Chicago - ORD to Mag Mile via Blue Line

Hello, Chicagoans. I visit Chicago frequently but have never taken the blue line into the city from ORD. If my destination stop is Grand Ave on the red line, where is the best place to transfer? Thanks in advance for your help.

Bill.

The only place to transfer blue to red is at jackson.

that said, it may be faster to get off a the blue line grand or chicago stop and grab the bus over to michigan ave, depending on what time you're going and what your ultimate destination is.

The only place to transfer blue to red is at jackson.



Or switch at Washington/Randolph (and pay 25 cents) which would be faster because it's further north. From there it's only one stop on the Red Line to Grand or a four block walk north. However, to do this you have to come upstairs and walk (same distance as Jackson transfer and all inside) and then go back down the escalator. This is a pain if you have luggage. A breeze if not.

Thank-you.

How lengthy is the walk from blue to red at either of these stations?

Thank-you.

How lengthy is the walk from blue to red at either of these stations?

Here's a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRS9XNaS_hs

Perfect. Thanks very much for the info.

it may be faster to get off a the blue line grand or chicago stop and grab the bus over to michigan ave, depending on what time you're going and what your ultimate destination is.

I second that. It will likely be quicker than going all the way down to Jackson, and involves less walking (but will cost extra $0.25). You can catch Bus 65 when you get off at Grand Blue, and it will take you to Michigan/Illinois.

I second that. It will likely be quicker than going all the way down to Jackson, and involves less walking (but will cost extra $0.25). You can catch Bus 65 when you get off at Grand Blue, and it will take you to Michigan/Illinois.

I third that. I lived in Chicago for three years and was on the L constantly. The Blue Line has tons of "Slow Zones" because the tracks are sooooo old. These zones are mostly underground. So, yes, just get out at Grand and catch the bus. The drivers thinks those busses are sports cars, so, you'll get to your destination in a reasonable time.

PS, the distance between trains at the Jackson stop is 2 blocks. You go from Dearborne, under Clark to State.

I third that. I lived in Chicago for three years and was on the L constantly. The Blue Line has tons of "Slow Zones" because the tracks are sooooo old. These zones are mostly underground. So, yes, just get out at Grand and catch the bus. The drivers thinks those busses are sports cars, so, you'll get to your destination in a reasonable time.

PS, the distance between trains at the Jackson stop is 2 blocks. You go from Dearborne, under Clark to State.

You haven't lived there lately, I take it. The only slow zones are occasionally late at night if they're working on the track. Daytimes and evenings it's usually about 45-50 minutes between ORD and downtown.

You haven't lived there lately, I take it. The only slow zones are occasionally late at night if they're working on the track. Daytimes and evenings it's usually about 45-50 minutes between ORD and downtown.

God Bless progress. Baby steps to the 21st century.

I third that. I lived in Chicago for three years and was on the L constantly. The Blue Line has tons of "Slow Zones" because the tracks are sooooo old. These zones are mostly underground. So, yes, just get out at Grand and catch the bus. The drivers thinks those busses are sports cars, so, you'll get to your destination in a reasonable time.

PS, the distance between trains at the Jackson stop is 2 blocks. You go from Dearborne, under Clark to State.

As already mentioned, a lot of the track has been rehabbed, so that isn't the problem it once was.

Also, it's only one block from Dearborn to State. Clark is on the other side of Dearborn.

As already mentioned, a lot of the track has been rehabbed, so that isn't the problem it once was.

Sadly, this has not been my recent experience. The Blue line was "fast" for seeminly less than a month following the rehab - and it was wonderful while it lasted.

Now, the past several times I've take it to ORD the entire above ground section between Division and Belmont has been a "crawl along a 5 MPH zone", and there are also stretchs in the underground portion that are again slow. Still - my trip from LaSalle is averaging 50-60 minutes, rather than the 60-90 minutes it was at the height of the problems.

Sadly, this has not been my recent experience. The Blue line was "fast" for seeminly less than a month following the rehab - and it was wonderful while it lasted.

Now, the past several times I've take it to ORD the entire above ground section between Division and Belmont has been a "crawl along a 5 MPH zone", and there are also stretchs in the underground portion that are again slow. Still - my trip from LaSalle is averaging 50-60 minutes, rather than the 60-90 minutes it was at the height of the problems.

I got off a plane this a.m. at 9:40, Gate K9, stopped in the rest room, stopped at Hudson to buy a paper to read on the trip home, hopped on the train and walked in my front door, 3 1/2 blocks from UIC Halsted at 11:00. Again, the only time I have noticed a slow spot was late night. It was just as quick on Thursday mid-day when I left.

Although on Saturday - no slow zones but at ORD all the ticket machines bar two were down - so loooong wait for tickets and top up.

Sadly, this has not been my recent experience. The Blue line was "fast" for seeminly less than a month following the rehab - and it was wonderful while it lasted.

