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Getting There By Air:

O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Tel: (800) 832 6352 or (773) 686 2200.
Website: www.flychicago.com

O’Hare is the major international airport for Chicago, being only 30km (19 miles) northwest of the Downtown area. One of the world’s busiest airports, it carries over 69 million passengers per year.

Major airlines: O’Hare is the headquarters of United Airlines (tel: (800) 241 6522), which flies mainly from terminal one. Most major international carriers use Terminal Five, but Air Canada uses Terminal Two, and for departures only Lufthansa uses Terminal One, and Iberia uses Terminal Three. Other airlines utilizing O’Hare include: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air France, Air India, Air Jamaica, Alitalia, Alaska Airlines, America West, American Airlines, Aviacsa, British Airways, BMI British Midland, Cayman Airways, Continental, Delta, El Al, Iberia Airlines, Independence Air, Japan Airlines, KLM, Korean Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Lot Polish Airlines, Mexicana, Northwest Airlines, Pakistan International, Royal Jordanian, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Spirit, SWISS, TACA, Turkish Airline, USA 3000 and US Airways.

Airport facilities: Permanent bureau de change facilities and ATMs are available in all terminals and the latter take most international cards. Also located in each terminal are a variety of restaurants, bars, fast food outlets and shops, as well as car hire from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz and National.

Business facilities: Laptop Lane (tel: (773) 894 3100; website: www.wayport.net/laptoplane), located in Terminal One, offers workstations for travelers. The Hilton Business Center (tel: (773) 601 1743), located in the Hilton Hotel in Terminal Two, offers full business services.

Transport to the city: The Chicago Transit Authority – CTA (tel: (888) YOUR CTA or 968 7282; website: www.transitchicago.com) and the Regional Transportation Authority - RTA (tel: (312) 836 7000; website: www.rtachicago.com) are the major means of public transportation to and from the airport. Blue Line trains are the quickest and cheapest way into central Chicago. The service operates 24 hours, leaves every 10 minutes and costs US$1.75 (journey time – 45 minutes). 'TRAINS TO CITY' signs will guide you to the station. If you are traveling with anything more than light luggage, note that the walk from the flight terminals to the trains is a long one.

Continental Airport Express (tel: (312) 454 7800 or (800) 654 7871; website: www.airportexpress.com) operates a shuttle minibus service 0600-2330 to central Chicago, and to the northern suburban locations starting at US$24.00 per person in a shared coach (journey time – 45 minutes). Omega (tel: (773) 483 6634; website: www.omegashuttle.com) offers an hourly service 0600-2330, between O’Hare and Midway Airports (US$16), and also departs from Hyde Park (near the University of Chicago) from 0500 (journey time – 45 minutes). From the South side to O’Hare the fee is US$27 and US$17 to Midway. Taxis are available for US$30-65 per person and for Share-a-Ride, sharing a cab with a stranger, the fare would be one-half. Expect to tip the driver about 10-15%.

Midway International Airport (MDW)
Tel: (773) 838 0600.
Website: www.flychicago.com

This airport, 18km (11 miles) southwest of Downtown Chicago, is used by domestic and discount airlines and carries around 13 million passengers per year.

Major airlines: These include: Air Tran, American Trans Air, American Airlines, ComAir, Continental, Delta, Frontier, NorthWest, SouthWest, and Ted (United).

Airport facilities: ATMs, cafés, bars, newspaper stands and car hire from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty.

Business facilities: There is no business center.

Transport to the city: The CTA (tel: (888) YOUR CTA or 968 7282 website: www.transitchicago.com) and RTA (tel: (312) 836 7000; website: www.rtachicago.com) are the major means of public transportation to and from the airport. The Orange Line train goes to the city center 0435-2320 and costs US$1.75 (journey time – 20-25 minutes). Continental Airport Express (tel: (312) 454 7800 or (800) 654 7871; website: www.airportexpress.com) operates a shuttle minibus service 0600-2330 to central Chicago and to northern suburban locations, starting at US$24, US$44 round-trip per person to downtown (journey time – 45 minutes), for two people traveling together. The fee to the northern suburbs in a shared van starts at about US$41 each. Omega (tel: (773) 483 6634; website: www.omegashuttle.com) offers an hourly service 0700-2345, between O’Hare and Midway Airports US$16). Taxis to the center will cost around US$40-45, depending on the traffic, and from the South Side US$17. Share-a-Ride costs approximately half the fare (journey time – 30 minutes).

Approximate flight times to Chicago: From London is 8 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 2 hours 15 minutes; from Los Angeles is 4 hours; from Toronto is 1 hour 45 minutes and from Sydney is 13 hours 30 minutes.

