very very nice. read more

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I was so confused when it came to using this station. I knew I had to purchase a card first to use it and the kiosks were not very user friendly. It took me a good five minutes to figure out how to get that done. Then it came time to enter the station with my newly purchased card. I stood back for a few minutes to watch people enter the station so that I could understand which way was which. Once that was done, I entered the station and headed for a train. Once I was on a train, I though I was good. Wrong. I got on a train that had their doors open only to find that it wasn't the next train to leave the station. I exited the train and headed to the correct platform. Only after I did this did they open the doors on the side of the train I was initially on. Once seated it was only a few minutes and I was off to head towards the city. Heading back to the airport was a bit simpler. Except for the fact that you essentially get stuck behind all types of people that will take their time, or stop in front of you, or attempt to back peddle into you. Everyone aims to use the escalators to exit the station, but if you have a large suitcase, that is best. May the odds be ever in your favor here. read more

I had a meeting in downtown Chi-town and wanted to try the legendary, "L" to get there. Hat's off to O'Hare for providing great signage to easily find where it is. It's quite a walk to get to it so wear some walkin' shoes...or even jogging shoes if you want to pick up the pace. Once you get to the area, you'll find plenty of ticket kiosks' They are a little clunky and outdated, very similar to LA Metro Rail, and Bart. I don't know why they can't make these things more simple and more intuitive. Anyway, if you have any trouble, just ask a local. Their midwest friendliness kicks in right away. When I approached the train area, there were two trains on two different tracks, both with some of the doors open. Which to choose? There was no obvious way of knowing. I just went to the train with the most people on it and luckily I was right. The ride was fine. The stops are well-marked and you can follow along with Google Maps if you want. Getting back to O'Hare from downtown was much more of a challenge. It's not a fault of the CTA, it's a GPS thing. I would set Google Maps to the station address and it would say I'd arrived even when there was no station around. I tried Apple Maps and had the same problem. GPS does not work well in downtown Chicago because of all the high buildings. Be sure and just look at a regular map to get your bearings and you'll avoid a lot of extra wandering around looking for a station. Once you're back on the train, it's a pleasant ride to O'Hare. By the way, the L also goes to Midway airport. It's only $5 for a 24-hour pass. Not a bad deal. I'd ride it again. read more

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CTA has a station at O'Hare Airport. It takes passengers all the way from downtown. One of the cheapest ways to get here from there. A good way to save a lot of money on stupid airport expenses. The train brings you right into the terminal so you can go in. It gets good ratings because of the location and convenience. It serves the Blue Line. This is in fact the terminal of this type of transportation. Conveniently the station is connected to the main terminal and you can get on a moving walkway pretty quickly from here. This makes it easy for commuters to get on and off trains. Even better is not having to even use a car. This saves a lot of money on driving and parking. Certainly the worst part is the walk into the airport. It's a long way from the station through the tunnels and up into the main terminal. This also connects to bus routes and other forms of public transportation. read more

CTA - O'Hare - Station - Metro Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Chicago transit departing right from O'Hare airport was an epic find! It meant I didn't need to get cleaned out with Ubers or even a car rental. Everything I needed was along this train route from attractions, restaurants I ventured to and even my hotel was walking distance from train. Super convenient to be able to hop on train directly from within the airport which made my impromptu trip even more enjoyable when I figured out the train was inside the airport and gave me access to all of Chicago saving me $$$ on taxi and car rental which I didn't need. read more

Honestly writing this review so I'll remember next time. Train to the city is in terminal 3. Take the tram to terminal 3, make a left to go outside. Take elevator down to Terminal level and walk towards the train stop. Find signs along the walls read more

Great station. Very helpful staff. Long walk from the gate, but a very inexpensive alternative for reaching Central chicago. Ticket vending machines would not accept my credit card, and the agent was very helpful. read more

