The notice is very short, I haven't had time to research this. Is there mass transit from downtown to Orland Park? Is that too far for a cab?

Thanks!

topping so someone will see and answer

From the best I can tell, a cab or car service will be the answer. Hopefully, a Chicago Fodorite will chime in soon.

That's my neighborhood. You can take the train (Metra) but that will leave you to get a cab from the station to the Funeral Facility and back to the train station.

That train has just been increased to more than several a day and a couple of times on the weekend. The train to Tinley Park (80th Ave.Station) is on another line from LaSalle St.(downtown) station and runs MUCH, MUCH more frequently. Every hour for most of the day in each direction.

There are also Pace buses which would let you off at Orland Square and might be better, depending on where the funeral is being held for walking to the event and not having to use a cab.

Where is the funeral? St. Michaels? or in what funeral facility. That might help.

Meanwhile, and with no car:

www.rtachicago.com
www.transitchicago.com

The Orland Park Station Metra leaves from the Union Station, the Tinley Park Metra leaves from LaSalle St. Station.

If you use these buy tickets before you leave, as they are more money if you wait until you are on the train.

Pace buses are not frequent but may get you to the right spot- but I'd look into this secondarily.

LC, Mapquest cites 26 miles and 36 minutes from "Chicago".

16 miles and 29 minutes from Midway.

31 miles and 41 minutes from O'Hare

In case any of the above is helpful.

I, for one, would take a cab or a car service - but that's just my preference.

You know, I see phones in the stations to call a cab and numbers listed for that purpose right there, so I know it is done. But I myself have never called a cab from the train stations to use within the suburb. Hopefully, the wait would be very short.

The express trains only run during the rush hours on the T.P. line. Most trains running each hour from Tinley Park/Chicago run will take you approximately 50-55 minutes minimum to get from the downtown departure to T.P. It's the the Chicago/Joliet run, you'd be looking for in the listings, as Joliet is its end point.

The T.P. line might be just as close, or closer to the Orland Park funeral, depending on where it is.

Orland Park's train, I'm really not sure how long it would take, or how many stops it has. But traffic, and cab time getting to that station, IMHO, would be greater- it's in an extreme dense traffic area. But it may be more walkable. Again, depending upon where the Funeral Facility was located.

It will be costly if you cab it, IMHO.

You might wait a LONG time for a cab. Cabbies aren't going to want to come out to the burbs. But it is possible. I would call an Orland Park cab company and see if they will take you back downtown first, if you use that option. That problem happened to us one time in Las Vegas. They (cab) took us out to the surrounds but no cab company would come back to get us for the return trip.

My girlfriend's husband takes cabs on occasion from Orland Park to O'Hare and I think it is about $60-70 range. But we take arranged limos to the airport for about $100 round trip per group of 4 (they are strictly prearranged) and have never used the cab companies.

There are 3 different METRA stops servicing the orland park area depending on where you are going. Post back and let me know and I'll tell you which line would be best.

Although the distances may not seem long, actually quite short in miles, you may in minutes take much longer than the Mapquest times, if you were in an automobile.

NOT rush hour, for instance, from my house to U.S. Cellular Field on a perfect traffic day would be at least 50 minutes. And it has taken over an hour. Now with the Dan Ryan down, all the expressways are slow as the result.

Oh good, swalter will know for sure which one is best. And closest to the funeral.

topping

Thanks everyone SO much. Here's some more info. Funeral is Saturday morning at 9:15. need to be very early, husband is pallbearer. The Metra train Southwest line doesn't run on the weekend. The lady I called (very nice) at Metra said I could to orange line to Midway, and then get a bus....except they don't run that early on Saturday.

Starting to look like cab or car service on Sat am, maybe we can be adventurous on the way back Sat afternoon. The funeral (i don't ahve the facility name) is very near the 143rd st. metra station.

Thanks everyone for so much concern and speedy assistance.

Litespeed: I remember your recent questions about bereavement fares; I'm sorry you must make this trip.

Having been to Chicago recenly, I'll share some of my findings.

If you're arriving at either airport, you can buy a visitors pass allowing all day use on the buses, "L", local trains (such as from airport to downtown) and subway for a few bucks (it was $12 for 3 day) .. but the vending machine from where they are sold is NOT the same as the "farecards". There are also machines at Union Station in the area where Metra tickets are sold.

Metro tickets (Metra being the longer-distance commuter trains) are $5 for an entire weekend.

Due to track maintenance on the line we used (Aurora) the schedules were a bit delayed, but otherwise, we found all forms of transportation very reliable and very clean. We especially appreciated the electronic signs announcing stations and upcoming intersections. The only "problem" we had was the directions we received for walking from a bus line to the Cicero station when taking a bus from Midway, but we wrote that 4 block error off as being part of a regional fitness program!

