Chicago - Midway airport to downtown
 

1. What are the best options for getting from airport to downtown and vice versa?
2. How long should it take to get from downtown to Midway airport on a Friday afternoon and on a Saturday morning?

Thanks

How much luggage will you have, and where exactly downtown are you going? Taking the el (orange line) is very easy, if it's just adults and you don't have a ton of luggage. I'd estimate around 45 minutes to the Loop based on memory, but Chicago residents may have a more accurate estimate.

Define "best"- quickest, easiest, least expensive????

What's 'best" depends on your particular style of travel & budget. Limos/private car service & taxi are usually easiest and most direct but they are the most pricey options. Shuttle buses work well for some areas and cost less than taxis, public transportation is usually cheapest but takes the longest.

Go here for a good summary of the different ways and costs to get to/from Midway: http://www.flychicago.com/midway/en/...s/default.aspx

Just me with light. Luggage. Going to Hancock Bldg on Mich Ave

It was so easy to take the train downtown when we visited last year. Seems like 45 minutes to an hour was about right.

The trip via the Orange Line is about 45-minutes. The fare is $2.25 (or less if you buy a multi-day pass). Follow the signs through the terminal that say "CTA Trains to city".

You can purchase farecards at the newsstand inside the terminal or in the rail station. If you're going to N Michigan Ave, transfer at Roosevelt to the Red Line toward Howard and exit at Chicago Avenue. Walk east 3 blocks and turn left. The CTA site at www.transitchicago.com has complete info, a trip planner and how to track buses and trains with a smart phone.

Correction. Since you are going to Hancock Tower, which is located approx on Michigan and Chicago, you'd need to change from Orange line to Red line at State/Lake station or take any bus going north from the loop there. This way you'd see some of Chicago.

Wanna travel on the wheels, go for a yellow taxi - just take them from a line on the Ground lever in Midway. Luxury travel like limos should be ordered in advance, you can even negotiate the price a bit over the phone. Check out www.limochicagoland.com, you can get 10% of with LIMO10 code I believe.

I think that the above responders are assuming that you have a hotel, perhaps somewhere around the John Hancock Center, where you are going to drop off that luggage and check in first.

However, if you are only a lay-over and are taking your luggage with you, that's a whole different issue.

What is your exact situation?