While this is not the worst red line stop in Chicago, there are sometimes some characters around…read more It is, however, the perfect location for a stop, near lots of tourist points and 2 blocks from Michigan Avenue. I wouldn't recommend being there alone as a woman super early in the morning or super late at night.

Another CTA station, an underground one, is on Chicago Avenue. It has a whole lot to see around…read morehere. Kind of a bad atmosphere with all the homeless people but still not among the worst. Feels safer than many other stations but that's not saying a lot. There's never a long wait for trains. It has an incredibly busy location at Chicago Avenue and State Street with all the commuters and tourists coming and going. It serves the Red Line. This is between the Grand Avenue and Clark/Division stations. Inside there's kind of a bad odor and there's a few sketchy people but that's typical stuff around. There's plenty of other stations you can get to from here quickly. Has a shitload of shopping as if you didn't know. It has some fast food like McDonald's if the hipster food is too high brow for your tastes. The best thing about this station is no long waiting.

This is the Blue Line to take from the Chicago airport to the Sheraton. It is but a 15 walk to the…read morehotel, or $15 Uber ride. We did the Uber due to shady people at the CRA stop. Nevertheless, the ride was pleasant and the trains leave the airport every 5 min. The cost is SO reasonable, only $5.00

Nothing terribly special about this station... except for me it's a great way to get to the…read moreairport. There's a kiosk for your tickets; it works pretty smoothly. But be prepared to carry your bags up a couple of flights of stairs. There might be an elevator somewhere but I did not look that closely.

At the Merchandise Mart is a CTA stop and let's just say it's less enjoyable than shopping inside,…read morewhich many don't find all that enjoyable. It gets hella busy around here. Overall a pretty confusing place. Many people have no idea where to go. The CTA needs more signs. Convenient in a way just north of the Loop and all that craziness. It serves the Brown and Purple Lines. This is one of the busiest stops. It's a wider platform but it still gets packed. The trains seem to be much less frequent here when it's not rush hour as well. Many people waiting a long time, making this get extra crowded. The best thing about this situation is you can get some good views from here. A few things good, and many bad. It especially sucks when it's cold. The good thing is it's close to the Merchandise Mart entrance and you can find many good restaurants and shops.

I don't understand the purpose of this place. There are few if any retail stores to widow shop,…read moreunless you have your eye on a new Themador range, or perhaps some new flooring. Other than this place has air conditioning and a small food court, there's no absolutely no reason I can think of to visit.

We were disappointed to miss out riding the El on this visit to Chicago. I did get some views of…read moreit from the surface streets as we walked nearby and sometimes under the structures. Hope to experience it as a rider during my next visit to Chicago.

Rather than spend a ton on Uber or Lyft or a taxi, I opted to take the El to and from Ohare airport…read moreon my recent trip. Tickets are cheap for how far you go and it was a nice ride. It gets a little crowded in spots but was nice overall and better than waiting in Chicago traffic. They do need do enforce the no soliciting as there are folks trying to sell candy but overall, it was a nice ride.

Great for getting around the city of Chicago whether it be by bus or train. I enjoyed utilizing…read morepublic transportation to get around the city during my visit. The buses are a great way to get around with frequent stops throughout the city.

They have ghost buses that show on the app until they are scheduled to arrive and then they…read moredisappear. Then you are forced to wait for the next one in hopes that it shows: the buses are dirty and riders are allowed to smoke and play their phones at high volume. The drivers do nothing to enforce the rules. And about once a month to every other month you get a rude driver who will talk to you like you are dirt. A change in management is needed.

CTA has a station at LaSalle and it's amazingly clean. It has a charm about it. Lots of old decor…read moreand signs on the walls. Good location close to many attractions. The station is mostly safe. I like how easy it is to get to places from here. It serves the Blue Line. This is a good stop. Many bars and restaurants are right outside. The tourist attractions are pretty close too. Also you can go all the way to O'Hare from here. The best thing is the friendliness and helpfulness of CTA staff. Good place to get off at. It also isn't as crowded. The trains usually come often and on time.

I just dropped my air pod to the rail. Rich helped me to get it quickly. Awesome man. Nice customer…read moreservice.

