Many of the poor reviews of this station come from literally 5+ years ago (many even like 10-12…read moreyears) well before the station was remodeled. As someone who moved into this area in the past year or so, I have to say that this station is fairly clean, modern, provides great shade, and is easy to navigate. I usually always enter from the north side of Wilson since I live closer to that side of the street, and there is literally only stairs on that side (which is fine fine for me personally), but if you are handicap, or just have trouble walking up stairs, the bigger entrance across the street on the south side of Wilson would be your entrance/exit. This is a very long station too so you can even enter here from the side of Target/Aldi as well. I love that the Wilson station is a major Purple line stop as well which makes it convenient during rush hour to get to other places quicker than just the Red Line.

I don't know if things have improved since the remodel of the Wilson station or if Uptown is a…read morelittle more balanced in recent years, but I feel safe at the Wilson stop. It's a pretty clean station. It feels very high in the sky and the breeze is nearly constant there, a bit rough in wintery conditions and refreshing the rest of the year. There is an on-demand heated metal shelter on the platform if you're cold. The ramp at the Sunnyside entrance and exit (on the southern end of the station) is a nice option if you're wheeling stuff with you or don't want to deal with stairs or the elevator. The architecture is pleasant with the covered arch over the platform. It feels spacious, functional and comfortable. I like that there are three places to embark or to depart: Sunnyside Avenue, Wilson (south) and Wilson (north side). The Wilson south is kind of the main entrance, with Sunnyside a close second (especially convenient for Truman College, Aldi or Target), and the north as a distant third, though convenient to not have to cross the street or if you're transferring westbound. Safety: a number of transient people hang out at or near the station, but most are just minding their own business, struggling internally. You'll likely see the most between the Sunnyside entrance and the northward path or shortcut leading to Truman College, so keep that in mind if you're feeling unsafe or unsure. Others hang out between Sunnyside and Wilson on Broadway. Again, your own levels of comfort and familiarity will determine your feelings about security. Be aware, undistracted and compassionate, with relaxed intent. Wilson, Wilson, Big station Wilson, Alight or depart I sing Harry Nilsson? Bleh.

After the modernization project this station was re-done. I was happy to see the stop re-open, but…read morethought they might widen the track platform a little. They didn't and it would have gone a long way to make the stop more manageable. There is just one narrow platform in the middle between the trains going in either direction. The rest of the station is new and nice and clean. Hope it stays that way

CTA Argyle has a lot of great restaurants in the area; Uptown Pho, Sun Wah Bar-B-Que, Miss Saigon,…read moreand Pho 777. It is also home to Chicago's second Chinatown. I make stops here when visiting the post office or either "Fat Cat", but there are many more things that catch my interest; the more I get off at this stop. This area just opened up a Uptown Bikes store; that sits right outside of CTA Argyle. Enjoy!

I mean... seating is limited at virtually all El stations. However, for one that has the space, and…read morethree lines running through it, seating for more than four persons per direction would be welcome. Also, overhead heating is opposite the benches, and thus also very limited. Otherwise, Belmont is great! It is extremely well lit, easy to navigate, wider than the average El station, and fully accessible. There is sufficient cover from rain, and ample signage on upcoming departures/wait times. Now, while as many of its colleagues, it too could benefit from an extremely thorough pressure washing, the station is generally clean and void of debris. Finally, while I don't frequent Belmont after midnight, the times I've been here during the day or late evening, I've not encountered any unsavory characters. Thus, while not immune from some problems and quirks, Belmont is one of the better stations on the El.

CTA has an L station on Belmont. It provides fast access to Lincoln Park. Such a big ass station in…read morea happening area, and there's lots of bars and restaurants. Good as far as things like being safe and clean. There's also lots of opportunities to transfer between a few Lines. Big station with a lot going on in and around here. It serves the Brown, Purple, and Red Lines. There's usually a train coming within a few minutes. Around here are a ton of bars and restaurants just outside of it. There's a location of Devil Dawgs, and some great ethnic places like 11 Degrees North. Easy to find something for everyone. It's at the intersection of Belmont and Sheffield. Get off here to avoid the Wrigley chaos. The one thing unavoidable is the piss smell. Even though it's outside, the air doesn't help. There's a few areas around the benches and stairs that always look wet, so avoid sitting or even touching anything if you can help it. Good as far as getting around at stations go. It's busy so it's mostly safe and there's lots of places to eat around it. There's never a really long wait for trains.

