Public transportation around the city is represented primarily by the iconic elevated subway bridges that weave through downtown Chicago. However, you can also use the extensive network of buses and peripheral railways.
Subway and bus tickets
Both the subway and buses are operated by the CTA, so you can use the same types of payment and sometimes tickets for both modes of transportation. The entire CTA bus and subway network has only one zone.
Single fare (2 hours)
Single fares are always valid for 2 hours and you can use a total of 3 rides within those 2 hours. However, free transfers within the 2-hour validity are only possible on buses OR subways.
If you transfer from the metro to a bus or vice versa, you will always pay a new fare.
| Type of transport | Price |
|---|---|
| Metro "L" | 2,50 usd |
| Bus (contactless card or Ventra Card) |
2,25 usd |
| Bus (Cash - ticket from the driver) |
2,50 usd |
When paying cash with the driver, you must have the exact amount.
Day passes
If you will be traveling more than once around Chicago, it is worth purchasing day passes. These passes are valid for an unlimited number of subway and CTA bus rides. They are not valid on METRA trains.
However, this type of fare cannot be paid for with PAYG, a proprietary contactless card, as there are no daily limits for this form of payment.
To purchase a day pass, you must first purchase a Ventra Card, either physically at a machine at each subway station or through the Ventra mobile app.
Purchasing the card is free if you load a fare of at least $5 directly onto it.
| Ticket validity | Price |
|---|---|
| 24 hours | 5 usd |
| 72 hours | 15 usd |
| 168 hours | 20 usd |
These tickets are not valid only for the calendar day, but for the entire 24, 72 or 168 hours from the time they are marked.
Where to buy tickets
There are 3 main ways to buy a ticket.
- PAYG (Pay-as-you-go) - Paying with your own contactless card (mobile phone/watch) is convenient when using single tickets. Daily limits are not set, so if you ride more often you will pay significantly more than $5 per day, which is the price of a day pass.
- You attach the card to the yellow reader when you board the bus or enter the subway platform
- Ventra Card - A classic chip card purchased from a machine at each subway station. The card is free if you load more than $5 worth of fare on it, and is therefore only valid for all-day and multi-day passes.
- Ventra mobile app - You can purchase a Ventra card through the mobile app to load either any amount or a full day/multi-day fare. The card will be loaded on the mobile phone via NFC technology (as with contactless payment).
Metro - "Chicago L"
Chicago's subway system is often familiarly referred to by the letter "L" from the word „elevated“, meaning elevated just after the bridge structures for trains downtown.
There are a total of 8 subway lines in the city, 6 of which go to Downtown, the center, where 4 of them form a loop and 2 others cross the loop.
The stations and trains are often very dirty and cramped and cruelly slow in the centre, but on the other hand it is still the fastest and most efficient mode of transport. The stations are well signposted.
Because the subway is the most used mode of transportation, we've compiled detailed information, maps, and fares into a chapter on the Chicago Subway.
CTA buses
An extensive network of buses complements the subway in all parts of the city. The buses are operated by the same company as the subway trains - the Chicago Transportation Authority CTA. This is also why the same types of tickets apply on buses and subways.
Surprisingly, Chicago's wide boulevards don't suffer from traffic jams so bus rides are relatively quick.
The problem is the poor information at bus stops; you usually only get the number of the line and its posted route. You'll usually search in vain for a map or a detailed timetable.
So before using the buses, study the map of the entire public transport network on transitchicago.com and check what buses stop at your hotel and whether they will be convenient for your trip downtown.
How do I use my tickets?
The easiest way is to pay with your own credit card. You always board through the front door, where you attach your card to the yellow reader. When you exit, you do not attach the card to the reader.
You will be charged 2,25 usd per ride. If you change to another bus line within 2 hours, no money will be charged for the next ride. However, you must attach the card to the reader anyway. There is no discounted transfer to the metro.
On buses, you can use a day ticket for 5 usd, which is also valid on the metro and can only be bought from machines in metro stations, see details above.
Unfortunately, there is no daily limit of $5 when using your own contactless card, so if you will be travelling more than twice a day, it is worth buying a physical day pass.
METRA trains
There are also suburban trains to more remote neighborhoods, which you can use for things like staying in a cheaper hostel or airbnb.
The trains are operated by METRA and don't charge a full day ticket 10 usd, which you can use on regular metro or buses.
You can always buy tickets from a ticket machine in the station, where you can pay by card or cash. The ticket is then classically checked by the conductor on the train. If you are travelling from a station where there is no machine, you can buy your ticket from the conductor at no extra charge, but only with cash.
One-way tickets start at 4 usd and increase according to distance up to about 8 usd. At weekends, you can buy a ticket for 10 usd, with which you can ride unlimited on all METRO train lines on both weekend days.
You can also purchase individual tickets on METRA trains via the Ventra mobile app. Just show the ticket on your mobile phone to the conductor during the check-in.
For more information, visit the official website metrarail.com.
Shared bikes
Today, perhaps all modern metropolises operate a bike-sharing system, and Chicago is no exception.
There is a service called Divvy Bikes, which has stations scattered throughout the city. At each one, you can pay for your bike with a credit card or via the Divvy Bikes mobile app, and a code will be generated to unlock the lock.
- 1 usd for unlocking your bike + 0,18 usd for 1 minute of riding
- 18,10 usd "Day Pass" - but only valid for 3 hours, after that + 0,18 usd for 1 minute of riding
Taxi and ridesharing apps
Traditional taxis as well as Uber and Lyft apps are prevalent in Chicago.
An Uber or Lyft ride is usually about 10 to 20% cheaper than a regular taxi, and wait times downtown are very short.
If you prefer to take classic taxis, just flag down a car on the street with a wave. Taxi travel in Chicago is very safe and you can always pay by card. Scams against tourists by taxi drivers are very rare.
