I'm getting very confused about the free trolley schedule and wonder if anyone can help. Have you seen any free trolleys running this time of year? I'm looking at the City of Chicago web site about the trolleys:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y2BE430FA

and specifically at the Navy Pier section. It's listed under the "fall/holiday" section, but it doesn't say for which dates that daily schedule is valid. Does this particular line run daily year round?

Thanks so much to anyone who can help.

Actually, I tried to look this up online several different times and just got old pages. And someone on this board told me that it was up already. Yet when I went downtown it was not running (a weekday). And if it is like last year, it did not start until May. I'm going to see Wicked on May 11 and when I am down there will get more definitive information. It definitely does not run year round, although I have read on Fodors that it did- but who am I to argue with them!

There is a lot of misinformation about this here and online, and everytime I was downtown in Spring it was only "on weekends" if that- and after May 1. But I was told it was up about 2 weeks ago again. WHERE?

Though I'm sorry for your confusion, it's good to not be confused alone.

We'll be there May 6-8, so even if it's only weekends it would be helpful for 2 of our days. My MIL rode it last summer and thought it was so much fun. Plus, the Metra/Navy Pier trolley has stops in front of Palmer House (where we're staying) and Union Station (a couple blocks from Lou Mitchell's where we'd like to eat Saturday breakfast). It'd be nice to go free.

But depending on the size of our group we could always take a bus or cab if necessary. MIL doesn't walk that well, so walking is unfortunately not an option.

Last May, a SIL of mine and myself used it repeatedly. We were at Swissotel and still had no trouble catching it. It was crowded, but worked fine for us.

We actually had a driver who told us about the newer buildings/ changes etc. as we went by. The new McDonalds opened up this week and is in the place of the Old Rock n'Roll McDonalds that they knocked down last year. It beat all records for the fastest built structure in downtown and also is the biggest McDonalds in the world right now.

Free trolley is great for tourists, as it links the most touristy musts quite well. But even for theatre district etc. it helps, as you are just a couple of blocks away if you depart at the right time. But regardless of age, I still walk from Grant Park to Water tower easily and back to the La Salle St. station to home. Most people won't walk that, but I think it is the best part of the day- people watching and seeing what is new, up and back.

I agree - I love that walk! When DH and I are on our own we love to walk and walk and walk . . . MIL has a prosthetic leg and does OK for short distances, but walks very slowly. So, we like to cab to an area and walk around, rather than walking between areas, when she's with us. It would be great if the trolley were running!