Arrival/departure tax: All airport taxes are included in the cost of the ticket.

Various: Up-to-date arrival and departure information for both Chicago airports can be found on www.flychicago.com.

Getting There By Road:

Chicago is as much the center of the US road network as it is that for rail and air routes. The general rule for numbering on freeways and interstates is that odd numbers go north–south and even numbers go east–west over their whole length, although at any single, localized point it may seem different. Driving is on the right. The speed limits on the different motorways can vary. The general maximum is 90kph (55mph), with some spots being 110kph (70mph). Town residential areas can be as slow as 30kph (20mph), with specifically posted limits near schools. It is also illegal to pass a yellow ‘School Bus’ when its red lights are flashing. Seatbelts are obligatory for front-seat passengers and, within the city limits, it is illegal to use a hand-held cellular phone while driving. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.08% and the prosecution for drink driving is severe.

The minimum driving age is 16 years. A valid driving license, preferably one with a photo ID, is valid but a temporary International Driving Permit also works. Third party insurance is mandatory, although it is also highly recommended for drivers to have adequate travel medical insurance, as the cost of medical treatment in the USA is huge. Petrol (‘gas’) is much cheaper than in Europe, though prices frequently fluctuate. Many ‘gas stations’ are open 24 hours a day on main roads and operate a pre-pay system at the pumps using a credit card or through a cashier.

The American Automobile Association – AAA (tel: (800) 222 1134) can provide information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown service:
AAA (800) AAA HELP or 222 4357

Routes to the city: Interstate 90 (I-90) runs due west to Seattle on the Pacific seaboard, while I-80 runs a parallel westward route, further south, to San Francisco. Its eastward stretch goes to New York. I-55 goes south to St Louis, then follows the Mississippi to New Orleans on the Gulf of Mexico. Making an arc on the west side of the city, about 16km (10 miles) from the Loop at its nearest point to Downtown, the I-294 is a toll road. Also, south of the city center, the I-90 becomes the ‘Chicago Skyway Toll’ road, on its route to Indianapolis. The I-94 connects with Milwaukee and Minneapolis in the north, while the I-80 takes drivers west toward Omaha.

Driving times to Chicago: From Milwaukee – 2 hours; Detroit – 6 hours; Minneapolis – 9 hours.

Coach services: The main bus station is located at 630 West Harrison Street (tel: (312) 408 5823), only two blocks from the CTA Blue Line’s Clinton Station. Greyhound (tel: (312) 408 5800 or (800) 229 9424; website: www.greyhound.com) operates buses nationwide from here. Indian Trails (tel: (800) 292 3831; website: www.indiantrails.com) operates the regional services between Chicago and Michigan destinations like Bay City, Saginaw and Flint.

Getting There By Rail:

Amtrak (tel: (800) USA RAIL or 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com) operates from Union Station, 225 South Canal Street), which is also the hub of its whole national network. The beautiful station is a Chicago landmark, reminiscent of the time when railroads were the country’s main transportation artery. Facilities include bars and food outlets, ATMs, baggage porters, an enclosed waiting area, payphones, as well as short- and long-term paid parking. The commuter service, Metra Metropolitan Rail (tel: (312) 322 4269; website: www.metrarail.com), also operates from here. Car hire is available from Budget, Enterprise and Hertz. Travelers with enquiries should either contact Amtrak (see above) or the stations on the intended route.

Rail services: Trains are available from Union Station to destinations across the USA including Milwaukee (journey time – 1hour 30 minutes), Detroit (journey time – 6 hours 30 minutes), New York (journey time – 19 hours) and San Francisco (journey time – 51 hours).

Transport to the city: Union Station is only a couple of blocks from the central Loop district. Taxis are available.

Getting Around:

Public Transport
The Chicago Transit Authority – CTA (tel: (888) 968 7282; website: www.transitchicago.com) operates trains and buses within the city. The trains are referred to as the ‘El’ or ‘L’ – the name is derived from the elevated rail that circles around the main Downtown business and shopping district. Each of the seven train lines are identified and named by a different color. CTA services run 24 hours – Overnight or Night Owl services operate between approximately 0000 and 0500.

The standard fare on the bus or train is US$1.75 (exact fare only), with a Visitor Pass costing only US$5 and offering 24-hour unlimited access. There are also passes for two days (US$9), three days (US$12) and five days (US$18). There is a transfer charge of 25 cents between routes, whether train or bus. Tickets and passes are available for purchase from machines and ticket offices at the stations, as well as from visitor information centers and directly from the CTA.

