Happy

Flying UA to ORD. Do not know which terminal it would use. Have 5 nights in Chicago July 1st to 6th. Stay at Radisson Blu by the Millennium Park.

Plan to take advantage of the BofA Museum on Us program to visit the Alder and Shedd on Sat and then Art Institute on Sun.

Plan to take the CTA train to town.

I understand that now it is on Ventra card system, you either buy a regular Ventra card and then load a Travel Pass to the card, or buy the 1-day pass from the Ventra machine.

If the Ventra has no expiration date then we could pay $5 for the card, then buy the 7 day pass which is $28, provided I do not lose the Ventra after trip.
Or we could just buy the 1-day Ventra pass as we see fit.

Question is where to buy these at ORD terminal(s)?

Thanks for help.

Non-NonRev

Buy at the CTA station at O'Hare.

You will come into either T1 (main UA terminal) or T2 (additional UA gates).

Once you have your bags, proceed via the underground tunnels to the CTA station (underneath the O'Hare Hilton).

http://www.transitchicago.com/airports/


http://www.transitchicago.com/travel...achmentId=4760

planko

The only place to buy them is from the Ventra Vending Machines at the entrance to the train station. They are where the man in this photo is standing:
http://www.transitchicago.com/assets...recontrols.jpg

Just follow the overhead signs that say "Trains to City/CTA" and they will guide you to the station.

You purchase the Ventra Card and the pass in a single transaction. Press the button on the home screen of the machine in the lower left corner that says "more options" and then press "New Ventra Card." It will ask you what you want to load the card with, select "Pass."

A 7-day Pass will expire 7 days after the first time you use it. The Ventra Card will expire approximately 5 years after purchase, so you can keep it for future trips to Chicago. If there is a balance on the Ventra Card, there will be a $5 a month inactivity fee after 18 months. (The inactivity fee does not reduce the balance below zero. You will never owe them money.)

If you want a 1-day pass, you have two choices: You can buy a 1-day Ventra *ticket* from the home screen on the Ventra machine. A 1-day ticket does not require a Ventra Card. Or you can buy a Ventra Card and then add a 1-day pass to the card. All passes longer than one day require you to have a Ventra Card.

Brian Schultz

Taking the family on a quick vacation to Chicago this weekend for the first time. Can we buy a 7 day pass at the ventra machine at ORD (like the 1 day pass described above)?

Does the 7 day (NON PACE) pass include the bus (IE: 134/135/136) from the Hyatt Regency to Lake/Clark station for the Blue line?

Not sure if PACE is the city bus inside Chicago or if that is one that goes to the suburbs.

We will hit Giodarno's and Gino's East ( I love pizza). And Garret's popcorn. Any other must have's?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Brian

planko

Yes, you can buy the 7-day pass at the Ventra vending machines. That is the only place in the airport to buy them.

Unlike the 1-day pass, you must either have a Ventra Card to buy a 7-day pass or you must buy a Ventra Card at the same time you buy the 7-day pass. A Ventra Card costs $5. There is a way to get a $5 credit towards future travel, but it involves some hassle.

The non-Pace 7-day pass is good on 134/135/136. It is good on all bus lines numbered 206 and lower and on all 'L' train lines. Pace (it is not an acronym) was originally founded to operate suburban bus lines, but over the years it has taken over a handful of routes in the city that the CTA abandoned (South Western, North Harlem, for example). Most people who post here live in parts of the city with no Pace routes and do not know that. Pace bus routes are numbered 208 and up.

One way to avoid paying the $5 Ventra Card fee in addition to the $28 7-day pass fee is to buy a Ventra Card at the vending machines and then to add $23 in "transit value" to the Ventra Card (in a single transaction). Then go to the Ventra web site (www.ventrachicago.com) and "register" your card. Registering your card involves giving them your name, address (US only), phone number, and birthdate. As soon as your registration is completed, they will credit an additional $5 to your Ventra Card account. This will leave $28 in your Ventra Card account. You can then buy a 7-day pass at the Ventra vending machine or the web site. When you get to the payment page/screen, one of the options offered to you will be to pay with your "transit value" balance.

You can also register your card by calling 1-877-NOW-VENT and talking to an agent during Ventra business hours. The agent can also use your transit value balance to buy a 7-day pass.

