Champaign via Chicago (Homewood, Hazel Crest, Richton Park: roughest, university, live in)

[bagochips5]

I am a Michigan student going to the Illinois football game next Saturday (11/12). I've been planning this for months, and just found out I have a second-round interview in Chicago next Friday.

We were planning on driving down on Friday and staying the night for the game on Saturday. So now that I am flying to Chicago Friday morning, I need my friends to pick me up in Chicago on Friday afternoon on their way.

I realize this isn't really on the way, but what would be the easiest way for me to get from downtown to a place where they could easily pick me up and avoid rush hour traffic?

We were planning on taking I-94 to I-80 to I-57, so is there a Metra line that could take me somewhere along that route where I could easily get to?

[Golden Camel]

If I understand correctly, you will be downtown and want to
take a train to someplace along I-94/I-80/I-57 where your
friends can meet you.

Take the Metra Electric District train south to Richton Park.
Your friend can get off I-57 at Sauk Trail and go east 1.5 miles.
The station is just east of Governor's Hwy and just a little north of Sauk Trail.
Here is a map of the Richton Park station:
Metra Electric (ME) Station

You can board the Metra Electric trains at Millennium Park station which is at Michigan and Randolph or at the Van Buren station which is at Michigan and Van Buren. There are also stations at Michigan & 11th Street, 18th Street, and McCormick Place if you are further south.

Remember that the Metra Electric District has three branches. You want to to take a University Park (mainline) train to Richton Park. Here is more information about the line and schedules:
Metra Electric (ME) Line Map

[reppin_the_847]

Are your friends already going to be in Champaign or coming in from Michigan on that Friday? I would STRONGLY consider the Amtrak train from Chicago to Champaign if I were you. There are two evening runs; the Illini departing Chicago Union Station at 4:05 PM and arriving in Champaign by a very respectable 6:15 PM. Then there's the "City Of New Orleans" long distance train that departs Chicago at 8 PM and arrives in Champaign by 10:34 PM. Your friends will thank you so much if you can take either of these trains and meet them directly in Champaign. You can also opt for "Business Class" on that 4:05 PM Illini if you'd like. If things are really running late in Chicago for you (highly doubtful), there's also a 10:15 PM Megabus from Chicago that reaches Champaign by 12:45 AM (past midnight). Probably not as nice a ride as the Amtrak, and that is pretty damn late. The best backup option to all of this is the Metra Electric line towards University Park as Golden Camel stated. It will at least shave off the roughest traffic stretch of getting out of Chicago for you and it's a fairly frequent commuter line. Only problem is, it's still a good 107 miles from the University Park area to Champaign. Lotta gas for your buddies to burn for no reason when the Amtrak will get you all the way into Champaign. I probably wouldn't even look at the LEX bus or Suburban Express (two bus lines that specialize in getting kids back & forth between Chicagoland & Champaign). Word is that they can be highly unreliable, plus they cater more to the suburban market than downtown where I'm assuming you'll be.

Originally Posted by bagochips5

I am a Michigan student going to the Illinois football game next Saturday (11/12). I've been planning this for months, and just found out I have a second-round interview in Chicago next Friday.

We were planning on driving down on Friday and staying the night for the game on Saturday. So now that I am flying to Chicago Friday morning, I need my friends to pick me up in Chicago on Friday afternoon on their way.

I realize this isn't really on the way, but what would be the easiest way for me to get from downtown to a place where they could easily pick me up and avoid rush hour traffic?

We were planning on taking I-94 to I-80 to I-57, so is there a Metra line that could take me somewhere along that route where I could easily get to?

[It'sAutomatic]

The Hazel Crest Metra stop is right off of I 80. It might make more sense because you'll spend less time on the train.

[Golden Camel]

The only thing I might point out about the Hazel Crest station is that the nearest exit from I-80 is over on Halsted and since that section is a tollway, you'll have to pay extra tolls to get on/off there.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by Golden Camel

The only thing I might point out about the Hazel Crest station is that the nearest exit from I-80 is over on Halsted and since that section is a tollway, you'll have to pay extra tolls to get on/off there.

Having to a poll a toll is a less of an issue for someone driving in from Michigan. I live in the south suburbs and I've bitten the bullet and paid that damn toll just to get to Homewood before.

[Drover]

Just Amtrak it from Chicago to Champaign. It costs, what, 20 bucks?