Best way from Union Station to the Art Institute
 

I'm currently visiting in Illinois and want to take the train into Chicago to visit the Art Institute. It's less than a mile from Union Station to the Art Institute and I'm thinking of walking it if it's a nice day. However, the way things are going, it might be raining. What's the best non-walking way to get from the station to the museum and back?

Thanks for the help.

If you don't want to walk, you can catch the Number 126 bus on Jackson at Canal, across from the station. The fare is $2.25 each way. If you're going elsewhere via public transit, you can purchase an all-day pass at the newsstand in Union Station for $5.25. Cabs are also plentiful and would be around $5.

I'm going to give you another choice, which entails less than 1 mile of walking but gives you a *whole nuther* marvelous look at Chicago.

Take the Shoreline river taxi from the Willis Tower (it's right across the Chicago River from Union Station - on Adams) to the Wrigley Building (Michigan Avenue) dock. Then you merely walk south on Michigan Avenue less than 1 mile, past the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park to the Art Institute.

Sometimes the most direct route isn't the best.

P.S. If you are planning on taking a bus, check the CTA's website for possible reroutes and delays due to construction at Wacker Drive.

Thanks for the suggestions. The first train arrives at 10:40 and the last one out leaves at 5:55 so I won't have too much time for sightseeing, unfortunately. I think I have enough time for the Art Institute and Millenium Park, but that's it.

I just did the water taxi from Union Station to Michigan Avenue and then walked to the Art Institute. It was pretty easy. Hoping you won't have rain. It should be a fun day!! Have you been before??

Not sure which train/route you are taking into Chicago Union Station, but if it's one that starts a distance away, even if where you board is not, I would not assume you'll arrive on time. There are often substantial delays which can affect the actual arrival time, even though they (as I understand) build time into the schedule for just this matter.

There is a section on the Amtrak website which shows the historical "on time" percentage for particular routes in the past 30 days and year (?). Take a look at it.

I'm reckoning it will probably take maybe 10 minutes, maybe just a *little*, more to go via the water taxi route than just walking. So you aren't speaking of a great deal of extra time there.

If you do take the water taxi, though, I recommend that you go on the water taxi the first leg. You're going to have to allow extra time in your schedule on the return because you'll be trying to get back to Union Station during rush hour.

Thanks for mentioning the likelihood of running late. I hadn't thought of that, but it makes sense. I'll look into it. I could always drive, but I don't want to deal with the traffic.

I grew up in Chicago so I've been to the Art Institute many, many times. However, as much as I hate to admit it, I've never taken a water taxi. And I'm starting to like the idea of taking one.