I've found http://maps.yahoo.com to be a great resource when trying to locate types of businesses near an address.

The funeral home may be a good source for info on cabs and railstations. Best of luck on your trip under such unfortunate circumstances.

The Metra Tinley Park line DOES run frequently and in your time zone. It would leave you time to get a cab to the funeral.

It would take you to 8000 West and about 175th South. That would leave you approximately a 30 to 40 block ride to the funeral. That's much closer than the orange line. I bet the cab would be much cheaper as well. Plus you would have exact schedule of return trains. They are always on time on the Metra/Joliet out of La Salle St. Station.

You were given good information but that traffic route is not easy. Traffic from Midway to where you are going, even early on a Saturday morning, will take you longer. Although the train ride part will be shorter going to Midway, the leg after that will not be.

topping

Thanks JJ for the info (and everyone else). I looked up the Tinley Park line, but although it runs TO downtown very early, the outbound trains don't start until too late to get to the funeral.

So do you think the orange to Midway, catch a cab from there idea is best? We shouldn't have any problem getting a cab, and getting them to take us to Orland Park from there? Any potential screw ups you can think of? the orange line will run 24, won't it? I'm paranoid at this point, 'cause now my husband tells me he missed is Grandfather's funeral 20 years ago because of a rental car/airport foul-up.

Going home, JJ5, would you mind telling me specifically where I need to get someone to drop me off to take the Joliet/Chicago line back to downtown late in the afternoon?

P.S. we're staying at the Allerton. Please tell me this is an OK hotel. I was going to stay at the Intercontinental, but the reservationist offered Allerton, which I know nothing about, for $55 less per night, so I cheaped out. ($169)

Here goes, and who would have thought that no one wants to get to Tinley Park from downtown Chicago before 8am on a Saturday morning. LOL!!

There is an outbound to Chicago Lasalle St. Station from Tinley Park on every Saturday at:

6:24am, 7:44am, 8:44am, 10:44am, 12:44pm, 2:44pm, 4:44pm; 6:44pm, 8:44pm, and 10:44pm.

Tinley Park has two train stations but you would pick up this Metra at the station on 80th Avenue (8000 West) and 179th to 180th Avenues South. If you tell the cab to go down 80th Ave. south you will not miss it. It is on the east side of the street (80th Ave.)just past the 179th St. lights and HUGE-the cab will know where to drop you. Buy your ticket in the station inside, if you wait to get it on the train, it is more money. There is a weekend rate but you are only buying 1 way, so that purchase will most probably be cheapest, unless you are using Metra somewhere else that weekend. The train will mostly be empty, but you may hit some interesting train companions going to the Cubs game. (A monster 2 to 3 hour one way ride through the systems but worth it not to have to take a car there.)

The only problem I see is that the Allerton (which is super,IMHO) is located at 710 North Michigan. That's pretty far from LaSalle St. Station where you will end up, by the Board of Trade. You may have to get a cab number handy, or grab one somewhere near the train station on LaSalle to get you back to the Allerton unless you want to walk that far, which I would think is about 1-1/2 to 2 miles minimum.

I know on weekdays the cabs often linger there, but I'm not sure about Saturdays with so many less trains.

It's too bad there isn't a very early am outbound from Chicago.

Good luck to you and Godspeed!

And on your way to the funeral, just leave yourselves as much time as you can. The orange line is fairly frequent and reliable, but you never know what traffic you might hit getting away from Midway and into the SW burbs. They have much less traffic on a Saturday morning then they would, say, on a Saturday afternoon. I'm sure you'll be fine and it won't be a cab ride with any big hangups that early.

Do have your exact destination address because I'm not sure that Chicago Midway city cabbies are going to know Orland Park and where you are going is a bit off of LaGrange Rd and the most frequented locations. If you are close to LaGrange Rd (Rt 45) on destination, then it will be easier.

Also another thought, you might want to tell your cabbie to take Harlem Ave. instead of Lagrange Rd. as I think Lagrange Rd. is under construction at the points you would have to transverse.

South on Harlem and then west on 143rd St. to your destination in Orland would be the ticket - new roads and more probably cheaper and faster ride.

My advice--for the sake of peace of mind--take a cab there, never mind the cost, so that you will not be late. At your leisure, you can figure out a way back from the funeral. Other attendees will potentially be of help with the return, i.e. dropping you at the appropriate train, etc.

From the Orange Line station, walk through the station to Midway Airport, go through the terminal to the arrivals level (ground floor), and ask for a suburban cab. They should be able to take you to Orland Park without any problem.

To get back downtown, you have two options. One is to have somebody take you to the Tinley Park train station. The second is to just have them take you to Orland Square Mall, which is near 143rd St. From there, you can take either the 386 Harlem Ave. or 384 Ridgeland Ave. bus back to Midway Station.

Litespeed, let us know how it worked out.