Originally Posted by
eng3
It has been over a decade since my I've taken the CTA and I am confused by my options from ORD.
I need to go from ORD downtown to the Navy Pier area (requiring one bus transfer} then return on Sunday.
I am trying to understand my options
1. Buy single ride Ventra ticket for $5 which includes the bus transfer, then buy another ticket with transfer ($2.50 cash only?) on the bus back? I'm not clear what I can but from the driver and my options to pay
If you buy a Ventra ticket at O'Hare, that does include 2 transfers for a total cost of $5. The transfers are good until 2 hours after you first use the card.
Unfortunately, you can't buy a ticket on a bus. You can pay using cash ($2.50), a Ventra card ($2.25), or an NFC device (card or phone for $2.50).
2. Buy Ventra card for $5, load $2.50. Can I register immediately to use the $5? Then save the 2.50 for the return? I could of course load $5, register later, but the I'll have a $2.50 balance and probably lose that due to inactivity
Yes, you can register immediately. It's kind of awkward to do standing in the train station, but it works.
3. Pay with phone costing $12 (5+2.25+2.25+2.50)
$5+$0.25+$2.50+$0.25=$8.00
4. Buy card with app somehow?
You can order a Ventra card to be mailed to your home address in the United States. It's not fast.