Getting Into and Around Chicago

Like any big city, getting around Chicago can be an adventure. But once you're familiar with the main streets and landmarks, you should be able to navigate fairly easily.

GETTING INTO THE CITY...

Several expressways run into the city from different directions. Each expressway you take leading into the city will lead into one of four main expressways. And mostly, they go by name, not by number:

• The Kennedy Expressway (I-90) merges with the Edens (I-94) at Foster, and continues into downtown Chicago. Both start from the north and move southeast into the city.
• The Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) comes from western suburbs (Schaumburg) into downtown Chicago.
• The Stevenson Expressway (I-55) comes from southwest suburbs (Bolingbrook and Joliet) and into downtown.
• The Dan Ryan (I-90/94) starts at 95th street and heads north into the city. South of 95th, it splits into I-94 and I-57.

IN THE CITY...

Just follow the street numbers. State Street and Madison in downtown Chicago are good reference points--they're zero/zero on a grid. Everything north or south of Madison will have either a north or south as part of their address. And State is the 'zero point' for all streets running east or west. Landmarks help, too:  Lake Michigan is the furthest point East, and the Sears Tower is a few blocks south of Madison.

If you're driving, realize that many of the streets downtown are one-way. The further you get from downtown, the less one-way streets you'll run into.

Paid parking lots can be found just about everywhere: watch the lot signs for 'all night' or 'all day' specials (some lots charge as much as $8 per hour, while some lots offer specials that will charge $8 to park all day), discounted parking for nearby restaurants and attractions (you'll have the restaurant validate your parking ticket and bring it back to the lot), or city lots (which tend to be cheaper).

Street parking can prove to be difficult, but not impossible. Plenty of metered parking is available, as well. Just check signs carefully--some of the main streets won't allow parking during rush hours, some residential areas require a special sticker to park on the streets, and many areas won't allow you to park during heavy snowfalls.

It's best to avoid expressways during rush hour, and to plan to spend a little extra time on the main streets during rush hour as well. And if you happen to be in Wrigleyville (near Clark and Addison, northwest of downtown) during a Cubs game, or on Lake Shore Drive before or after a Bears game, expect to be taking in the scenery for a while.

If you prefer to leave the driving to someone else, you're in the right city. Step to the curb and hold up your hand, and odds are, you'll catch a cab without any trouble--day or night, just about anywhere in the city. Combine the CTA bus routes and the "El" (Chicago's elevated subway) and you can get anywhere in the city, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

AIRPORT

Chicago is serviced by two airports, Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) and O'Hare International Airport (ORD).

Midway Airport is located just ten miles from downtown Chicago and is serviced by airlines like Southwest, American, Continental, ATA and Vanguard. Car rental is available on site and you can find restaurants and shopping in the terminal.

O'Hare International offers more connections to more cities, more often than any other airport in the world, which makes it a popular airport for travelers coming to Chicago. The airport features a state-of-the-art transit system that provides transport between Terminals 1,2,3 and 5 as well as long-term parking. Many hotels in the area offer free shuttle service to and from the airport.

TRAIN STATIONS

Chicago is serviced by five train stations. Union Station and North West Station are the two major train stations, but Chicago is also serviced by the stations on LaSalle Street, Randolph Street, and Van Buren Street.

METRA

Metra runs 12 train routes from four downtown terminals. Trains run frequently during rush hour and every one to three hours during other times of the day.