Taking a blue line is really a good way to get to downtown from O'Hare airport especially during rush hours. Upon arrival, just follow the sign "train". When it gets close look for "CTA" sign and follow them until you see many tickets vending machines. I didn't know what CTA stood for and asked local Yelpers to figure out that's where I needed to go. Walkway has so many flags from different countries where Chicago has sister city relationship, something I didn't know about Chicago. Vending machines take credit card and cash. The machine said it takes ApplePay but it was unsuccessful when I tried. To buy one way to ticket, it was $5. When I came back, the ticket was $3 to return to the airport. read more

CTA - O'Hare - Walkway between CTA and airport terminal - Metro Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had to write this review for CTA. I took the Blueline from Ohare to downtown. There was a homeless person sleeping on the floor next to the escalator. Another homeless on the actual platform. Another homeless digging thru garbage and about 3 or 4 homeless people inside the first three railcars. Around the Rosemont stop a guy asked me if I wanted to buy some drugs. A few stops later, some girl starting smoking drugs. Let me just say, what a deplorable experience. Listen, I not trying to be insensitive, but CTA (and CPD) must do a better job in security. Yes you see teams of K9 units and tons of security cameras, its all impressive, but it does not mean anything if you allow this. No enforcement. Almost all the stations downtown are super dirty, scary looking. CTA considers themselves to be 2nd largest in a world-class city. Look at countries like Japan, Mexico, etc, there stations are super modern and clean. Now I see why people are afraid to take the L trains, especially at night. Maybe one day I will arm myself like Rambo and take the redline. I hope I live to talk about it. Tourists remember these initial impressions. Yes, I go from the airport to downtown for $2.50 so that is a plus. Uber would be 10 times as much. read more

It might be surprising to see such positive reviews for public transportation, but CTA is actually pretty good compared to the public transportation at most cities I've visited. While there are occasional delays and cancellations, overall the system is pretty reliable and has strong capacity. I like how easy it is to use. I also like using the Ventra card via Apple Pay for quick access. read more

When flying into Chicago's O'Hare Airport and heading downtown I highly recommend taking advantage of the CTA Blue Line as the convenience (and cost) cannot be beat. Once you land head to the baggage claim area and from there you will find both escalators and elevators that will take you to a lower level which is where the CTA Blue Line stop is located. There are machines available near the station where one can pay. These machines accept cash and credit cards. Various ticket types are available for purchase including Single Ride, 1-Day, 3-Day or a Ventra Card. Also, the Ventra readers at the stations now accept both Apple Pay and Google Pay; just plan ahead. For more information visit: www.transitchicago.com/fares/ As for getting from O'Hare to The Loop, plan for a ~40 minute ride. Depending on the time of the day, this is much quicker than going by car due to traffic. The Blue Line has a total of 33 stops and runs from O"Hare to Forest Park. The ride itself mostly painless as people tend to mind their business. That said, the Blue Line does run 24 hours so the later it gets into the night the greater the chance of finding solicitors. Overall, this is still the most convenient and affordable way to get around. read more

A couple of things I didn't like there. You cannot buy the ticket because of a huge line. So you need to spend some time in a line. It is not really obvious how to get there from the airport. The ticket price is double ($5 instead of $2.5) in comparison to other stations. Also, it's not obvious what is the departure time, as on a screen it says "every 10 minutes and there's no idea if you have enough time to get to the better coach. read more