Many people make the mistake of loading the Ventra app onto their phone and using it to buy a 7-day pass before they have a Ventra Card, They assume they can use their phone to enter the train station. After they pay for the 7-day pass, they find out that the Ventra Card will be sent to them in the mail.

glg

planko nailed the fares/ventra card stuff, but let me add scheduling. The 134/135/136 only run during weekday rush hours and only in the rush direction. ie, you can get from the Hyatt to Clark/Lake in the morning or Clark/Lake to the Hyatt in the evening. If you are trying to get from the Hyatt to Clark/Lake in the morning, the buses may be jammed, as the Hyatt is the second stop after the express portion of the route. I used to ride the 135 regularly and it would be standing-room-only while on Lake Shore Drive and wouldn't start clearing until Michigan or State.

What day/time do you need to get to the Blue Line? Am I correct to presume you'd be going to ORD to catch a flight? Your best bet would probably to get the 6, take it to State/Washington, then walk a block east on Washington to Dearborn and catch the Blue Line there.

Brian Schultz

Thank you planko and GLG

We will be arriving on Saturday 8/20 about 2pm. We will be leaving Tuesday (the hotel) around 12 noon to fly out of O'hare. Unfortunately I have a boot on my foot and have to use one ot those scooter walker things for a few weeks due to a surgery.I originally thought blue line from o'hare to Lake/Clark and a taxi to the Hyatt Regency and back when we leave. I happened to see that 134 to 136 showed up on google maps as going in front of the hotel and included stops at the metro. So, I was hoping just to jump on the bus and get to the metro without having to have taxi. I guessing a taxi would be about $8 each way.

We are going to surprise the kid with a whitesox game (as cubs are out of town) but we will take the the red line.

Any suggestion or help are greatly appreciated.

SkiAdcock

Tagging onto this.

Coming into/departing Union Station. Which blue line stop closest to US? Also, headed from US to ORD on Friday. How much, & cash or credit? Return on Sunday from ORD to US. How much, & cash or credit? I seem to remember the fares are different & can't remember if you need cash for both, credit for both, or cash one way & credit the other.

Cheers.

chgoeditor

I believe the Clinton stop is the closest. Transitchicago.com should have fare info.

glg

You'll be going to L stations both ways, which do not take cash. If you have a Ventra card from previous travels, you can reload it. If not, best bet is to use a contactless card or Apple/Google/Samsung Pay. $2.25 at Clinton, $5 at ORD.

planko

Of course you can pay with cash at L stations (and on buses, too). A Ventra Card is not required.

When you get to the L station, there will be a large silver vending machine called a "Ventra Vending machine." Just buy a single-ride ticket from the machine (cash or credit) as demonstrated in this video:


You'll note that in the video, the actor pays in cash.

Then take the ticket and go to the turnstile and pay like this:


A single ride ticket costs $3 except at the O'Hare station where it costs $5.


The closest stop to Union Station is the Clinton stop.
Clinton is a one-way street that runs along the west side of Union Station. If you exit Union Station through the Great Hall, you'll be right on Clinton, but you can use any exit, you may just have to walk around the building.

Walk south on Clinton. Clinton is a one-way street, south is the direction the cars are going. In about 2 blocks you will get to a highway bridge going over Clinton. The entrance to the station is under the bridge. Note that there is no elevator or escalator for the first set of stairs. After you get down to the payment level there is an escalator that works most of the time.

SkiAdcock

planko, thanks so much for all the info! Much appreciated.

Cheers.

glg

Wow, I really didn't say what I meant to there. I was trying to say that the turnstiles don't take cash and my recommendation for anyone without a Ventra card is to use contactless because then you're not paying the fee for the single ride ticket. That said, you're absolutely correct, the single ride tickets can be bought from the machines for cash.

Odd that at any station other than ORD, you get ripped off for the single ride ticket. It's $3 vs $2.25, because they're charging you for a transfer you may or may not need and 50 cents for the ticket. At ORD, it's $5 no matter what. That means that if you need a transfer and you're at ORD, you can buy the ticket to save a quarter vs using a Ventra card.

SkiAdcock

I was planning on using credit card & contactless is not an option for me. I just want to get a single ticket out to ORD from Clinton & a single ticket from ORD to Clinton.

Cheers.