Now, the past several times I've take it to ORD the entire above ground section between Division and Belmont has been a "crawl along a 5 MPH zone", and there are also stretchs in the underground portion that are again slow. Still - my trip from LaSalle is averaging 50-60 minutes, rather than the 60-90 minutes it was at the height of the problems.

I take the blue line every day I am in town along that stretch (logan sq/California to downtown). There are no slow zones and there hasn't been for at least 6 months aside from some random one or two day things.

A couple months ago, I had to get off at Cumberland and get on a bus to ORD, which was awkward and slow but a one time deal.

I take the blue line every day I am in town along that stretch (logan sq/California to downtown). There are no slow zones and there hasn't been for at least 6 months aside from some random one or two day things.

A couple months ago, I had to get off at Cumberland and get on a bus to ORD, which was awkward and slow but a one time deal.

I guess I've just been unlucky. Every time I've take the Blue line over the past six months I could have walked the elevated stretch faster than the train went.

Sadly, this has not been my recent experience. The Blue line was "fast" for seeminly less than a month following the rehab - and it was wonderful while it lasted.

Now, the past several times I've take it to ORD the entire above ground section between Division and Belmont has been a "crawl along a 5 MPH zone", and there are also stretchs in the underground portion that are again slow. Still - my trip from LaSalle is averaging 50-60 minutes, rather than the 60-90 minutes it was at the height of the problems.

I guess I've just been unlucky. Every time I've take the Blue line over the past six months I could have walked the elevated stretch faster than the train went.

Wow and still made it in 50-60 minutes! That's some speed when it's not 5 mph!

Wow and still made it in 50-60 minutes! That's some speed when it's not 5 mph!

It should take 40 -45. Add 20 for the slow zone.

I guess I've just been unlucky. Every time I've take the Blue line over the past six months I could have walked the elevated stretch faster than the train went.

Today on that stretch, one of the doors in my car remained open the entire way. So you could have literally tried to walk faster than the train.

Or switch at Washington/Randolph (and pay 25 cents) which would be faster because it's further north. From there it's only one stop on the Red Line to Grand or a four block walk north. However, to do this you have to come upstairs and walk (same distance as Jackson transfer and all inside) and then go back down the escalator. This is a pain if you have luggage. A breeze if not.

+1 for this strategy. The stop is called "Washington" on the Blue and "Lake" on the Red. As a Loop resident, both are my home-stations. The transfer through the newly-constructed Block 37 mall is worth the $0.25 premium over the Jackson tunnel. The transfer is 1-block long (Dearborn St to State St) in either case. There are 'up' escalators at both Wash and Lake, but sorry, none that run the opposite way. Grand escalators will get you halfway to street-level.
And as others have pointed out, depending on your luggage situation, it's about a half-mile if you wanted to hoof it from Washington north to Grand Ave.

Slow zone are a distant memory for me. Bank on maybe a shade over an hour from gate to Grand Ave.

So, I am the OP and I finally made the Blue Line rail trip into the city. I made it from gate H17 at ORD, stopped in the men's room, stopped to buy a bottle of water, took the blue line to Jackson, transferred to the red line to Grand, exited to the street and walked three blocks to the Intercontinental on Michigan and Illinois in exactly one hour. I found the whole thing very user friendly.

Thanks to all the repliers for your input!

walked three blocks to the Intercontinental on Michigan and Illinois in exactly one hour.

Make sure you check out the pool!

So, I am the OP and I finally made the Blue Line rail trip into the city. I made it from gate H17 at ORD, stopped in the men's room, stopped to buy a bottle of water, took the blue line to Jackson, transferred to the red line to Grand, exited to the street and walked three blocks to the Intercontinental on Michigan and Illinois in exactly one hour. I found the whole thing very user friendly.

Thanks to all the repliers for your input!

Enjoy your visit. FYI, the new Michael Jordan Steakhouse (in your hotel) is getting rave reviews. :)

Make sure you check out the pool!


The pool was closed for renovations a couple of weeks ago. Very disapointed.

That's too bad the pool at the IC was closed; it is spectacular. If you're there again, though, and you go up to the 14th floor of the historic tower there are double glass doors in the elevator lobby that will give you a great view of the whole pool area.

You can stand there and imagine how long it took someone to install all that tile by hand......

For future reference, I usually directed people who wanted to take the train most of the way into town to exit at Division -- where there's a cab stand outside the station entrance -- or to Chicago Avenue, since its bus route is more frequent than the Grand bus.

Jackson is the easiest and most "brainless" option since you don't have to do much, but the quickest is to take the grand bus east from the grand blue line stop :)

It should take 40 -45. Add 20 for the slow zone.

Looks like the slow zones will be a thing of the past soon enough. CTA just got $20 million in federal funds (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-cta-gets-federal-grant-to-end-ohareblue-line-slow-zones-20111212,0,175854.story) to fix the last slow stretches between Damen and Belmont. ^