To me the extension of the Blue Line to O'Hare and what it has done for Chicago and for me personally has been a huge bonus. The connection back to O'Hare has been an awesome add to an already great rail system, one that has been integrally connected with my life in so many ways. As the train enters its final stop at O'Hare there are full height multi colored glass block walls that guide the train into O'Hare International Airport. As you go up the stairs there are long walkways perpendicular to the train run that connect to all the terminals at O'Hare airport. The extension to O'Hare was designed by Murphy/Jahn architects & was completed in 1984. This has become a vital link in connecting multiple stops directly to the airport and to downtown. I remember back in the day when the CTA Blue Line only went as far as Jefferson Park (former end or start of the Blue Line depending on which direction you're coming from). I have been using the Blue Line since before the extension out to O'Hare. When I first started using The Blue Line I lived in Mt Prospect and drove to Golf Mill where I parked my car and took a bus to Jefferson Park to continue my trip downtown. Fast forward I also lived in Oak Park 2 blocks from the Austin stop that runs between 290. After I moved from Oak Park I lived in Old Irving area where I continued using the Blue Line. I currently live in Forest Glen (close to Jefferson Park) where to this day I continue using this reliable means of connecting me to the airport, my stop (wherever that may be), to downtown and beyond out to the western suburbs. This has been my lifeline providing me with reliable transportation and saving me both in terms of less stress from not having to drive to thousands of dollars in wear and tear on my car, less gas and very expensive parking fees downtown where I worked for many years. The extension to O'Hare has been like the crown jewel in an already great transit system that I along with hundreds of thousands if not millions of other people have used and continue to use every day. read more

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Blue line to the city! This is the Chicago Transit Authority Metro train station to get into town for a cheap ride. It takes about an hour or so to get to the loop, but it's cheap, and a fun way to ride. Coming here or leaving here, the blue line ends at O'Hare. So jump on any train, and it only goes one way. Why they don't open both sets of doors on the platforms boggles my mind, but whatever. The signs are pretty straight forward and there's plenty of elevators. I was upset that when I went to buy tickets to get out of this airport, I had to go to four ticket machines before I could get one to work. This train station is located at the end of a short walkway to the airport, so it's easy to transfer between the trains and the airport. No need for shuttles or buses or whatever. I recommend downloading the Ventra app prior to arrival to have tickets on your phone, which you place on the reader (via NFC on your smart phone.) read more

Chicago's -Airport Transit System - as opposed to the regular Metro system is reasonably decent. My main complaint is that it is outside security, so if you are connecting from a mainline or international flight to a domestic regional jet, you have to leave the "sterile" area and wait in line so that you can be radiated or groped again. *thumbs down* The trains themselves are clean and speedy. The announcements are easy to understand and the signage is clear and explicit. read more

Last week, I visited Chicago on a day trip for my birthday. Kind of extreme since I took a red-eye to Chicago arriving in the early morning and then flew back to Seattle that night. If it weren't for the terrific public transportation available in Chicago (more specifically, the Blue Line), I may not have done it. The Blue Line is the most affordable way to go into town after arriving at O'Hare Airport. The CTA O'Hare Station is a short walk from the airport terminals at O'Hare. Unlike most cities in the US, the public transportation trains in Chicago run 24 hours meaning you can take a train from O'Hare into the city in the middle of the night. Trains run from O'Hare frequently so you don't need to wait too long. This may be as short as 6 minutes if there are no train delays. The trip from O'Hare to The Loop takes about 40-45 minutes. In this duration, you will pass through many interesting neighborhoods. One thing I noticed from this ride was the many brick buildings in the city. There is a surcharge for riding the train from O'Hare. A single ride is $5 from O'Hare compared with $2.25 with the other lines and going back to O'Hare. You can avoid the surcharge by buying a day pass instead for $10 which is what I did which grants you unlimited rides for the day. While I did encounter delays on another train line, I didn't have any problems with the Blue Line. After buying my ticket, I entered the station/train and was headed into the city within minutes. If you don't have a lot of luggage, taking the Blue Line is a good way to get to O'Hare. The only thing about taking this train was that you may see things like people soliciting for money, but that is to be expected in a big city like Chicago. I thought it was a bit amusing that every time the train would stop, there would be an announcement broadcasting a different train rule. If you are looking for cheap dependable transportation into the city from O'Hare, the Blue Line is the best option. read more

