The Chicago Transit Authority, one of the biggest public-transportation systems in North America, provides nearly 2 million trips a day, and its elevated rail system serves as a sort of unofficial symbol of the city.
CTA trains have played movie roles in everything from a Chuck Norris thriller to ”Risky Business.”
And the section of the rail system that encircles Chicago`s downtown has given this famed area its name, the Loop.
But aside from all of this, the CTA offers a cheap way for visitors to get around.
A top recommendation is the CTA`s Culture Bus, a special service operated on Sundays and holidays from May though September. Three routes, north, south and west, operate from a spot in front of the Art Institute on Michigan Avenue at Adams Street.
A $2.50 ticket ($1.25 for children 7 to 12, with kids under 7 riding free) will buy unlimited rides throughout the day on all three routes.
Round trips last 75 to 90 minutes, and a guide aboard each bus tells riders about Chicago history and points of interest. The bus stops at museums, university campuses, park conservatories and other attractions where riders can get off, boarding later buses to continue their trips.
Here is a route breakdown:
– Culture Bus South. Departs the Art Institute every 30 minutes from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m; hits 12 points of interest, including the Field Museum of Natural History, Museum of Science and Industry, Du Sable Museum of African American History, Chinatown and the Prairie Avenue Historic District.
– Culture Bus West. Leaves every half hour from 10:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Visits a dozen points of interest, including the Sears Tower, Greektown, the Polish Museum of America and the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
– Culture Bus North. Departs every 30 minutes, from 10:55 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. Makes 15 stops, including the John Hancock Center, the Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory, Old Town and the Chicago Historical Society.
Regular daily routes also can be used to see points of interest.
For a ride through some of the more scenic areas of the North Side, for example, the No. 151 Sheridan and the No. 147 Outer Drive Express are recommended.
The 151 goes through Lincoln Park and along high-rise-studded Lake Shore Drive and Sheridan Road.
The 147 motors along the shores of Lake Michigan, terminating on Howard Street, the city`s northern boundary, at the CTA`s Howard train station. (But if you decide to take a ride this summer, be ready for some congestion. Much of this route runs on Lake Shore Drive, which is undergoing a major resurfacing project.)
The No. 22 Clark Street route also operates from downtown to the North Side, offering an interesting look at the city`s diversity as it passes through one ethnic community after another. The No. 36 Broadway, which runs from the Loop to Devon and Ashland Avenues, provides a similarly interesting trip through North Side neighborhoods.
To head south from downtown along the lakefront, the No. 6 Jeffrey is the ticket.
One stop is at the Museum of Science and Industry, a major tourist attraction.
If you`re bound to a show or function at McCormick Place, take the No. 3 King Drive or the No. 4 Cottage Grove.
The No. 130 Grant Park Treasures bus route runs daily through downtown, connecting three major train terminals (North Western, Union and LaSalle Street Stations) with the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium on the lakefront.
The brand new Comiskey Park and the White Sox are a short ride from the Loop on the CTA`s Dan Ryan rail line, where you get off at 35th Street. For the Cubs, the Howard line will get you to Wrigley Field, at the Addison stop. Trains on both lines can be boarded downtown, the Ryan line on the Loop elevated structure, the Howard line in the State Street subway.
The O`Hare line, which runs through downtown`s Dearborn Street subway, connects the Loop with the terminal of the world`s busiest airport. The ride takes about 35 minutes.
More detailed information about CTA service, including the right spot to board the right bus or train, can be obtained by calling the Travel Information Center at 312-836-7000.
The adult fare for CTA trains is $1.25. On buses, it is $1.25 during rush hours (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays) and 90 cents during off-peak periods. Transfers, which are required to switch from one route to another, cost 25 cents and can be used twice.
Exact fare is required except at train stations where agents are on duty. If the CTA plays heavily in your getting-around plans, token 10-packs can be purchased for for $9 at rail stations, some banks, supermarkets and currency exchanges. They are good on buses and trains at all hours.
Children aged 7 to 11 pay 45 cents to ride the train and rush-hour buses. Their fare on non-rush buses is 40 cents, and they are charged 15 cents for transfers. A 20-pack of reduced-fare tokens costs $8.
Children under 7 ride free.
