Hi, I'm going to a trade show at the Mccormick Convention Center and I'm flying into Chicago Midway Airport.
I used the RTA trip planner and it told me to take the Orange line to the State/Van Buren CTA and transfer to the Brown Line which goes counter clockwise and take that to the Randolph/Wabash CTA. From there, walk to the Randolph St Metra electric line and take it to the convention center.
The question I have is why do I have to switch to the Brown line? Doesn't the Orange line go to the Randolph/Wabash station? I look at the train maps and it doesn't make sense. I rerun the trip planner and it keeps giving me the same answer even though it doesn't seem right. Is there possibly maintenance going on at that time on the Orange line?
Thanks so much for helping with my confusion.
The date I am coming in is Feb. 29.
This is the link to the trip planner: http://tripsweb.rtachicago.com/
Thanks! You do not want the brown line. Whoever told you this is probably confusing McCormick Place with the Merchandise Mart.
The orange line runs from Midway, around the "loop", and back out to Midway. Many of the CTA lines do this, run around the loop and back out along the same line. The red and blue lines are exceptions.
In reviewing the map it looks like the best thing to do is to take the Orange line to the Roosevelt stop - before you get to the loop. Then hop onto bus #3. That is your shortest option.
Fare will be $2.00 for the first train ride and $0.25 for transfere to busses or other trains. First bus ride is $1.75 so it will be a quarter cheaper on the return trip.
Now if you really want to you can take the orange line all the way to the Randolph Wabash Station and hop on the electric line, say if you want to see the center city. But you are backtracking if you do this. That will cost you more as well since you'll be switching from CTA to Metra, but if you've never seen the city before it will be worth it. And you'll be in the cold slightly less.
The link you have can be good but going to the individual sites may help as well, see below. And have a great trip! Thank you everyone for all your answers. They were all good! Report It
Chicago is going through some major issues. The maps are extremely confusing even for locals. Go here, go there, all these extra steps because they need extra money. I work near Mc Cormick place and will tell you the easiest way by far.
The easiest way to travel is to purchase 1-day, 5- day or a weekly pass depending on length of stay. It gives you unlimited rides anywhere trains and buses go. One way on the train is $2 with one free transfer and $1.75 on the bus.
1. Take the orange line to the loop and get off at Library/state/VanBuren.
2. Walk downstairs and head north (to your left) less than 1/2 block to red line underground entrance. If you get to Jackson and State, backtrack about 10 yards. The map shows the entrance after Jackson. This is true underground.
3. Take redline (leftside platform) SOUTH to 95th/Dan Ryan.
4. Get off at cermack/Chinatown also known as 22nd street.
5. Walk diagonally accross the street to eastbound Wentworth/cermak stop and the #22 bus will drop you off in front of Mc Cormick Place. Make sure you don't stand at the bus stop in front of you as soon as you get off the escalator, it will take you west instead of east.
Follow it on the map and you can see. After you get to Library/sate/VanBuren the route takes about 20min in real time via public trans. But always be aware because it's so easy to miss a stop.
Or you can get off at Library and take an $8 cab ride.. Look, here is the simple answer in two steps.
1. Take the Orange Line train from Midway to the Roosevelt stop.
2. Walk one and a half blocks east to Michigan ave. and catch the No. 3, X3 or X4 bus. They go DIRECTLY to McCormick Place.
Here is a map of the area. If you look at the top right side of this page it tell you which bus to catch to go to McCormick Place. If you'd prefer, you can catch a cab from Roosevelt. It's not that far to McCormick Place, maybe a $10 ride with tip. If you prefer public transportation, you can buy a bus card from a machine at the Midway Airport CTA train stop. Put about $4 on the card and that should cover it ($2 for the train and $2 for the bus). | 