CTA - O'Hare - Entrance from O'Hare Airport - Metro Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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CTA's straightforward train system really makes life easy for us out of town travelers and getting to where your going above ground as opposed to traveling in a dark hole, (affectionatly referring our lovely rail system in NYC) its all the better. Following the instructions upon one of the tall silvery semi imposing machines for your Ventro card (train fare) is quick easy. I grabbed two maps for my Blue Line, they're free and abundant. A well dressed Japanese gentleman to my left apparently stuck his payment card into the Ventro card exit, what a disaster. A representative from the manufacturer had to be called to get the card released. "An average of a two hour wait" came his news, the kind faced man didn't speak much English, I was powerless to assist, I felt awful about that. More modern yet narrow cars than those clankers the MTA has been running on down the line -- day after day, hour after hour. Continuing with the map theme, they are very well displayed running the length of the train but not so highly placed as to crink the neck. Very clean everywhere you look, it's a beautiful thing when people take the pride, even in their commuter world to keep their town litter free by doing their part. read more

It's a convenient train stop. I'd love to see this line be expanded to Schaumburg that people would like to see happen. But I've gotten off here a couple of times times for various reasons whether I go to the airport to catch a flight or like recently where I went to a bachelor party and the hotel provided a bus to O'Hare. If you get dropped off at O'Hare, you got a bit of walking to do to get the train. The train platform is pretty big. If your heading to the loop it'll be a 40 minute trip or if you're going up to Forest Park Expect over an hour and fifteen minute ride. The train is 24 hours so it's really convenient for that. Negatives are the abundants of aggressive solicitive homeless people. read more

Chicago Transit Agencies (CTA) is vital connect for all cities to connect to the center of City of Chicago. Each ride is $2.25 and with the temporary card for single ride is $5. It is good to get all day ride for $10 plus a venture card of $5. The venture card can be reused and recharging to the ride you want. The 7 day pass is $28 and the 3 day pass is $20. This card can be use for the busses in the city of Chicago. Essentially you do not need any car rental since parking is more expensive and you have to walk to the same parking location to pickup your car. It much easy to use the Venture card if you visit Chicago. The CTA station at O'hare airport is easy to use. It has the most easy to use fare machine compared to most of the CTA station. It is easy to connect the airport to the station. read more

This is the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train station you'll use to take a cheap ($5 fixed rate) & easy 45 minute trip on the Blue Line http://www.transitchicago.com/blueline/ from O'hare into the downtown Loop (where 95% of Chicago tourism activities are located). From the other reviews, it seems that your experience at CTA - O'hare may vary depending on the time of day, but we found that the weekday morning departure and weekday evening arrival process was entirely hassle-free. We came in through Terminal 1 on United, and there was a bit of a trek over to the CTA station, but nothing able-bodied adults couldn't handle with the plentiful moving sidewalks, escalators, and a lightweight rolling carry-on bag. We stepped right up to the no wait ticketing kiosk and easily bought 2 passes via credit card (no worries about the "no change back" on cash issue). I also installed the Ventra app on my phone so that I could use Transit Tracker to easily keep up with routes & schedules. The next time I visit Chicago, I'll likely go ahead and advance order a non-disposable Ventra card so that I can easily add value via the app as I need it going forward. https://www.ventrachicago.com/purchase/ If you travel lightly, there's really no reason you need to deal with renting a car, driving it into downtown, and paying horrendous prices for parking anywhere you'd like to go (some hotels charging up to $50 per night just to park!). A 3-day unlimited CTA pass is just $20 (a week is an even better deal of $28) and is good for all of the trains as well as the bus system and regional transit options (see Metra and PACE). Visitors can get an overview of the system online here: http://www.transitchicago.com/visitors/ and http://www.transitchicago.com/howto/ and http://www.transitchicago.com/brochures/. Google Maps also does a great job of showing stations and schedules, so if you're comfortable with that tool, it may be all you need. Almost everywhere we went in Chicago, we overheard people in crowded places talking about ordering or waiting for a car, or issues with finding and paying for parking, and I kept thinking to myself, "Do they not know about the CTA?" Another train comes about every 5 minutes, and there's an access point almost anywhere that you're going to be as a tourist. Forget shuttles, cabs, and Uber - you don't need them when you have great public transportation. read more

