how to ride the "L" train (Chicago, Union: home, neighborhood)

[iowaark]

I will be taking my son to chicago soon and would like to use the "L" train to get around the city. Any words of wisdom on how to make our trip safe and hassle free???? Thanks.

[j33]

Where will you be going? How long will you be staying?

Get a 1,3, or 7 day pass depending on the length of your stay and look at a good map to figure out how far away whatever it is you want to do is from the 'el'. If you let us know what your plans are, perhaps we (or at least I) could give you tips. I've been riding that thing for what feels like forever, and while I can't promise a 'hassle free' ride, I still sometimes laugh at my 'el' pass that states it is 'clean' and 'on time', neither of which are the case, but it is safe (the third claim), that I'll give it, I've never had any problems with safety. Hey, one out of three isn't too bad is it?

Anyway, it is a pretty good transportation system (for the US at least) and you shouldn't have any problems unless you are wanting to go to Hyde Park or some of the under served areas of the city.

[iowaark]

We are coming into Union Station in the am and headed to the Museum of Science and Industry. We will only be staying for the day and will need to get back to the train station for our trip home by 6pm. I was looking at some maps from the transit authority and it looks like we may need to use a bus as well as the 'el. It is about a 7 mile distance between the 2. I wanted to share the "experience" of Chicago with my son, but if a cab would give us more time at the museum, and be worth the extra cost we will take that instead. Thanks so much for your help.

[mdz]

The el + bus wouldn't be worth it, and it could be a bit sketchy. Cab would be a bit expensive, another good option is to take the museum "express bus"--it's route 10 of the CTA. I've done it before and it's pretty darn quick once you get out of downtown. you can pick it up on State Street, and you can check out the schedules (take with a grain of salt) on the cta website.

If you have to be back at a certain time and want to maximize your time the cab would still be the fastest.

[j33]

I think your best bet would be what mdz suggested, take the CTA there and then take a taxi back to the train station (the bus route that is, but keep in mind it is a 1/2 a mile walk to state street from Union station, something that doesn't bother me as I walk a lot, but it might bother some)

[MarquettePark]

Where are you coming from?, if your coming into union station, where are you coming from,

If I live close to Ohare, I would drive to Ohare parking lot, park, then take the Congress Douglas Train, to State Street, then grab a #6, bus to the MSI,

If I live close to Midway, I would drive to Midway parking lot, then take the Midway Train to state street, and grab a #6 bus,

Under no circumstances, should you take the Dan Ryan L, or any combination of that train, and bus combnation, stay away from 55th street, anywhere east of Kedzie to the Lake Front,

Your best bet, is too drive to the nearest Metra station, park, then train down to the loop, and grab a bus from state street, to the Museum, if you check the CTA website, I believe they have a dedicated bus line, from state street to MSI

FYI
Congress Douglas is the blue line
Midway is the orange line
Dan Ryan is the red line

I refuse to use the Los Angeles imposed names on my trains, because my trains are one hundred plus years old, and LA trains are ten or fifteen years old.........

Never take suggestions or ideas from rookies/losers next thing you know we will start hanging confederate flags on southside buildings, because they are on the SOUTH side of town

[j33]

Originally Posted by MarquettePark

Never take suggestions or ideas from rookies/losers next thing you know we will start hanging confederate flags on southside buildings, because they are on the SOUTH side of town

And who are these rookies and losers you are referring to? I first started riding the CTA when I was 15 years old. In 1988, before the re-naming of the lines and when they still had tokens, get over this whole 'south-side' thing already. I've known loads of people who live on the south-side of the city my whole life (being a former south suburbanite) and none of them have the chip on their shoulder about it you seem to have. If there is any part of the city that should be hanging confederate flags (not that I'm a fan of confederate flags in any way) up anywhere it would be the old Appalachian residents of Uptown (http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohisto...ages/1178.html) as Uptown was for many years known for its large Appalachian community, talk to anyone who has lived in that neighborhood for any length of time and they'll tell you about it

[Drover]

I'm going to guess, based on his screen name "MarquettePark" that he lives on the South side, or Southwest side anyway... I think his point was to make an ad absurdium analogy, not to make a commentary on the South Side.

[j33]

oh, he's made several commentaries on the south side if you look over some of his previous posts, and has made quite a few on the north side as well.

[Drover]

OK, so he's just a crank. Even so, I've seen worse. MP isn't that much of a flamethrower.