Public Transportation

Chicago Transit Authority - CTA

Visit CTA's site to get train and bus schedules and maps. You can also order your CTA passes online, including a visitor's pass, but allow 7 to 10 days for delivery. Lose something on the CTA? Call 888-YOUR-CTA or email ctahelp@transitchicago.com

Chicago "L".org
Did you know that the "L" is over 100 years old? Or that originally there were 70 companies that created the system and the CTA wasn't created until 1947? You can find out everything you ever wanted to know at the Chicago "L" site. It even has maps dating back to 1898. You can also find current maps and descriptions of the various "lines".

Metra Rail
Metra Rail is the train system that takes commuters to and from the suburbs. Check out their web site to get maps and schedules.

Free Trolley
A different and free way to get around downtown Chicago  is to take the free trolley system. There's no ticket necessary and the various trolleys cover most of downtown. They run approximately every twenty minutes from 10am to 6pm and the Navy Pier route runs from 10am until it closes. If you're taking the train in, there's a stop at both Ogilvie and Union Stations. The routes are listed on the signs at each stop and are differentiated by shape and color. For example, the Navy Pier trolley is a blue square and the Metra/Museums trolley is a green triangle. A map of the routes is available at the City of Chicago's website .