Chicago Mags- O’Hare to Union Station:Tight Time Frame. How screwed am I?

[Garbowski]

If the rental car doesn't work out, I'd sprint out of the plane directly to a cab or Uber. Traffic is probably going to kill you though, so maybe check google traffic while deplaning. Study the layouts of the airport and train station and know exactly where you have to go.

If you are in the car or train by 5:30 you may have a chance, but be prepared to miss it.

Not sure if you can cancel the train. but you can take the bus at 7PM from O'Hare to South bend too. 3.5 hours travel time.

https://us.megabus.com/journey-plann...lchairSeated=0

[smartyiak]

So basically what I'm hearing is we are fucked.

Yes. The good news is: it's metaphorical. Probably.

[RootSkier]

What if the train was delayed because of a suspicious package call?

FLS over with the genius ideas.

[plugboots]

If the rental car doesn't work out, I'd sprint out of the plane directly to a cab or Uber. Traffic is probably going to kill you though, so maybe check google traffic while deplaning. Study the layouts of the airport and train station and know exactly where you have to go.

If you are in the car or train by 5:30 you may have a chance, but be prepared to miss it.

Not sure if you can cancel the train. but you can take the bus at 7PM from O'Hare to South bend too. 3.5 hours travel time.

https://us.megabus.com/journey-plann...lchairSeated=0

Growing up in Chicago, and I visit fairly often, I believe this is the best advice.
Plus check out the username.

[Peruvian]

Maybe for the NE & MidAtlantic, possibly including the midwest. But out west the aeroplanes are much more smarterer. 1hr to Denver or SF... can't beat it. The quality of the airport is a yuge determinant in efficiency & quality of experience. SLC working on two big travel hubs right now, the inland port for commercial goods & the new airport for sky travelers. Should be a reasonably good hub.

Don’t forget the 2 hours before the flight that you have to arrive at the airport, waiting for luggage, the fact that airports are usually an hour or so outside of city centers, etc.

A “functional” train system would include mag-lev which would compete on overall time with air travel.

Include in the ability to use your cell phone, a dining/bar car, ability to move around, and CO2 costs and train travel almost always wins.

[Art Shirk]

Have a good plan B.

Good advice and why I have 2 kids and not 37.

[riser4]

Don’t forget the 2 hours before the flight that you have to arrive at the airport, waiting for luggage, the fact that airports are usually an hour or so outside of city centers, etc.

A “functional” train system would include mag-lev which would compete on overall time with air travel.

Include in the ability to use your cell phone, a dining/bar car, ability to move around, and CO2 costs and train travel almost always wins.

Ding ding ding. Even without the magical magnents, just how DO they work? Even without that, high speed rail is more enjoyable. There's a reason I take a direct flight to Frankfurt and then the ICE to visit my sister instead of flying to Stuttgart with at least one if not two changes.

[skaredshtles]

Ding ding ding. Even without the magical magnents, just how DO they work? Even without that, high speed rail is more enjoyable. There's a reason I take a direct flight to Frankfurt and then the ICE to visit my sister instead of flying to Stuttgart with at least one if not two changes.

Yup. We did Venice -> Florence, then Florence -> Rome this summer on the high-speed train and it was WAY more enjoyable than trying to fuck with airports. Bonus - most of the trains drop you off right in the heart of town. No need to fuck around getting into town...

[digitaldeath]

Yup. We did Venice -> Florence, then Florence -> Rome this summer on the high-speed train and it was WAY more enjoyable than trying to fuck with airports. Bonus - most of the trains drop you off right in the heart of town. No need to fuck around getting into town...

We are talking Chicago rush hour logistics. Not your fancy boy European vacation of leisure

[digitaldeath]

You could always pay the driver extra to take the shoulder on the freeway. It can work

[The AD]

I think you've got a shot, but it will be tight. My experience is that the CTA Blue Line is faster than driving on the Kennedy Expressway at that time of day, so one possibility would be to take the train to Belmont (where the Blue Line diverges from the freeway) and then have an Uber waiting to pick you up there and drive you to Union Station.

I've never lived in Chicago, but I'm a frequent visitor, so others with more experience can tell me if this plan is dumb or not.