A great affordable way to get to the airport. Instead of a $40 Uber I was able to get a day pass for busses and trains for $5! Took a bus from Oak Park (bus 91) to the Jefferson stop of the CTA blue line to bypass the city, which was much faster and I felt safer that way. It's super easy! Lots of signs to direct you where to go, which is helpful. The one thing I would like to see is restrooms at the stations. Make sure you go to the bathroom before starting your travels! read more

The most convenient transportation ever! Pre-planned to use this before arriving to Chicago and it was the best idea. Got to downtown in 40ish minutes with the traffic and only paid $5 bucks per person. Where a uber would've been about $40-50 due to traffic. Oh and when you go from downtown to the airport it's only $2.50 per person. It's simple to use and it's cheap. It's worth it even when you're traveling. People mind their own business and it's quick. Machines accept card/cash. Drops you off in good parts of downtown and directly in O'Hare. read more

You get 5 whole ass stars! Outstanding I just landed on a flight from Boston and needed to take the Blue Line downtown for a class tonight. I'm not on the train much these days and just realized my new Ventra card is on my desk at home. Dam. So I head down to the trains at O'Hara and lo and behold y'all....I just pulled my phone out AT THE TURNSTILE, double clicked on Apple Pay, and went thru. I honestly didn't even break stride. Good job CTA. I know you're making the Ventra card electronic too so that would be even better! read more

Second time is a charm I came here for the 2nd time with my BF (he's never been) first time I came 2016 we got around using uber. Bad idea it cost a lot even though we went with a group of 5 ppl. I however looked into using the public transit it was extremely easy! I didn't even get lost I used my phone for the routes and bus/rail location. 1) Off the plane and headed to the city we purchased the 3 day pass for $20 follow the signs to the CTA rail blue rail (gets you to Chicago The Loop) btw we didn't get the card that was an extra $5 the ticket worked fine didn't have any issue with it being deactivated. 2)getting around the city in the loop I google map my destination and followed the bus route to it. The bus number and the end destination is located outside the bus. The sign at the bus stop tells u which bus will stop there. 3) we stayed at INN of Chicago (magnificent mile) we walked 4 blocks took the red rail over to millennium side. Tips* with the bus pass u can use it from the airport to the city and the city back to the airport. $5 each way if u didn't get the all day pass we got the 3 day pass. Also with the pass u can use the bus and rails hop on hop off. Google maps will give u the bus number and map out bus/rail stops just follow it and get off where it tells u. Had a great time here and we didn't get lost!! read more

Although you can enter the "L" system anywhere else in Chicago for $2.25, it costs $5 to enter at O'Hare. I was told by a local to purchase the 24-hour $10 fun pass, since it would have cost me $7.25 just for the ride in/out that day, and for the extra $2.75, I could have unlimited bus/train rides while galavanting around the city. Heeding this advice, I found myself looking at probably four different types of ticketing machines. Despite the lack of proper labeling, I later found out that two of them sold fun (unlimited) passes only, while the other two sold single tickets only. For each, there were cash only and credit only variants. Why a single machine couldn't take cash AND credit is beyond me, but hey, whatever. Armed with my credit card, I headed over to one of the "fun pass" credit card machines, only to find out that BOTH machines were out of fun passes. OK, so I proceeded to the cash machine with a $20 in hand to find out that this machine...actually NONE of the cash machines...give out any change. Somehow, with a bunch of $20 bills and several working credit cards, I couldn't manage to get a fun pass from any of the available machines? Yeah, that makes total sense. An attendant was on hand, but she was as useless as the chewed up gum stuck to the nearby floors. When asked how I could purchase a pass at either of the machines, she shrugged her shoulders and suggested I call an 800-number, as she had no means of really doing anything. What a dope...And I don't mean dope like she's good looking - I mean dope, like she's a waste of life. Thanks for nothing. Fortunately, someone else had a $10 bill, so I bought two fun passes and took their $10 for one of them. Once on the train (by the way, the 80s called, they want their wood veneer back), I was shocked as to how a train could shake side to side so much despite traveling down a nearly straight track towards Chicago. Stops were clearly announced by a pre-recorded voice, with periodic safety and information announcements made in-between stations. One star for the bizarre machines that should always be stocked with cards and change, and for the staffer that shouldn't be employed in the first place. Two stars for a train that gets me two and from Chicago for less than $10. Overall, the rickety blue line from O'Hare is simply OK for doing what it's supposed to do, but nothing more. Don't consider this an endorsement by me, just simply an acknowledgement that it exists. read more

