Getting in
- O’Hare International Airport (ORD): Take the CTA Blue Line directly into the Loop: it runs 24/7 and is the sensible default for downtown hotels. Allow 45–60 minutes door to Loop hotel; the O’Hare rail entry fare is about $6, and a $6 24-hour CTA/Pace pass is the smarter buy if you will ride again that day. Use a taxi or rideshare only for heavy luggage, mobility needs, children, or an awkward late-night destination.
- Midway International Airport (MDW): Take the CTA Orange Line via the enclosed terminal walkway to the Loop. The train ride is roughly 20–25 minutes and usually beats traffic for price and often time; service is roughly 4:00/4:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Overnight, use the N62 Archer bus or a taxi/rideshare.
- Chicago Union Station: Amtrak arrives southwest of the Loop. Clinton Blue Line station is one block away, or the central Loop is a 10–15 minute walk. For suburban rail and day trips, check the terminal carefully: Metra is split among Union, Ogilvie, LaSalle Street, and Millennium stations; Millennium is the useful one for the South Shore Line to Indiana Dunes.