how to get from o hare to metra (Chicago, Waukegan: rental car, rental)

[liatris]

I am traveling to Chicago on business next month. Is there any way to take a shuttle or train from O'Hare to a Metra stop where I can get on the Union Pacific District North Line (I'm going to the Waukegan stop).

After my business meeting is over, I need to get to Wisconsin. Would it be just as easy to take a train to Milwaukee and then catch the bus, rather than trying to get back to O'Hare?

Maybe I should just rent a car?

Thanks!

[Manigault]

Rent a car. Try to get one from one of the places away from the airport. IMHO, you'll be better off as to commuting options.

[NYrules]

I would second the car idea. With all the cuts and stations being remodeled and jockeying of lines, unless you are really familiar with our public transit system, you may find it to be rather confusing. At least with a rental car, you pick it up, get in, drive to where you need, park, get out and thats it. Oh and fill it up with an arm and a leg

[makinthemagic]

Originally Posted by liatris

I am traveling to Chicago on business next month. Is there any way to take a shuttle or train from O'Hare to a Metra stop where I can get on the Union Pacific District North Line (I'm going to the Waukegan stop).

After my business meeting is over, I need to get to Wisconsin. Would it be just as easy to take a train to Milwaukee and then catch the bus, rather than trying to get back to O'Hare?

Maybe I should just rent a car?

Thanks!

Take a cab or the blue line from O'Hare to the loop. You can catch the train to Waukegan from there.

Rent a car to go to Milwaukee.

[Attrill]

It can be done, and is a little bit of a pain, but not awful. It will take longer than renting a car but will cost a lot less.

There is a Metra stop in one of the airport remote lots (F?). It is a lot faster than the Blue line, but you need to take the airport people mover/shuttle out to the lot, so it may be a wash compared to taking the Blue line downtown. You'll need to take Metra downtown and switch to the Waukegan train. Metra will take you to the same station you'll be heading out of, so you just have to switch trains. If you take the Blue line you'll have to get to the Metra station from the Blue line Clark/Lake station.

Check Metra schedules to make sure the trains are running around the time you'll be getting into town.

[ahava]

Originally Posted by Attrill

There is a Metra stop in one of the airport remote lots (F?). It is a lot faster than the Blue line, but you need to take the airport people mover/shuttle out to the lot, so it may be a wash compared to taking the Blue line downtown. You'll need to take Metra downtown and switch to the Waukegan train. Metra will take you to the same station you'll be heading out of, so you just have to switch trains. If you take the Blue line you'll have to get to the Metra station from the Blue line Clark/Lake station.

Actually, the Metra line that stops at O'Hare goes to Union Station, while the UP lines leave from Ogilvie. And the closest Blue line stop is Clinton, which is two blocks south of Union Station and five blocks south of Ogilvie.

[Drover]

So in other words, just rent a car.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by liatris

I am traveling to Chicago on business next month. Is there any way to take a shuttle or train from O'Hare to a Metra stop where I can get on the Union Pacific District North Line (I'm going to the Waukegan stop).

After my business meeting is over, I need to get to Wisconsin. Would it be just as easy to take a train to Milwaukee and then catch the bus, rather than trying to get back to O'Hare?

Maybe I should just rent a car?

Thanks!

Are you familiar with priceline? You can usually get a midsize car for $10 to $15 per day at O'Hare. Unless you've picked an usually busy day.

[liatris]

Thanks for the tips!

[leica]

It's not as impossible as they're making out. You can change to Metra Northwest line at Clybourn, and from that line change onto the CTA Blue Line at Jefferson Park.

As for getting to Milwaukee, I don't know if they still do it, but the Marriott near the Cumberland station on the blue line used to do a shuttle service to Milwaukee. If they don't, the StageCoach franchise do Milwaukee from O'Hare:

http://tinyurl.com/23tbwc (broken link)

Lifting my eyes from a book and watching the traffic moving slowly up the Kennedy from the swiftly-moving Metra train today sort of hit home what a pain having to drive everywhere is.

Good Luck!