Looking for transit info around Brookfield zoo (Chicago, Naperville: employment, neighborhoods)

[max.robertson]

So, my bf is applying for a job in the Brookfield zoo area. I'm totally clueless with Chicago. The farthest north I've ever lived was North Texas. So heavy weekslong snow would be new for me. I was hoping to be able to use public transport to be able to go and see things around Chicago. But it looks like the rail that is in the area is metra. My question is, if we were to move into an area nearby, say Downers grove, would it be practical to use public transit to get around for my day to day outings? Or is the suburban transit system just the unwanted stepchild of Chicago transit. From what I can see it's very much disjointed from the other lines as far as scheduling. Would it be financially reasonable to ride it into Chicago compared to the 'L' line trains? It looks like its 4-5 bucks one way, so if that's the case the im probably going to say no to being stuck in the middle of suburgatory Chicago. I was excited looking at Google maps thinking it was all 1 system. But if it's 8-10bucks to go out and back for everything I might want to do in downtown, then there is no way I'm going to live there, it's just too expensive for me to feel like I can go out and do something on the train. Which means I'll have to drive, which when it's snowy means I won't get to do anything. Would also be open to hearing about other areas that he could drive to work from that have better transit.

[max.robertson]

I just checked on Google, it's 6.75 one way. With it costing that much for the joy of riding much slower public transit I just feel like it's going to be too much of a hassle to get around anywhere. Especially when I could drive. Which negates what Chicago had going for it, which was the possibility of better public transit. The main problem with where we live now is that it's too far away from anything good, or even ok. So it's not worth driving 30 mins to one place to spend 20-mins, then having to drive to the next place that is 20-30mins away, and so on and so forth. Everything here in Tampa is too spread out and disjointed from where we are. If it's going to be the same in Chicago, I'm not going, especially if there is snow to deal with on top of that. Anyone who has lived there have any thoughts?

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

The Good News for you is that snow removal in the Chicago metro area is pretty darned good. Of course, there are always between 3-7 days each winter that are tough to get around on, so living near one's place of employment is always a "plus". But that seems to be a rather small inconvenience for having such a large variety of things to do, work at, and participate in. Storms so severe that everything is closed down are few and far between, the hype is greater than the reality.

Personally, I've always owned a car, and never had to rely on public transportation, so you're probably looking more for someone else's input (although I've always taken the train when going downtown, which admittedly isn't often). If I were you, living in the Brookfield / Lyons / Riverside / LaGrange area, I would own a car and learn to drive in the snow, which isn't horrible once you get the hang of it (having good quality winter tires will go a long way). I would advise you to take parking into consideration when choosing a domicile, it's a pain having to park blocks away from where you live, or having to pay for parking. Relying solely on public transit in the city is doable from what I've heard - in the suburbs, I think your assessment is correct, it's sketchy depending on location. Keeping a well-stocked pantry (so you don't have to go out every day) is always a smart thing to do. I would also investigate Uber and Lyft as options once we get out of the pandemic.

[OPRFmama]

I would push for moving somewhere along the CTA train lines for easier city access via public trans - provided he will be driving to work... Oak Park and Forest Park are the closest (and some of the fewest) suburbs with CTA train stops. Green or Blue lines. They run much more frequently than metra and are more for day to day getting around. Metra is more expensive (and is nicer too) but is more set up to take the white collar workers from the suburbs to downtown for work. Also, keep in mind that “downtown” is the central business district but not necessarily where you’ll want to spend a lot of time beyond tourist stuff. Chicago is made up of neighborhoods, each one with their own grit and feel as well as amenities. Brookfield is definitely suburban rather than urban, so living near there you’ll probably want a car so you don’t feel so trapped.

[pvande55]

I've rode the Metra to Brookfield Zoo. A short walk from the Hollywood station. If your job would be nearby I would suggest either living within 15 km (10 mi) from the job or somewhere convenient to the BNSF line. Those who say they love driving to work have likely never driven from Naperville to Hinsdale at rush hour. Metra is a cherished treasure by those who use it. Regarding the cost, it's much less with a monthly ticket. From Downers Grove, it would be $160 per month, about 29 cents per mile. While that is more than just the gas, it is much less than the 58 cents that AAA says to use for driving costs. Forget the Pace buses, except to get to the train stations. They run infrequently along circuitous routes.

[deeman7]

Metra has the option of a $10 Weekend pass that is good all weekend, so even if you're going on one trip to the city from DG, you're already ahead. The frequency of trains outside of rush hour (during normal non-end-of-world-times) can be a problem, its anywhere from an hour or 2 between trains.

[rrah]

Wear and tear on your car, the cost of gas, the HIGH cost of parking for day trips to Chicago, the potential for traffic and back-ups: $6.75 is a bargain.

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

Originally Posted by rrah

Wear and tear on your car, the cost of gas, the HIGH cost of parking for day trips to Chicago, the potential for traffic and back-ups: $6.75 is a bargain.

Bolded comment is what makes commuting by train downtown superior to traveling by car IMHO. Parking downtown is expensive, and often inconvenient, that's why I always took the Orange Line for jury duty, etc.. these days, I avoid going into the city whenever possible, current management sees suburbanites as "cash cows" and milks them as much as possible whenever possible.

[max.robertson]

Thanks for all the replies. Really excited about the weekend pass. Thanks for giving me some local advice. I feel much less stressed about this. Just to clarify though. If it's 6.75 one way that's 13.50 round trip. There are 2 of us, so what concerned me was it would cost 27 bucks just to get to downtown and back. We are awful about not getting out and doing things here in Tampa because it's too much of a drive between places. So we tend to not. I was worried that moving up north with the snow and cold would just be another hassle to drive in, and knowing us another excuse. That's why I wanted to know about the feasibility of the train. At least here in Florida when we don't go out and do things I can go outside and work in the garden. I dont think that's gonna happen in Chicago in January. So I was worried we would end up feeling even more isolated.

[HollyhockGarden]

Brookfield itself is a nice town to live in, as are neighboring Riverside and La Grange. They are not exciting, as in packed with bars and nightclubs, but they have plenty of activities to keep one busy in their free time. There are bicycle paths, gyms, restaurants, libraries, a movie theater, and many parks. Also all sorts of churches, synagogues, and temples, and many community clubs.

You are probably already aware that competition for employment in zoo-keeping type positions at any of the larger zoos in the world is quite competitive, so if your boyfriend does land the job, congratulations to him!