Last time in Chicago, we were able to take the metro, that was near the hotel to O'hare. [Renaissance at 1 W. Wacker with points]. We will now be staying at the Westin, River North, 320 N. Dearborn with points. Is there a metro station we can use, without changes. to get from O'hare to the hotel and back?? Perhaps within two or three blocks. Thanks Richard

Yes, The transit system is known as the CTA. There is a station at Clark/Lake that serves the Blue Line To Ohare.
The hotel is about 3 blocks from the stop across the Chicago River. Dearborn St is One Block East (toward lake Michigan)
and across the Chicago River on Dearborn St to the hotel, across from the House of Blues. About 5-7 min walk.

The Westin basically just across the river from the Renaissance, so you use the same Blue Line route.

Actually, the transit system is known as The "L" (as in elevated train). Even though parts run underground, they're comparatively new, so the old name has stuck. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the agency that operates the trains and buses within the city.

Thanks for the info. Seems very doable if our friends agree. If not, we may just do the transit system and walk to the hotel ourselves. If I remember correctly, it took about 45 minutes to the airport.

We arrive at O'hare at 8:26am. If our friends want to take a cab, will we/they be sitting in traffic on the ride to the hotel?

use www.yourcta.com as your route planner.

Massive traffic. Wave to them from the train.

I agree that if you attempt to take a cab at 8:30 in the morning, you'll simply be paying to sit in traffic. The fare from ORD into the city without traffic is about $35-40, so you'd probably spend closer to $50.

The Blue Line will take about 45-minutes to Clark/Lake and you'll exit the station into the state office building. Take the elevator to the street level, exit the building and turn right. The first street is Clark and the second is Dearborn. You can turn left on either and head 1 block to Wacker Drive. From there, you'll be able to see the Westin.

Thanks All; Waiting to hear from our friends. I think they will take a cab and we will take the CTA.

...and you'll be in Chicago before them.

Hi Iris,
Your friends can also look into the airport shuttle company, Go Airport Express. A van service -- won't help with sitting in that a.m. traffic, but would be less expensive than a cab. I use them if I have an early a.m. flight. (Hopefully, they'll take the CTA with you -- so easy to get to your hotel, and so cheap.)
http://www.airportexpress.com/

I meant... an early, EARLY a.m. flight (like 6 or 7 a.m. when the CTA runs less frequently and no traffic, yet). Flights later than that, it's the CTA all the way.

Thanks again for all the information. Richard

The CTA worked perfectly. Only five or six minutes from the Clark/Lake stop to our hotel. We had taken the CTA when leaving Chicago before, but you all helped convince our friends that the train worked when entering Chicago in the morning. THANKS

Glad things turned-out well for you.