Midwest - Best way to from ORD in Chicago centre.

Arriving into ORD next week and would like some advice as to the best way to get into town.

I arrive at 5pm next Thursday and the guide books say avoid taxis during rush hour. Snow is also forcast for Thursday so this will probably slow my journey even more. Are Taxi fares a flat fare or just metered from the airport? Leave Sunday evening at 9pm so I assume tha shouldn't be too much of a problem. How much is an average taxi fare?

I'm staying on N. Michigan. I would take the subway, but I don't think 1) there is a stop near the hotel and 2) it seems ackward to swap from the line from the airport to the one that goes closest to the hotel.

What about shuttle buses? Are they recommended or best avoided?

I've read some of the other posts here about what to do in Chicago, but are there any specific mid Winter recommendations?

Many Thanks!

How far North on North Michigan are you staying? The walk from the Hyatt Regency isn't too bad (to the blue/ O'Hare line under Dearborn). The Marriott is a bit farther, etc.

The O'Hare line takes about 40 minutes from Washington to O'Hare. It will take that long in a taxi also. Unfortunately, Chicago's blue line stops at every station en route to O'Hare. They used to do a skip-stop service, but no longer.

The Marriot is where I am staying and with the forecast of -11c and snow I don't really fancy walking with suitcases in weather like that! I think it's going to be a taxi. hope it's not too expensive going into town at that time of day!

I know I'm too late for this particular trip, but at rush hour or in bad weather (whenever I think traffic will be bad), I will always take the CTA from ORD when I'm headed into the city. (I love whizzing past the massive traffic jams!)

If I'm going somewhere downtown that isn't walking distance from the Blue Line, I just get off wherever I think is best and hail a cab. I've taken $5 cab rides in bad weather downtown and the cabbies have never grumbled about the short trip.

What form of transportation did you use dddc?

Arrivng in Chicago we used the Airport Express shuttle service. There was a stop outside the terminal where you wait for a bus to turn up. Once we were on, we went to another terminal were the fares were paid. It was $32 for the two of us or it would of been $18 if there was just one going. It would of been $60 if we opted for a return ticket.

The bus nearly filled up. It seats 10 and there were 8 onboard. Traffic going into town was slow, but moving as it was peak hour. The heating on the bus was overbearing. I'm glad I hadn't got into my thermals yet!

Going back, as it was a Sunday, and before the Martin Luther King holiday, we thought the roads would be quiet and opted for a taxi, just to save the hassle of waiting for shuttle bus. We were in a Marriot, so there were plenty of cabs waiting, even at 8pm. The metered fare was about $35, plus $5 for a tip.

Had a wonderful time in Chicago, despite the freezing tempreatures! The only negative aspect was the new TSA rules of not locking bags. As well as sightseeing, one of my primary reasons for holidaying in the US is shopping. To have a suitcase full of new clothes and gadgets going through unlocked concerns me, especially as my next trip in 6 weeks is out of Miami where I haven't heard good stories. I was able to get them to close my bag with a cable tie so I had some peace of mind at least. I think in Miami I will take the chance and lock the bag. If they cut it off, so be it. I'd rather that than lose my shopping!

PS, I look forward to going back to Chicago! The Winterfestival helped liven up the dark nights, and the lack of crowds meant sightseeing was easy, but it would be nice to walk outdoors for longer nextime!

Cheers and thanks for all your help!

DDDC-

I flew out of LGA a few weeks ago and thought I would lock my bags and take my chances. However, the incompetent TSA agents made me remove my locks and after arguing with a supervisor about the new "suggested" guidlines rather than "mandatory" regulations she relented.