[digitaldeath]

I think you've got a shot, but it will be tight. My experience is that the CTA Blue Line is faster than driving on the Kennedy Expressway at that time of day, so one possibility would be to take the train to Belmont (where the Blue Line diverges from the freeway) and then have an Uber waiting to pick you up there and drive you to Union Station.

I've never lived in Chicago, but I'm a frequent visitor, so others with more experience can tell me if this plan is dumb or not.

Belmont blue line very far from the loop. Gotta get to the loop.

[The AD]

Belmont blue line very far from the loop. Gotta get to the loop.

It is, but all those stops on the blue line are what kill you. I'm just thinking take the train for the portion where it would be faster than a car and then switch to a car where it would be faster. I just don't know if the Uber would actually be much faster on surface streets in rush hour traffic.

[Shredhead]

Listen to Garbowski.

[Garbowski]

Cubs play at 1 on Friday, so watch the traffic when you land. Getting lucky with a good driver in lighter than average traffic is your best shot. If it's raining take the train.

L/ Uber hybrid is probably not going to save much if any time. Grand would be my pick, but finding the uber and then the risk of traffic and/or a slow driver who blindly follows GPS could sink you.

[PassTheDutchie]

If the rental car doesn't work out, I'd sprint out of the plane directly to a cab or Uber. Traffic is probably going to kill you though, so maybe check google traffic while deplaning. Study the layouts of the airport and train station and know exactly where you have to go.

If you are in the car or train by 5:30 you may have a chance, but be prepared to miss it.

Not sure if you can cancel the train. but you can take the bus at 7PM from O'Hare to South bend too. 3.5 hours travel time.

https://us.megabus.com/journey-plann...lchairSeated=0

As a Chicago resident: DO NOT TRY TO GET ANYWHERE AT 5 PM ON A FRIDAY BY CAR IF YOU CAN AVOID IT! The Kennedy is guaranteed to be a clusterfuck of Vail-Gondi-Line-at-Christmas-Break proportions. Likely two hours between ORD and Union Station. Take the Blue line; get off at Clinton; run (don’t Uber/cab)to Union Station. Assuming you get in to ORD on time, I bet you make it.

[plugboots]

I think you've got a shot, but it will be tight. My experience is that the CTA Blue Line is faster than driving on the Kennedy Expressway at that time of day, so one possibility would be to take the train to Belmont (where the Blue Line diverges from the freeway) and then have an Uber waiting to pick you up there and drive you to Union Station.

I've never lived in Chicago, but I'm a frequent visitor, so others with more experience can tell me if this plan is dumb or not.

I did this exact thing to meet my Mom near Skokie. Train to a station near Belmont, got off to already ordered Lyft near there. I am not sure if it would be faster to downtown though. I think going to Clinton may be faster on a Friday.

[digitaldeath]

The Clinton exit plan sounds spicy. Might be busy downtown tomorrow.

Bring your running shoes

[seano732]

The Clinton exit plan sounds spicy. Might be busy downtown tomorrow.

Bring your running shoes

Thanks mags for all the advice. It's fucking go time! We're going with the Clinton exit. If we are totally FUBAR'd, Plan B is to catch the SSL out of Millennium at 1920 hrs. Got my laces tight, I'll let you guys know how it goes!

[plugboots]

[FLS]

Is anybody taking action?

[seano732]

Is anybody taking action?

What did you have in mind? 37$?

[The AD]

All I know is you're going to want to kill someone when your plane lands and then taxis for about 20 minutes at 1 mph as always seems to be the case at O'Hare

Good Luck!

[FLS]

What did you have in mind? 37$?

Im rooting you beat the odds and make it.

[plugboots]

All I know is you're going to want to kill someone when your plane lands and then taxis for about 20 minutes at 1 mph as always seems to be the case at O'Hare

Good Luck!

Arrgghh. That drives me nuts everywhere. Land "early" then sit on the tarmac because the gate isn't open. At O'hare, though, you've got that long drive over the roadway bridge. I was tracking my wife with flightradar24 once and the plane just parked out beyond that thing. It's definitely a cluster.

$1 says he makes it.