Debden

We are going to Chicago this coming weekend and still can't decide between a taxi,Shuttle,or Private Sedan out of O'Hare Airport.We arrive at 3pm Saturday afternoon and I'm afraid the 'L'(train) is going to be packed and it'll be difficult with luggage.
We'll both just have a small suitcase but feel it won't be convenient to get on the train!! Can someone please make a suggestion!
Thanks.

soccr

Last time we went through there on a Sat., it wasn't at all crowded. As for taking the "L" -- although it's rather a hike from your arrival gate to the "L," it's pretty easy and straightforward getting onto the trains - that part is designed for people with luggage. Only trouble is, then you have to get off them again at your destination, and that could involve lotsa stairs.

If your hotel has a shuttle, take that. Otherwise, a taxi's the way to go.

patg

It won't be crowded. While there are certainly stairs, one small suitcase should be manageable. The problem is that the O'Hare line doesn't go to North Michigan Avenue, where most tourist hotels are. As the trains are fewer are farther apart on Saturdays, having to transfer gets annoying.

bri19sp

From the Blue ,which services o'hare, you can make any easy transfer to the Red line at the Washington stop if you need to get to north Michigan Ave. O'hare is the first stop so the train should be empty when you get on and rarely fills on the weeknends.

Debden

Maybe we will try the L from O'Hare..
Is it the 'Clark' stop we get off at?
We figure we will take the L as far as we can then take a taxi to the Hyatt Regency Chicago on 151 East Wacker Drive.When we get to street level will it be easy to get a taxi? Thanks.

Curious

Debden,

Here is a link to everything you should know: http://www.transitchicago.com/

Curious

GoTravel

Last time I flew out of O'Hare, we took the El and so glad we did. The El was moving faster than the car traffic. This was a Sunday afternoon if it matters.

patg

You can also walk from Clark/Lake (aka Lake Transfer) exit to the Hyatt. Go north 1 block (towards river) to Wacker Drive and 5 blocks east to the Hyatt.

Bill_I

On Saturday 7JUN03, the New York Yankees, will be playing the Cubs at Wrigley field, start time of 12:15pm. Games usually last about 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. So the game will probably let out about 3pm. Although that doesn't affect O'Hare itself, it will affect the roads & I-90/94/Kennedy expressway near the ball park. Roger Clemmens is expected to pitch for his 300th win that day. The ball park will be overflowing a huge crowd of local people as well as many out of towners. I have seen where ticket brokers may be trying to get anywhere from $500 - $1000 per ticket for that game.

patg

Good thing debden won't be anywhere near Wrigley Field.

Additional caveats: it's also the weekend of Fullerton Avenue Antiques Fair, a festival on Armitage (both Lincoln Park)and the Printers Row Book Fair (south Loop). Don't drive into these areas if you can help it.

tyggergirl

The L from O'Hare won't be packed on a Saturday afternoon so it's a good option. You'll have to go up and down a couple of staircases to transfer between the blue and red line. Check out the Trip Planner application on the CTA website - http://www.transitchicago.com/.

In general, navigating in Chicago is easy because the streets are numbered to match up with the address. If your hotel is 650 N then you know that you're in between Ohio (which is 600 N) and Huron (700 N). The street signs usually include these numbers. I think 0 N/S is Madison and 0 E/W is State. There are the occasional diagonal streets which get renumbered but you'll probably figure it out. ^_^

Enjoy your stay!

rjw_lgb_ca

The El option into downtown is incredibly handy. The O'Hare station is still over in the United terminal, right? You shouldn't have any problem finding a cab around the Clark/Lake station, but as patg noted, you're maybe a quarter of a mile from the hotel, tops.

You shouldn't have to contend with crowds. The worst I ever dealt with was a mouthy guy who kept looking over at me and saying, "You're that guy from 'ER', aren't you? Anthony Edwards!" I said repeatedly "No", but I guess he really liked the show. I should have just given him an autograph and been done with it-- "No I'm not Anthony Edwards, but HE plays a doctor on TV-- Regards, rjw_lgb_ca"

Debden

Hi Everybody,Thanks for your replies.There certainly is alot going on in Chicago this weekend.I also heard the Gospel Festival is in Grant Park this coming weekend.Whew...I'm sure the crowds will be everywhere! I think the L is a better (and cheaper) option.It'll probably get us into town alot faster than a taxi or shuttle.
I'm sure we'll have a great time in Chicago and have no problem taking the L
to Clark/Lake then taking a taxi from there.I'm still trying to find a street map of Chicago so I'll know where all the great sights of interest are located.We'll be walking everywhere so I hope the weather co-operates! Debbie