You know what's really fantastic? Intelligent design! For example, this station's stairwells have…read morelittle ramps on the sides to make it easier to bring a bicycle into the station, without having to carry it awkwardly - bonus for those who have heavier bikes, or less upper body strength. However, if instead of a bike you're carrying a cartful of groceries, or need to avoid stairs for any other reason, the station is fully accessible with elevators. There's a lot more to love: The station is very easy to navigate, with large, abundantly clear signage to help you find the right train direction. Bonus points for whoever thought to put the departure screens just outside the stairwells to platform level, with only departures in that direction. It is also aesthetically very pleasing, across the board. The ceilings are high, and feature tiled mosaics. There is also a large silhouette of the skyline behind glass tiles. Even the floor of the main level contains a simple, yet thought-out design: rays before the gates and a compass rose after. All throughout, the station is well lit and clean. The platform level is more utilitarian, but still maintains the themes of being well lit, relatively clean, and having some tiled designs on the back wall. Final verdict: CTA stations are usually small, narrow, and in need of a power wash and elbow grease, if not also a lighting upgrade. CTA's Grand Red Line Station needs none of the above, and is one of my favorite stations in the system!

Enjoy the experience of riding the trains and subways of cities I visit, and always compare them to…read moreJapan Aside from the line that travel to and from the airport, the other lines were not very clean, and in the evening they were filled with shady characters, and creepy crawlers with two legs.

I was planning on being nice…read more I'm telling you all... other than encountering some human excrement once, in probably 100+ visits to the station I've had no issues. Being a big city, you might meet an occasional character, but at no time did I feel unsafe. Full disclaimer I usually use Monroe right around rush hour or early evening. The station has a customer service agent in the booth, and is well lit. While it could benefit from a thorough pressure washing, it's not terrible cleanliness-wise. Seating is extremely limited at one bench for the whole station, but that's understandable for a 24 hour underground train stop. Monroe is not accessible, though there are up escalators. The station is also fairly easy to navigate. All this would equal a three star rating. The issue comes with the stairs in the winter. While they were salted, it seems the foot traffic has worn the salt out somewhat. While it wasn't a stair shaped hockey rink, I felt that the steps in winter were at times too slippery for comfort. More salt (or just "salt" more often) was called for.

This station on the Red Line drops you off in the very beating heart of State Street in downtown…read moreChicago. Commonly used by Chicago Metra & Amtrak commuters & visitors, this Red Line stop is just a few steps away from good ol' Madison Ave. Head West on Madison to your trains from this stop. Venure North on State Street for lots of shopping & sightseeing, & head East from the Monroe Red Line stop to meet lovely Grant Park, Millennium Park, & finally Lake Michigan's shores.

The map of there coverage area is no t accurate. I tried to schedule a trip traveling from Howard…read moreand Sheridan to south shore area. The dispatcher said they don't service this area.

Great service, very delightful, I would use their SERVICES,…read moreanytime. Thanks again for your time.

This was one of the nicer L stations in the Loop. This station serves the brown, green, orange,…read morepink, and purple line trains. It's a very convenient station as it is centrally located in the Loop. I have used it to go over to the Millennium Park or to the Target store on State St. There are also several fast food restaurants nearby if you're looking for something quick to eat.

A pretty good CTA stop is on the Loop at Washington and Wabash, new and clean. It has pretty…read moreconvenient access to other stations without any need to go far. Smell even isn't as bad as there's not yet as much of a piss and shit build up. Located near a few important buildings and attractions like Grant Park. There's a Millennium Station Metra close to here where you can make transfers. It can be found on the northeast side of the Loop close to some other systems you can conveniently access. It serves the Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple Lines. The times each of these operates varies. Brown goes counterclockwise. The others go clockwise so you have to be on the correct side of the platform. For the Brown, stand on the east. The others are on the west. Close proximity to Metra at Millennium Station is right by here. This is very close to the Art Institute and Millennium Park, so if you're going there, getting off here is a good idea. Also know the Purple is a limited extension. It's only on weekdays at rush hour. This gives you quick access to Metra and plenty of other stations.