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Chicago,Illinois, is the third-largest city in theUnited States and a world transit hub. The area is served by two majorairports, numerous highways, elevated/subway local train lines, and city/suburban commuter rail lines; it is the national passenger rail hub for Amtrak routes, and also the mainfreight rail hub ofNorth America.
Surface transportation networks and public ways within the city are the responsibility of theChicago Department of Transportation. Mass transit in much of theChicago metropolitan area is managed through theRegional Transportation Authority (RTA), which was installed by a referendum in 1974. The RTA provides transportation services through the funding of three subordinate agencies: theChicago Transit Authority,Metra, andPace. Operation of the city's airports is the responsibility of theChicago Department of Aviation.
There are several other smaller commercial airports in the Chicago area, these include:
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport inMilwaukee is also used by residents of Chicago's northern suburbs looking to avoid the congestion of the two main Chicago airports.[4]South Bend International Airport inSouth Bend, Indiana is connected to downtown Chicago via aSouth Shore Linestation.
Chicago maintains a 290-mile network ofbikeways - includingshared use paths,cycle tracks, andbike lanes - for private, public, and commercialbicycle use. Bicycles are allowed to operate on all Chicago roadways, except limited access highways.
Abicycle sharing system known asDivvy operates 1,000 bicycle stations in Chicago,Evanston, andOak Park, with 400 more planned over the next few years.[5]
Pedicabs are available for hire at various locations and events around Chicago with high pedestrian traffic.
Bicycles are available for rent at rental shops concentrated along the lakefront in theLoop andNear North Side community areas.
Several delivery companies operate bicycle courier services mainly in the Loop area.
Bicycles are permitted on CTA buses via front-mounted bicycle racks and onboard CTA trains weekdays excluding the rush hours from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. On weekends and holidays, bicycles are allowed on trains all day except for special events.[6]
Bicycles are allowed onboard Metra commuter rail service during off-peak and non-event times and in reverse peak directions during rush hours.[7]
Bicycles are only allowed on designatedSouth Shore Line commuter rail service trains as part of a pilot program active during non-winter months.[8]
Bicycles are allowed on water taxis during off-peak and weekend hours.[9]
TheChicago Transit Authority, or CTA, one of three service boards within theRegional Transportation Authority, operates the second largest public transportation system in the United States (to New York'sMetropolitan Transportation Authority) and covers the City of Chicago and 40 surrounding suburbs. The CTA operates 24 hours a day and, on an average weekday, 1.6 million rides are taken on the CTA.
CTA has approximately 2,000 buses that operate over 152 routes and 2,273 route miles (3,658 km). Buses provide about 1 million passenger trips a day and serve more than 12,000 posted bus stops. The city's rapid transit system, known as the "Chicago 'L'" or variations of 'L', "El", or "el" to Chicagoans, operates 1,190 rapid transit cars along eight routes and 222 miles (357 km) of track. CTA trains provide about 745,000 customer trips each day and serve 144 stations in Chicago,Evanston,Skokie,Wilmette,Rosemont,Forest Park,Oak Park, andCicero.
Chicago is one of the few cities in the United States that provides rapid transit service to two majorairports. From the downtown area, theBlue Line reachesO'Hare International Airport in about 40 minutes, while theOrange Line takes customers toMidway Airport in about 25 minutes from theLoop.
Pace, another service board within the Regional Transportation Authority, operates a primarily-suburban bus service that also offers some routes into Chicago.
Pace came into existence in 1985 under that name, and as an operating agency in 1995. It absorbed routes previously operated by a suburban town (e.g.,Wilmette Wilbus) or a private company. Suburban operators ran into the same funding problems as those operating inside Chicago and evoked a similar response from area governments. Pace is the regional public sector response to keep local and regional bus service available in the Chicago metro area.
With its vast service area, Pace had a weekday daily ridership of 1,195,308 in November 2023.[10]
Several intercity bus companies offer service to other cities in Illinois and across the United States. Most operate to and from theGreyhound Lines terminal, located at 630 West Harrison Street (corner of Des Plaines Street).Greyhound Lines operates the majority of the intercity bus service to and from Chicago, with routes connecting Chicago with Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Atlanta, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, New York, Detroit, Toronto, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Madison, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Memphis, intermediate points, and connecting with other points beyond. BothBarons Bus Lines andMiller Transportation connect Chicago with Fort Wayne and Columbus.Indian Trails connects Chicago with Kalamazoo, Lansing, Flint, and Bay City.Burlington Trailways connects Chicago with Rockford, Dubuque, Davenport, Burlington, Des Moines, Omaha, and Denver.