I take the blue line to OHare airport and to my apartment when I am in Chicago. It's easy, clean and a pleasant ride. I keep my card refill it and just continue to use it whenever I go back to Chicago. read more

What is everyone talking about??? The only review related to the Airport Transit System at O'hare international is Bruce K. Everyone else is reviewing the CTA which has NOTHING to do with Airport Transit System (ATS). ATS is an internal transit system at O'hare international that runs between terminal 1, 2, 3, 5 and certain parking lots. I tried to find reviews of ATS to help my commute but there were none that were useful. So I am posting this review now to help those that are unfamiliar with ATS as I was until I finally used it. I needed to get to Terminal 5 from the blue line. I knew I had to take ATS but didnt know how to get to the area to hop onto the internal transit system. Thankfully at the end of the blue line stop (at O'hare), there were signs on how to get to Terminal 5. Follow all the signs and it will show you to take ATS. There is one point where the signs tell you to take the elevator up to the ATS area. The automated trains come every 10 minutes. Super convenient and free! read more

A 24 hour train that connects from O"Hare to the City?! I am just so impressed. The ride takes around 30-40 minute but really convenient for tourist like me that is not driving. I won't suggest travelling with big luggage though as the train is not design for that and there might be stairs to get in and out of the station you getting off. Good option if you are travelling light. But aside from using it as a mean to get in and out of O'Hara, it is great to travel to the City if you staying near one of the Airport hotels. I can drink till late without worrying I have to take a cab all the way back! read more

The fastest and easiest way to O'Hare or to Downtown Chicago!!! This is the end of the line so you won't have to worry about missing the airport. When the train stops you just get off and head up the stairs. At the top you go left for Terminal 3, straight for Terminal 2 and right for Terminal 1...if your heading to Terminal 5...you need to walk to any terminal and grab another train to that location. The train gets you into the airport...the walk is not very far. Plus AT&T has 3G and cell service down here too!!! One positive for my phone!!! I highly recommend if you have a longer layover at O'Hare, then this is a great way to get out and explore the city. If you are riding into the city, do not get off at stop that says "Chicago"...it is the name of a street. There is a great view of the skyline from Chicago Avenue but you want to farther in. Get off the train at anywhere between Clark/Lake and Jackson and you will be in the heart of the city!!! So don't let that long delay get you down. Get out $2.25 and see the city. You will be glad you did!!! read more

