Commuting from suburbs to UIC (Cicero, Arlington Heights: rent, home, dorm) - Chicago - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

Odina_123 · 11-25-2010, 12:52 PM

Is it doable? I live in NW suburbs (Buffalo Groove-ish area). Got into school but cant move out from where I live now.Is commute there doable? Thanks!

It'sAutomatic · 11-25-2010, 01:38 PM

I know someone who does. It might not be fun but it's not going to be fun when you get off the train and get to school either. You'll be fine.

Odina_123 · 11-25-2010, 02:36 PM

Thanks ItsAutomatic.

Odina_123 · 11-25-2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by It'sAutomatic

I know someone who does. It might not be fun but it's not going to be fun when you get off the train and get to school either. You'll be fine.

Can you please elaborate?

chitown85 · 11-25-2010, 04:53 PM

It is doable, but the commute is rough. 94 the Edens is too far east of you, leaving you with 294 and 90. 90 is a parking lot, take 294 you can bypass some of that O'Hare traffic. Going home is worse than going to school. Once you get to downtown, if the traffic going into downtown is terrible, you can exit 90/94 at Cicero Avenue, take that all the way south, and go east on Roosevelt right to school.

If you schedule your classes outside of rush hour, commute will be an hour tops.

Train option is better. Park at one of the METRA stations in Buffalo Grove (Prairie View or BG). Take the METRA to Union Station. At Union, either walk to UIC in nice weather or hop on the Blue Line CTA for 1 stop.

Odina_123 · 11-25-2010, 08:18 PM

Thanks chitown85. I was def. looking at public transportation..Thanks for ideas.

Dncr · 11-25-2010, 10:23 PM

I commuted there last year as a Freshman. I've transferred to U of I since then...it sucked. It's definitely doable. I commuted from Skokie, which has the CTA's yellow line, so my UPass was put to use. I took the METRA some days, and it's not bad. I actually preferred it to the CTA. Once you get out of union, there's a bus that takes you right there.

Is there any possibility you could dorm second semester, or are you an older student returning to finish their education?

Odina_123 · 11-25-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dncr

I commuted there last year as a Freshman. I've transferred to U of I since then...it sucked. It's definitely doable. I commuted from Skokie, which has the CTA's yellow line, so my UPass was put to use. I took the METRA some days, and it's not bad. I actually preferred it to the CTA. Once you get out of union, there's a bus that takes you right there.

Is there any possibility you could dorm second semester, or are you an older student returning to finish their education?

Ill prolly rent once I finish up the semester because I dont see the commute posible for the rest 2-2.5 years of school. No, I am not older... I just can't financially afford the rent and all that stuff up until I saved up some more. Btw, why did you transfer? Didn't like the school?

reppin_the_847 · 11-26-2010, 10:44 PM

Some public trans ideas for you:

Buffalo Grove station to Union Station (Metra - North Central line). At Union Station take the CTA blue line (Clinton stop) or a bus to UIC. The drawback with this Metra line is it is not the most frequent. The pro is it is the closest to where you live.

park @ Lake-Cook Road station (at the border of Deerfield & Northbrook) to Union Station (Metra - Milwaukee North line). At Union Station take the CTA blue line (Clinton stop) or a bus to UIC. The pro is this line is pretty frequent for a Metra line and not too far of a drive from Buffalo Grove.

park @ Cumberland or Rosemont Blue Line station. Take the Blue Line to UIC. Con is it will take you a while to drive down to this station. Another con is that the Blue Line can travel quite slow at times. Pro is it is a one-seat ride to UIC once you get on the Blue Line. Another pro is that the CTA Blue Line runs more frequently than the Metra.

park @ Braeside station (at the border of Highland Park & Northbrook) to Ogilvie Transportation Center (Metra - Union Pacific North line). At Ogilvie Transportation Center take a bus to UIC if available or walk a few blocks south to CTA Blue Line (Clinton stop) to reach UIC. Pro's are it's a quaint station with a decent amount of daily parking available. Another pro is that it is a pretty frequent train line that runs along the lakeshore towns. The biggest con is that it is the furthest away train line out of the Metra lines that I mentioned so far. You may even live closer to the Union Pacific Northwest line (Palatine, Arlington Park & Arlington Heights stations) than this line, but something tells me the parking lots are probably much more packed at those stations. The Union Pacific Northwest line also brings you into Ogilvie Transportation Center.

park @ Yellow Line station (Skokie). Take Yellow Line to the Red Line. Take Red Line to Jackson, transfer to Blue Line to UIC. I don't see many pro's with this option at all, but just thought I'd present it as a backup just in case. The con is it takes a long time to make this commute (both the drive & the el line) & there are way too many transfers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Odina_123

Is it doable? I live in NW suburbs (Buffalo Groove-ish area). Got into school but cant move out from where I live now.Is commute there doable? Thanks!

Dncr · 11-27-2010, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Odina_123

Ill prolly rent once I finish up the semester because I dont see the commute posible for the rest 2-2.5 years of school. No, I am not older... I just can't financially afford the rent and all that stuff up until I saved up some more. Btw, why did you transfer? Didn't like the school?

I loved UIC, and honestly I probably should have gone to U of I straight out of high school. People like UIC if they don't commute and live on East Side. Commuting kind of sucks, once you live in the city you'll be fine.