Metra (tel: (312) 322 6777, weekdays, or (312) 836 7000, evenings and weekends; website: www.metrarail.com) is a commuter rail system serving the suburbs and surrounding cities with 12 lines. Individual fares start at US$1.85 and a weekend pass costs US$5.

The Regional Transit Authority (RTA), (312) 836 7000; website: www.rtachicago.com) oversees Northern Illinois public transportation and includes, the CTA, the suburban bus line, PACE, (847) 364 7223, and Metra.

Free trolley buses (tel: (877) CHICAGO/244 2246; website: www.choosechicago.com) travel between the city’s most popular attractions like Navy Pier, the Museum Campus and North Michigan Avenue. Buses run from late May until early September and then again during the holiday season (late November until after New Year’s Day).

Pedways
There is an underground system of ‘pedways’ (pedestrian walkways or ‘subways’ to the British), which are especially useful for escaping the weather and crowded Downtown streets. From this network, which links over 40 blocks of streets, there is access to many buildings, stations and shops in the Loop. Maps are available, free of charge, from hotels and around the various points of the system, including the Illinois Center.


Taxis
These are easy to hail on the streets, especially in the Loop and Wrigleyville. Pick up charge is US$2.25, it costs US$1.80 per mile thereafter, with an extra charge of US$1.00 for one additional passenger and US$.50 every passenger after that. A tip of 10-15% is usually expected. The main companies are American United Cab Assoc. (tel: (773) 248 7600), Checker Taxi Assoc. Inc. (tel: (312) 243 2537), Flash Cab Co (tel: (773) 561 4444), Jiffy Cab Co (tel: (773) 487 9000), Wolley Cab (tel: (312) 225 5411) and Yellow Cabs (tel: (312) TAXI CAB or 829 4222).

Limousines
Luxury services are available from 25 companies, including Amm’s Limo (tel: (773) 792 1126; website: www.amlimo.com), The Limo Center (tel: (312) 829 1000 or (800) 654 5459; website: www.thelimocenter.com), O’Hare-Midway Limousine Service (tel: (312) 558 1111; website: www.ohare-midway.com) and LaSalle Limousine (tel: (888) 546 6686; website: www.lasallelimo.com). Stretch limousines are always best booked in advance. Prices vary according to the size of the limousine but start from US$65 per hour.

Driving in the City
For those who are new to the city, driving is not recommended. The traffic is hectic during rush hours (0700-0930 and 1600-1900) and confusing because of the one-way street systems in Downtown areas. Local drivers are sometimes impatient with those who do not know where they are going, so it is best for visitors to get into the main areas by train, bus or taxi and continue on foot.

If driving is the only option, be aware that the city streets are largely based on a grid pattern, the central point of which is the crossroads at Madison Avenue and State Street, in the Loop district. From here, the naming of a street as ‘north’ or ‘south’ or as ‘west’ or ‘east’ is taken.

Street parking meters take coins above US$0.10 (a dime), with US$0.25 (a quarter) being the most useful coin. The more congested the area, the higher the meter rate. Major attractions may have limited parking but, in general, Downtown parking is difficult and expensive. From 1 December to 1 April, ‘Snow Parking’ regulations apply on many streets, making less spaces available, and cars parked on snow routes are likely to be towed.

Car Hire
The minimum age for hiring a car varies from 21 to 25 years. Car rental agencies charge an extra premium to drivers under 25. A valid driving license or an International Driving Permit is required. Costly insurance can be part of the hire arrangement, but renters should check their auto insurance to see if their policies cover rental cars.

The major US car hire companies are all available. These include Alamo (tel: (800) 327 9633; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: (800) 331 1212; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (800) 527 0700; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: (800) 800 4000; website: www.dollar.com), Hertz (tel: (800) 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com) and National (tel: (800) 227 7368; website: www.nationalcar.com). Rates start at about $75 per day (weekend days are cheaper) or US$188 per week. This does not include the 18% tax or the US$2.75 per day surcharge.


Bicycle Hire
For visitors, cycling on the streets is discouraged, however, biking the lakefront cycling paths is quite pleasant (see Sport). Bike Chicago, at the Navy Pier (tel: (312) 595 9600 or (800) 915 BIKE or 2453; website: www.bikechicago.com), Millennium Park (tel: (888) BIKE WAY or 245 3929) or at North Avenue Beach (tel: (773) 327 2706) has a good range of bicycles for hire. Rates vary between US$9.95 (minimum four days) to US$40 per day, including helmet, lock and map. Cycling tours are also available at Bike Chicago.

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