Other intercity bus companies use their own separate intercity bus terminals.Megabus, a subsidiary of Coach USA, departs from a curbside bus stop near Union Station, on Canal Street south of Jackson Boulevard, and connects Chicago with Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Cleveland, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Omaha, St. Louis, Memphis, Kansas City, intermediate points, and connecting with other points beyond.Van Galder Bus Company, another subsidiary of Coach USA, departs from a curbside bus stop at Union Station, on Canal Street north of Jackson Boulevard, and connects Chicago with Rockford and Madison. Several bus companies catering to Hispanic passengers connect Chicago with points in Texas, and with connections throughout Mexico. These companies includeEl Expreso Bus Company,Omnibus Express,Los Paisanos Autobuses,Tornado Bus Company,Turimex Internacional, Price 4 Limo.,[11]National Charter Bus,[12]Chicago Charter Bus Company[13] andGOGO Charters.[14]
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Metra is Chicago's commuter railroad, with eleven lines that serve 200+ stations across Cook County and the fivecollar counties. Unlike the 'L' lines, fare pricing is based on zones instead of a flat boarding fee. In addition, being mainly commuter rail service, frequent service is generally only provided during rush hours, although Metra is known for its speed and reliability. There are eleven lines, three of which also have service along additional branch lines: in addition to the main lines, the Metra Electric District has two branches, and the Rock Island District and Union Pacific Northwest have one branch each. Each line connects into one of four different downtown stations:Union Pacific North,West, andNorthwest arrive in theRichard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center (known more casually as the "North Western Station", its original name underChicago and North Western);Milwaukee District North andWest,North Central Service,SouthWest Service,BNSF Railway, andHeritage Corridor converge inUnion Station (which is also the nexus ofAmtrak); theRock Island District arrives in theLaSalle Street Station; and theMetra Electric District arrives inMillennium Station (formerly Randolph Street Terminal).
The Metra Electric District is Chicago's oldest continuing commuter train (1856), and shares the railway with theSouth Shore Line, operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transit District (NICTD), which is a separate but analogous quasi-governmental entity, partially funded by the RTA. The South Shore Line is aninterurban railroad that operates between Chicago andSouth Bend,Indiana. Like the Metra Electric District, it arrives and departs from Millennium Station.
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Amtrak owns and operatesUnion Station, the fourth-largest intercity passenger hub in the United States. The station is the focus of many of Amtrak's transcontinental routes. Unlike most of Amtrak's major stations, all trains calling at Union Station either originate or terminate there; passengers coming through Chicago must transfer to another train to reach their destination. It provides connections to Metra and the "L".
Before Amtrak's takeover of passenger service in 1971, trains ran out ofCentral Station,Dearborn Station,LaSalle Street Station andChicago and North Western Terminal as well as Union Station.
TheChicago Express Loop is a proposed high speed rapid transit line connecting the Loop to O'Hare airport.[15][16][17]
The City of Chicago offered freetourist trolleys that served the downtown area.[18] The "trolleys" were actually buses painted to look like historical streetcars. They ran every 20 to 30 minutes and served areas popular with tourists that did not have 'L' stations, such as theMuseum Campus,Navy Pier, and theMagnificent Mile. The Free Trolley service was permanently discontinued in 2009.
The free trolleys should not be confused with the private-sectorChicago Trolley Company, which offers guided tours and charge fares. They serve different routes but largely the same downtown area. Their vehicles are also buses rather thanreal trolleys.
The average Chicago commuter spends 86 minutes every day traveling to and from work on public transit. Of public transit riders, 28.% ride for more than 2 hours every day. On average, commuters wait at stops or stations for 15 minutes; 21% of riders wait for over 20 minutes. The average trip is 6.3 miles (10.1 km), while 28.% travel over 7.5 miles (12.1 km) in a single direction.[19]
Chicago taxicabs are privately operated under amedallion license from the city. Chicago taxi regulations were revamped in a 2012 reform package backed by MayorRahm Emanuel; the package raised the "flag pull" initial hire charge by $1, mandated credit card readers and GPS, and placed new limits on fleet age.[20]
City and private initiatives have increased the proportion of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles from less than one percent to over 74 percent of the city's cab fleet since 2008.[21]
Chicagowaterways are used extensively for commercial shipping, passenger ferry service, and recreational boating. Navigable waterways within Chicago includeLake Michigan, theChicago River, theCalumet River, and theChicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. In part, these waterways comprise theChicago Area Waterway System, which forms the only inland link between theGreat Lakes and theMississippi River. This potential link was a major factor in the establishment of Chicago itself.
ThePort of Chicago, once centered on the Chicago River but since moved to theLake Calumet area, is responsible for Chicago's commercial shipping traffic.[22]
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Passenger ferry service in Chicago is handled by commercialwater taxis operating on defined routes on published schedules.
Shoreline Sightseeing offers water taxi service along theChicago River with stops atNavy Pier,Michigan Avenue, and Adams Street. They offer a separate route from Navy Pier to theMuseum Campus.
Wendella Boats operates the Chicago Water Taxi which offers scheduled service along the Chicago River with stops at Michigan Avenue, Clark Street, Madison Street (Ogilvie and Union train stations), Chicago Avenue, North Avenue, andPing Tom Park inChinatown.
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Recreational boat traffic in Chicago includes tour boats, sailboats, powerboats, electric boats, canoes, and kayaks. This traffic originates from numerous private and commercial marinas and slips, and theChicago Park District operates a municipal harbor system for the seasonal storage of recreational watercraft in Lake Michigan. With accommodations for 6000 boats, it is the largest system of its kind in the nation. Boat rentals are available on both the Chicago River and within harbors on Lake Michigan.
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