If this were any other station, it would be getting much higher marks. Unfortunately, given its…read morelocation, it has a fatal flaw. More on that later. Addison is accessible, has ample digital signage, and is easy to navigate. It is also wider than average for an 'L' station and is relatively clean, especially given how many people pass through. This amount of foot traffic is, however, its undoing. When there's a Cubs game or another event at Wrigley, Addison proves to be ill-equipped for the sheer volume of people. Yes, there is staff present to help manage crowds, but a packed platform is suboptimal for multiple reasons, especially safety. I appreciate that due to the CTA's setup, one cannot simply wish a wider station into existence. It may be possible, but it would be extraordinarily capital-intensive. That said, CTA-Addison gets the job done very well outside of Wrigley events, and passably during them.

I boarded the redline at Addison for year and years to get downtown for my previous job, so this…read morereview is long overdue. This train stop is very well kept, and I'm sure it's location to Wrigley Field has a lot to do with that. There are two escalators (granted -- one is usually down), an elevator, and a HUGE platform so there is plenty of space to spread out. There is a woman who works here every morning who is as sweet as can be and always greets us regulars with a smile. The redline is not always the safest of trains, but it sure can get you downtown faster than the brown! If you're in town exploring the city or going to a Cubs game, nothing is more convenient than hopping off at Addison as the stop just steps from the field. If you live in the neighborhood, this can definitely be a downside. On game nights, the streets are flooded with fans and vendors. The trains from downtown back up to Wrigley are packed with fans going to the games in addition to the regulars heading home from work. It can definitely add some extra time getting home, which is something to keep in mind during the summer months. Overall, I always feel safe at this stop, the employees are friendly, it's well maintained, and the trains are *usually* on time!

CTA has an L station at Paulina in Lakeview. It provides access to a happening area with lots of…read morecool restaurants and other locally owned businesses in a hip charming neighborhood. Pretty safe for the most part. Has a classic feel but it's modern and clean. There's also an area under the tracks to hang out. As far as stations, this is one of the best. It serves the Brown Line. This is overall a pretty interesting station. Be sure to pronounce it correctly. It's actually said like "Pah-LY-nuh." This is one of the coolest visually. In the station it has an old style of charm. There's the classic mosaic tiles. Outside the station is even more to enjoy. The main entrance is bigger, but across the street there's another entrance plus a cool little area to sit and relax. Has a ton of cool restaurants around here such as MK Noodle, and too many to name all. It's overall clean and safe. The bad thing is there's usually kind of a wait for a train.

I liked this station as well as the area around it. Great place to start walking south and to…read moreexplore neighborhoods Lakeview & Lincoln Park. I recommend a walk from here south on Lincoln, then jog over to see Halsted and/or DePaul University, and then to go get a deep dish pizza by at Pequod's, having burned off some calories in advance lol. There is also a Lou Malnati's in that stretch of Lincoln, which is not a bad choice for a deep dish pizza either (LM's have a few locations throughout Chicago, while Pequod's has only the one, so I tend to go there when in this area.)

Well, the lobby is big and spacious, and there's a nice large sign with upcoming departures…read more.. however, the platform is the polar opposite. One of the most stunning things about Thorndale is how narrow the platform is. While the CTA isn't known for roomy platforms (that little passage at Granville being a great example), Thorndale dials it up a few notches. With the two stairwells, a large portion of the platform is uncomfortably tight. Another frustration with this station is the lack of upcoming departure signage at the platform level. Especially as there's no countdown until trains leave Howard, this is particularly necessary. Besides, if the temporary Bryn Mawr station can have such signage, there is simply no excuse. At this point, I'd like to add that the station is not accessible; however, Granville, a couple blocks north, is. What I do like, other than the spacious lobby, is that the station is relatively clean, and there's a greater than average amount of seating.

