Commute from Blue Line [Clark/Lake] to [Cumberland] (Chicago: affordable apartments, how much)

[youngandconfusedyay]

Hi everyone!

I'll be moving to the Chicago area soon for work. I won't be bringing my car because I want to use the Blue Line CTA. Please help me give some input on what my possible daily commute would look like.

Would a daily commute between the [Clark/lake] stop and the [Cumberland] stop be reasonable? Google maps says 33 minutes, but I've seen others write 45 minutes. Is the blue line safe for a 21 year old five-foot-even female who still looks like she could be in high school? How bad does the blue line get in the winter?

Thanks so much!!

[beaniemac]

Originally Posted by youngandconfusedyay

Hi everyone!

I'll be moving to the Chicago area soon for work. Please help me give some input on what my possible daily commute would look like.

Would a daily commute between [Clark/lake] and [Cumberland] be reasonable? Google maps says 22 minutes, but I've seen others write 45 minutes. Is the blue line safe for a 21 year old five-foot-even female who still looks like she could be in high school? How bad does the blue line get in the winter?

Thanks so much!!

if you're traveling during regular work hours, so will everyone else. and the blue line is definitely safe.

that being said, if you think you're gonna make the commute from clark and lake to somewhere up on cumberland in 22 minutes by car, that's absurd. The kennedy expressway ALWAYS has horrible congestion unless you happen to be driving in the middle of the night. driving the kennedy is going to take you 45 minutes to an hour depending on how bad the traffic is. and it will ALWAYS be bad.

[youngandconfusedyay]

Originally Posted by beaniemac

if you're traveling during regular work hours, so will everyone else. and the blue line is definitely safe.

that being said, if you think you're gonna make the commute from clark and lake to somewhere up on cumberland in 22 minutes by car, that's absurd. The kennedy expressway ALWAYS has horrible congestion unless you happen to be driving in the middle of the night. driving the kennedy is going to take you 45 minutes to an hour depending on how bad the traffic is. and it will ALWAYS be bad.

Oops - my bad. I won't bringing my car and I will only be relying on the Blue Line.

I meant to write "33 minutes" - which is what Google estimates for the Blue Line travel time to be.

How much variation is there in terms of traffic on the Blue Line? I realize there is no traffic, but are there often delays or is it difficult to get on the train during rush hour? How much longer could it take than the 33 minutes estimate?

Thank you : )

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by beaniemac

if you're traveling during regular work hours, so will everyone else. and the blue line is definitely safe.

that being said, if you think you're gonna make the commute from clark and lake to somewhere up on cumberland in 22 minutes by car, that's absurd. The kennedy expressway ALWAYS has horrible congestion unless you happen to be driving in the middle of the night. driving the kennedy is going to take you 45 minutes to an hour depending on how bad the traffic is. and it will ALWAYS be bad.

It is 14 miles, and there is often quite a bit of traffic (I I write this the google map estimate says 26 minutes and it is 9:35 PM with an out of town playoff hockey game on, so traffic is far lighter than rush hour...).

45 minutes is probably common drive time during normal rush hour, and it can be much worse.

Relying on the CTA El will generally keep this around 40 minutes, generally safe, lots of folks going back and forth to airport at all hours, it never really is unpatrolled.

Is work at Cumberland or Clark & Lake?? Better options than the commute you are suggesting in either case...

[youngandconfusedyay]

Originally Posted by chet everett

It is 14 miles, and there is often quite a bit of traffic (I I write this the google map estimate says 26 minutes and it is 9:35 PM with an out of town playoff hockey game on, so traffic is far lighter than rush hour...).

45 minutes is probably common drive time during normal rush hour, and it can be much worse.

Relying on the CTA El will generally keep this around 40 minutes, generally safe, lots of folks going back and forth to airport at all hours, it never really is unpatrolled.

Is work at Cumberland or Clark & Lake?? Better options than the commute you are suggesting in either case...

Hi there! Thanks for your response.

Work is at Cumberland.

Could you possibly share some of your input on the better options ?

I don't know anyone in the Chicago area and I have a potential friend who would be willing to live with me near Clark & Lake. I've heard good things about Wicker Park - but it's difficult to move to an entirely different place and live in a studio by myself. : (

[chet everett]

Clark & Lake is in the Loop -- not really the kind of place that makes sense for most folks to live, especially if work is closer to the airport near Cumberland.

Spots along the Blue line like Wicker Park, Bucktown or Logan Square are going to be easier to get to work AND have a wider range of good options for apartments, dining, shopping, nightlife, entertainment.

[K 22]

Whenever I come to town - I immediately head for the Blue Line out of O'Hare. In my oh-so-humble-opinion, it's a little gratifying being on the train as it flies past cars that are near-stationary at the times on the Kennedy.

[NOLA101]

Originally Posted by K 22

Whenever I come to town - I immediately head for the Blue Line out of O'Hare. In my oh-so-humble-opinion, it's a little gratifying being on the train as it flies past cars that are near-stationary at the times on the Kennedy.

I always find the Kennedy to be much faster than the Blue Line. It usually moves OK, except at rush hour.

And the Blue Line is an unusually slow train. Lots of slow zones (unless something has changed in the last 2-3 years).

[chicago_r]

I made this exact commute for a year, and now I get on at Grand and make more or less the same commute. Here are my thoughts:

-- 40 minutes is about right; though, this time varies more than I care for.

-- Seems obvious, but don't forget to tack 10 minutes on to your commute to get from the Cumberland station to your desk (if you're a desk person).

-- You'll easily be able to find a seat.

-- Plenty of homeless people riding in the winter. Asking for money doesn't bother me (which isn't that common), the smell, however, does.

-- It's safe.

-- On your commute to work, every 3rd, 4th, or 5th train (I don't pay close attention) will stop before Cumberland at the Jefferson Park stop. So don't get on this train unless you want to stand around at Jefferson Park and wait for the next one. You'll only make that mistake once, but it'll affect your morning commute as far as how long you'll have to wait around at Clark and Lake. For instance, I stood at the Grand station for 11 minutes this morning before I got the O'Hare train that stops at Cumberland.



--tl;dr: Be at Clark and Lake by 8:00 if you need to be at work by 9:00.

[MSchemist80]

Speaking of Jefferson Park that is a quick 10 minute train ride. It is a decent enough neighborhood and might make more sense for the OP than downtown especially in terms of affordable apartments. The OP can always head downtown on the train for entertainment but it is a much shorter commute on a much emptier train. The Blue line by the time it goes through Humbolt and Wicker Park can be very packed all the way to downtown.

It is also a bus hub with many transit options to rest of the city and surrounding suburbs.