Can someone tell me if there is public transportation from Schaumberg to downtown Chicago? If so, what is the best way to get around? Thanks.

The cheapest and fastest way to get from Schaumburg to downtown is to first take a PACE bus or even a cab to O'Hare Airport. On the lower level of the airport, you can catch the "L" train which will take you all the way downtown for less than a few dollars. You can even purchase a transfer or pass so you can hop on another train if you want. Once downtown, your best best is to take the city busses, walk or take a cab. I think there might even be an "unlimited" day pass you can buy that allows you to get on any train and/or bus. The loop is great - enjoy!

Thanks....what would you say is the actual travel time from Schaumberg to the loop? How much time should we allot for this trip?

I would not recommend taking a bus to O'Hare and then the El. I would rent a car or take a cab to the nearest Metra station (probably Arlington Park) and take the Metra to Northwestern station. The Metra is much cleaner and a very pleasant trip, I take it every day. If you have more specific questions please e mail me - I used to live near Scaumburg and work downtown.

I used to live in Schaumburg & now live in the next suburb west of Schaumburg. Schaumburg has its own Metra station on Springsguth Road, near Irving Park road. You can catch a train there which takes you to Union station in Downtown Chicago(about 2 blocks from the Sears tower.) You can walk numerous places from there, or take a bus or EL. The train usually takes about 1 hr, depending upon the number of stops. Just need to get to the Schaumburg train station.

I know it's a very personal question, but how safe is it for a woman to go on the train and tour by foot alone in downtown Chicago? We are residents of Miami, so we are no strangers to urban crime.

Bruce,
During the day, downtown Chicago(the Loop/Magnificent Mile/Michigan Ave areas as well as the lake front & museum areas) are full of workers as well as tourists. Take the normal precautions as she would anywhere & stick to the main areas & there shouldn't be any problems. As for taking the train, again during the day, there should be no problems. During the rush hour, the trains are full of people going to work downtown. & after that is is mostly families, tourists & visitors to the city. Goming back out of the city, on the train, you may see a person or two in a corner of a train car with their paper bag containing a bottle they may be drinking from, but they doen't usually cause any problems, & if she feels uncomfotable about that just go to a train car where there are alot of people. Again, as in any place, just take normal precautions & everything should be fine, even for a female alone.

I travel downtown every day on the Metra and feel very safe. I took the train home the other evening at 9:30 and I felt safe then too even though the area around the train station is pretty deserted. I have lived in Chicago my entire life and still do not feel safe taking the El (blue line) - it is crowded, filthy and full of seedy looking people.

Downtown Chicago is a very user friendly place: lots of people out all day and late into the evening, both tourists and residents, many of whom now live right downtown in new developments. Mayor Daley has done a lot to beautify the public areas, and the downtown area is very well patrolled. The city is currently running free outdoor movies in Grant Park, for example, on Tuesday nights around 8:30-9 pm. This week it was "Philadelphia Story," next week "Singin' in the Rain." Lots of folks out with a picnic on a blanket, etc., and leaving the park around 10:30 at movie's end. (Grant Park is the green belt part of the park system near Art Institute, Conrad Hilton, etc--immortalized? by the 1968 Democratic Convention) My 20-year-old daughter had a fine time going with a girlfriend.

Ooops...sorry I forgot about Metra. It would be more comfortable and probably safer. Thanks to everybody who provided this information. But...having lived in the Loop (downtown Chicago), I have to say that the "L" train from the airport is not as bad as others may think. By the way, another public transportation option would be an airport shuttle. I've taken the hotel shuttles to the airport and then another shuttle from the airport to a downtown hotel. Just offering up different choices...