CTA Thorndale, is one of the safest train stops in Edgewater, other than CTA Berwyn from what I've…read moreheard. What really catches my eye at this stop is the the bike locking area. Not bad, but I'd never leave my bike there, unless i was trying to get rid of it. Kudos for it having a bike pump there as well, but nope! I'd rather not leave my bike there. Just like CTA Bryn Mawr, Berwyn, and Granville in Edgewater; Thorndale has a decent set of restaurants, and businesses surrounding it: Swift Elementary, Broadway Armory, Moody's Pub, Grand China Express, Corner Cafe, Rice Thai Asian Kitchen, and Thorndale Cafe to name some. Decent CTA stop; I haven't really experienced running into panhandlers in this area, and haven't really heard of incidents in this area; Chicago Police keeps an eye on it pretty well; thank God. I end this review by saying it is also an easy access to Thorndale Beach/Lane Beach or whatever you want to call it. Check it out! : )

CTA has an L station on Montrose. It was renovated more than a decade ago as a part of the Brown…read moreLine improvement project. Lots of complaints later, this still isn't a good station. Among these is there's not much of an overhang to protect from elements. This station also lacks charm and seems like it was made cheap, as evidenced by not much of an overhang. As with many of the stations, the location is the best thing about it. It serves the Brown Line. This is one of the best ways to get to the cool neighborhood known as Ravenswood. A lot of bars and restaurants are located just around here. Margie's Candies is a popular place for ice cream in summer. There's also Glenn's Diner and Wolcott Tap. A lot of other places not far. There's a lot of busses to hop on from here. Good place to get off at. It's just bad to get on. There's also usually delays and long waits for trains.

Why am I reviewing a train station? It's not like the service is great. They don't serve hors…read mored'oeuvre while you wait. There are no bartenders. They don't give you pedicures or hair cuts. Their bedside manner isn't that great. In fact, there is no bedside manner. It's a freaking train station. That said, I like what the did to the place. A year ago it was reconstructed. It's cleaner, brighter, and I never feel like throwing myself over the railing onto Montrose Ave. That's always a good start.

The Neighborhood- You can see Wrigley Field in the distance!…read more Go Cubs Go! The neighborhood has a suburban feel which is nice-there is a small Japanese-Thai Restaurant to the right after exiting the station. It has outdoor seating-it is called Yindee. I want to go back and try it. https://www.yelp.com/biz/yindee-chicago There is also an animal hospital/clinic to the left after exiting the station which is good to know. The Platform and Trains- The Addison Station is extremely clean-there are even recycling bins on both sides of the platforms. Furthermore the layout of the interior of the Brown Line CTA train cars provide "individuals" with "individual seating" options instead of being squished in-between people on the Red Line.

I have a dorky side, and that dorky side was eagerly looking forward to the grand opening of the…read morenew and improved Addison brown line station. The day after the anticipated opening, I made a special trip here to absorb the wonderful newness and freshness that's so foreign to the CTA. Mind you, the special trip did not qualify as a day's trip, as I live only two blocks away. I'm not that big of a dork to travel any further for this. ;) For the first time in my life, I was not afraid to touch the door handles in order to enter the station, as they were new and shiny as opposed to the familiar rusty ones that are covered in muck and germs. Out of habit, I expected to smell stale piss as I entered the station, but, to my surprise, the station had the "new smell" of concrete and paint. Ah, what grandness! I was loving every minute of it! As soon as I arrived to the platform, the train was just pulling up. On any other day, I would've been thrilled, but on that particular day, I was disappointed as I wanted to explore the platform. Yeaaaaah, you don't need to say it. I'm a dork. On a later date, I was able to look around the platform. It's a lot bigger than it was before, and everything is brand new, except the stairs. That was kind of odd. The trains seem to run faster now, but it's probably because I enjoy being at the station so much that I don't mind waiting for a while as much as I did before when the station was still a disgusting mucky mess. Thanks, CTA!

As with most 'L' Stations, there's some good and some bad…read more The good parts are that the Southport station is easy to navigate, fully accessible, clean, adequately wide, and has above-average seating. There is also a large lobby. Weak points are a lack of any digital signage at platform level, and the fact that unless you take the elevator up, you will be under the elements. With all of this, Southport is fine, with added points for width and cleanliness, and negative points for lack of signage and cover.

Got there at 0131. There were still strains come I g through. They had LOCKED THE DOORS. FU! Had…read moreto pay for a ring uber. NOT OK. NOT RIGHT.

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.