bus vs train (Forest Park, Ashland, Humboldt: how much, transfer, university)

[HRTplz]

Am I the only one that loves the bus? It seems that most people prefer CTA trains.

I like the bus because

1. with the CTA bus tracker, I know roughly when it's coming
2. the buses are newer and cleaner

where as trains and stations are usually dirtier, and I hate waiting, not know ing when it's going to show up.

I've only been here 2 weeks, but I'm loving the buses. I primarily take he halsted #8, miluakee #65, and madison #20.

[j33]

I take the bus and train about equally, and have done so for over a decade, one thing I like about the bus is that when it is stops for no reason, or breaks, you aren't trapped on it until they figure out the problem, like what happened to me last night on the blue line.

[noid_1985]

I like them both--the train is good if you are going long distances ie. loop to 95th or Forest Park to the Loop--try taking a bus from those locations and see how much time you've wasted because of all of the stop the bus makes. The buses are great when connecting you to places that the 'L' isn't accessible to like; Northeastern Illinois University, areas on the far south and northwest sides, and even some of the surrounding burbs'. I don't think you can compare the 'L' and the bus system because they were built to compliment each other--not to be competition.

[scarletneon]

I am lucky to live within two blocks of an express bus or a train so it's pretty even for me. Now that I can track the 147 I love it. On the other hand, the Red Line is generally reliable (compared to the blue and brown line that I can't catch to save my life).

The good thing about buses IS the fact that you can just start walking if the bus doesn't decide to show up. But since I use the unlimited rides option, if the train is being really obnoxious, I just leave and catch a bus.

[Lookout Kid]

I used to be a train person until I moved near some great Lakeshore Drive express buses. Now I'm a bus person, but I do miss the "L" from time to time.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by hugoshi

Am I the only one that loves the bus? It seems that most people prefer CTA trains.

I like the bus because

1. with the CTA bus tracker, I know roughly when it's coming

not all the buses are part of this program, and not everyone has a portable web browser like a Blackberry or an iPhone where they can track their bus

Originally Posted by hugoshi

2. the buses are newer and cleaner

blah, I take the Ashland bus a lot and these buses are always the older buses, the ones w/ the windows that never open but don't have working AC, the ones w/ the filthy seats and malfunctioning doors

Originally Posted by hugoshi

where as trains and stations are usually dirtier, and I hate waiting, not know ing when it's going to show up.

I live off of the pink line and the stations I've seen are super clean and the 18th St stop is, IMO, one of the nicest looking CTA stations in the city. Division on the blue line is just plain disgusting though. I guess it depends which lines you're talking about since it seems to me the Orange and Pink are 2 of the nicer lines, and the Blue is a right out mess

Originally Posted by hugoshi

I've only been here 2 weeks, but I'm loving the buses. I primarily take he halsted #8, miluakee #65, and madison #20.

I used to live in West Humboldt Park and relied heavily on the #70 and sometimes on the #53. while they got me to where I needed to go, I hated waiting for the bus, esp during the winter in the cold (ah, there was memorable evening in the winter where the temperature was in the single digits and the #70 was over an hour late. frostbite ain't fun )

now I live close to the pink line, and while I do still take the bus a lot, I love having the option of taking the train. I rarely have to wait longer than 10 minutes for a train (well, at least on this line. I've had issues w/ the green and blue line). when winter comes, I can just hang out downstairs near the turnstiles, where it's warmer and just wait until they announce the train before heading up. overall, much happier w/ the train then w/ the bus, though I wouldn't mind taking the express buses (though, since I can't track a bus, I'd still have to wait for the bus in the cold)

[sharkylittleton]

The bus is prime for me since I have the Ashland, Division, and North Ave lines at my disposal. A single ride and a transfer usually gets me wherever I want to go.

[long101]

Originally Posted by eevee

I live off of the pink line and the stations I've seen are super clean and the 18th St stop is, IMO, one of the nicest looking CTA stations in the city. Division on the blue line is just plain disgusting though. I guess it depends which lines you're talking about since it seems to me the Orange and Pink are 2 of the nicer lines, and the Blue is a right out mess

18th st. nice? I use the 18th st. daily and I think it's the worst one Ive been to. It smells and just looks like a mess. That being said I really cant stand the bus. Im always waiting forever for it since I dont have a web browser

[JanuaryGirl]

I think the trains are better in the winter, when I was taking #8 Halsted in the winter it was always delayed, though in the summer it was fine.

[jessiegirl_98]

I get REALLY motion sick, so I hate the buses......