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Chicago transit and expected costs


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 03 July 2015 - 09:17 PM

Most, if not all of us have been to Chicago before, so we don't need a lesson on Metra and CTA.  As you know these are the commuter rail agency and the local rapid transit & bus agencies respectively.

 

CTA has a flat fare, currently $2.25 per entry into the system. The one exception is travel that originates at O'Hare Airport, is $5.00.  And that's exactly where we are starting our Fest CTA travel from on Monday 7/20.   Our travels call for us transferring from the Blue Line to the Green Line (or Orange or Pink); that transfer is included in the fare.   Any other travels requiring CTA rail rapid transit will be another $2.25 upon entry. 

 

A discounted senior fare is available for $1.10 . This fare is also good for children ages 7-11.   The O'Hare Airport surcharge is not applied for the senior fare, so it is still $1.10 from there.

 

There is a Day Pass available from CTA for $10.00 .  This would only be worthwhile if you will be making 5 or more entries into the CTA system on a given day, or in the case of our O'Hare boarding, 4 or more.  A complete CTA fare schedule is here.

 

The CTA uses a stored value instrument called the Ventra card.  If you have already purchased one in the Chicago area on a previous trip, be sure to bring it along as you can add value to it.  A one-trip Ventra card costs $3, which includes a "media fee".   If you purchase the Day Pass on a Ventra card, this fee is waived.

 

Metra fares are based on the number of zones passed through, with Zone A being the downtown terminals and outer zones lettered upwards in the alphabet up to Zone M.  We will have four Metra trips on our Fest, with 2 of them on NorthCentral Service on the other two on two different lines serving Vermont Street in Blue Island.   The trip from Union Station to Antioch is from Zone A to Zone K ($9.25), while the return trip from Antioch to O'Hare Transfer will be Zone K to Zone D so it will cost us less ($7.50) than the outbound journey.  For the Monday afternoon Blue Island trip, we are travelling round trip between Zones A and D ($5.50 each way).  An explanation of all Metra ticket options, including requirements to get reduced fares (approximately 50% of the above) is here.

 

Metra's Weekend fare, now up to $8.00, will not apply since we are travelling on a weekday.

 

A chart showing all of the travel costs we should incur on our official Monday Fest activities is here.

 

Fares for Amtrak travels related to points runs within the area can be derived from Amtrak's website.


Edited by KevinKorell, 03 July 2015 - 09:35 PM.
Added Ventra card info


Kevin Korell


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#2 steve4031

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Posted 04 July 2015 - 06:56 PM

If the second entry into the system is less then two hours after first entry and you have a ventra card you only pay the transfer fair on second entry.

#3 pennyk

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 11:18 AM

Is a Ventra card required or may individual paper tickets be purchased?



#4 steve4031

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 11:39 AM

This link should answer all of the questions about CTA fares. 

 

http://www.transitch...buyingfare.aspx





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