CTA - O'Hare - Nice and clean!!! - Metro Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Chicago has 2 subway lines and a variety of elevated train lines. As far as I know both subway lines (red and blue) run 24 hours. The O'Hare station is at one end of the Blue line and runs all the way to Clark/Lake in the Loop and then back out west to Forest Park. The prices have gone up for one time rides OUT of O'Hare where as in the past it was a regular fare out but now it's 5 dollars for a single ride ticket at the Ventra machines. There are 3 rows of machines, 2 facing each other and one row facing south. For some reason the 2 rows facing each other have less people waiting for them probably because there's less room for line ups there. These Ventra machines can get very busy. If you're only looking for a one time ride out of O'Hare then the 5 dollar Ventra ticket option is the way to go. If you have normal money loaded on your Ventra card, you'll be deducted 5 dollars instead of the normal fare. If you have a day pass, 3 day pass or 7 day pass you can ride out of O'Hare normally without the extra surcharge taking effect. Keep in mind a brand new Ventra card costs 5 dollars anyway but you are refunded the 5 dollars if you register your card with Ventra which can be done over the phone or online at https://www.ventrachicago.com/ I recently called Ventra to find out the best way to get a 7 day card purchased at O'Hare and this is what I was told to do: -Use the Ventra vending machine for a NEW Ventra Card -Start with adding VALUE (not a pass) -insert payment of 28 dollars (a new Ventra card will cost 5 making the value 23 on the card) -repeat this process for my second card (for my wife) -call Ventra Customer service to activate both cards and gain 5 dollars back on each card bringing the value back to 28 dollars while they activate both cards with 7 day passes Calling Ventra took me 15 minutes to get a hold of a CS agent but only 5 minutes to activate and register both cards with 7 day passes. I was only in Chicago for 5 days but was more feasible to get the 7 day pass for 28 dollars rather than the 3 day pass for 20 and to do it again for another 20. Basically for 28 dollars each (one for me and my wife) we were able to leave O'Hare (normally 5 dollar charge, higher than normal fare), use the CTA every day (and we did) for both L trains and buses AND return back to O'Hare on the 5th day. It all started for us at O'Hare though from the initial ride out and purchasing our Ventra cards for the fares and 7 day passes we purchased. read more

CTA - O'Hare - Ventra machines - Metro Stations Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I generally prefer taking public transportation from an airport in a major city. It gives me a chance to check out the town a bit at a relaxed pace, learn more about the transit system, and it's way cheaper than taking a cab. CTA was relatively easy to navigate at the airport and it was a comfortable ride. I opted for the Ventra card, which costs $5 (refundable as transit value when you register online). Disposable paper tickets are still available, but there is a $.50 fee per transaction, so you have to figure out whether your trip warrants the plastic card. It took about 45 minutes to get to my hotel and it was painless. I definitely recommend it. read more

The three of us picked up the Blue Line at the Loop to get to Bucktown neighborhood where our niece and boyfriend lives. It was a 20 minute walk from our hotel on the Mag Mile to the Blue Line. Once on the train, it was smooth sailing. Got off at Western and walked to their apartment. A few days later, we were going to fly home from ORD back to SFO. We took Lyft to their apartment to have lunch in their neighborhood. After lunch, we took an easy walk with our luggage back to Western. Got on the Blue Line straight to ORD. Very simple. My only wish - you can't buy senior fares out of the ticket machine at the station. But still relatively inexpensive fare of $2.25. read more

Maybe I'm biased because O'Hare is my main home airport. Sure there are long lines and lots of flight delays, but it is the second busiest airport in the world, so what do you expect. I like O'Hare because even though it is big and busy, it is also clean, kept up to date, and well laid out. Sure I know this airport better than any other airport (particularly my BFF Terminal 3), but I feel that their signage allows for easy navigation. I also feel that it's designed well, so that you don't feel like you're walking endlessly, kind of like you do in Miami's hell hole of an airport. Sure airport prices are exhorbitant and the food is usually crap, but I feel like I can always find something decent to eat and find at least one reasonably priced option (relatively speaking). I've been to other airports where there's little more than golden arches and kiosks with pre-packaged sandwiches, blech! I'm not saying O'Hare's perfect, there are definitely areas that could be improved *cough, cough* free wi-fi *cough, cough* but I think it's pretty damn good in comparison to others I've visited. Having public transit service to/from the city also bumps it up on my airport appreciation scale. read more