Valpo: Public transportation to Chicago? (Gary, Hammond: 2009, how much, purchase)

[TootsieWootsie]

Is there a train or some public transportation into downtown Chicago? How do you get to downtown Chicago from Valpo?
What is the cost of a round trip from Valparaiso?
What time does the public transportation quit running?
And last how much time does it take to go from Valpo to downtown Chicago by public transportation?
Thanks alot!!!

[Chuckity]

There's a new direct bus service from Valpo to downtown ... info is here:
ChicagoDASH Bus Service There are only two depart times each day, each way.

The majority of Chicago commuters drive up to Chesterton to take the South Shore train: Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District

[domergurl]

great to hear about this Valpo bus service! Hopefully it will expand to more than 2 trips a day.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by domergurl

great to hear about this Valpo bus service! Hopefully it will expand to more than 2 trips a day.

I've seen the buses - it beats any kind of public transportation (when it comes to comfort level) I've ever seen.

What I wish would happen would be to open up the dang train lines again - the former Amtrack train tracks run right through downtown Valpo. The train was here before my time and I heard it wasn't necessarily profitable. Perhaps it wasn't then - but I can't imagine it wouldn't turn a great profit now.

Anyone with some multi-millions want to go into business together? I'll be the idea girl, you can just sign the checks. LOL!

[j33]

Actually, it looks like the buses are in trouble.

Valpo bus purchase denied / nwi.com

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by j33

Actually, it looks like the buses are in trouble.

Valpo bus purchase denied / nwi.com

I've seen this - but I seriously doubt the Chgo Dash is going away anytime soon.

This was one of Costas' favorite projects - I don't think he's going to let it go away.

[domergurl]

When I worked at Valpo law school, I (being a recently transplanted chicago person), expressed my opinion the "the tracks are there!!!!" one of my collegues told me to my face that train stations attract a certain type of population ... I'm not kidding. That's the mentality of some there. My retort to her was ... what, you don't like people in Naperville?

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by domergurl

When I worked at Valpo law school, I (being a recently transplanted chicago person), expressed my opinion the "the tracks are there!!!!" one of my collegues told me to my face that train stations attract a certain type of population ... I'm not kidding. That's the mentality of some there. My retort to her was ... what, you don't like people in Naperville?

Yes, I've read a lot of the time. Many in NWI seem to think that expanding the South Shore will make communities along the new line look like Gary, EC or Hammond. They conveniently forget about communities like Arlington Heights, Hinsdale and Downer's Grove along the Metra lines.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

Yes, I've read a lot of the time. Many in NWI seem to think that expanding the South Shore will make communities along the new line look like Gary, EC or Hammond. They conveniently forget about communities like Arlington Heights, Hinsdale and Downer's Grove along the Metra lines.

and the people who drive from Munster, Valpo, etc. to the stations. I'll say that I was hearing those attitudes when we moved to Valpo in 2000 ... I'd like to think that with more and more Chicago people moving to the area, the attitude will change.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

Yes, I've read a lot of the time. Many in NWI seem to think that expanding the South Shore will make communities along the new line look like Gary, EC or Hammond. They conveniently forget about communities like Arlington Heights, Hinsdale and Downer's Grove along the Metra lines.

Not that I agree with the anti-transit folks, but to be fair, the Arlington Heights Metra line doesn't go through Gary on the way to Chicago.