Chicago marathon - Leaving hotel to MDW
 

We're staying in Chicago at the Thompson (Gold Coast area) and we're leaving October 9, 2016, same day as the Chicago marathon. Our flight leaves MDW at 2:40 p.m. Will we have major trouble getting out of the city to the airport that day or is it possible? I'm worried we'll be boxed in.

Why not take the orange line and be above all of it.

Here's the course map. Take a look and see what you think.

https://assets-chicagomarathon-com.s...Course-Map.pdf

I highly recommend tne Orange Line as mentioned above. Crowds were huge last October when were at the Marathon; we left on Monday late afternoon.

Hi, hjchristie.

Definitely take the Orange Line, rather than a taxi, if you can handle your bags all right. So working backwards...

You need to be at the gate at 2:30, need 1-1.5 hr to go through security (arrive 1:00). You want to give you 45 min. from boarding the orange line train in the loop to arriving at the Midway station, then walking the longish rail station to the airport terminal (leaving loop at 12:15). So if it were me, I'd want to be on the elevated loop platform at 12:00 waiting for the orange train to Midway.

To get to the loop to be on the platform waiting for the Orange line though...

The Thompson is in-between 2 train stations: Division & Chicago, and not really close to either. So here, you have two choices... I might want to grab a taxi at 11:30 from your hotel to the elevated train in the loop (like at Clark/Lake; from your hotel will be a slow ride, and may cost $12-15 b/c of the traffic that day).

Or you can roll your bags to either the Chicago or Division red line stop to the Loop, get off at State/Lake, walk the block west on Lake to Clark and Lake, to take the elevator to the elevated train platform toward Midway (be careful here... there are two entrances at Clark/Lake to the elevated train, and I believe the side TO Midway is on the south side of the street; just check the signage.)

A taxi to Midway at 11 or so will be slow and expensive that day. When I taxi on a regular day, it's about $50. On that day, I'd tack on about $10 with an extra passenger.

So I know that train process seems like a pain, but it really shouldn't be that bad, and once you're on the orange train, it should be a nice ride to Midway.

In short: Red line subway train (toward 95th, off at State and Lake), transfer to the elevated loop Orange line train (toward Midway).

Have a good time in Chicago! Marathon day shouldn't be that crazy... I've been downtown when my brother ran, to collect him, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I lived near the Thompson. Taxi to Lake/Clark which has escalators and/or elevators(State of IL bldg) then Orange Line to MDW.