Chicago runs one of the only three rail systems in the world with 24-hour service every day of the year, and it’s cheap: $2.50 taps you through a fare gate onto the ‘L’, the city’s elevated (and underground) rapid transit network, and a ride from O’Hare downtown costs the same as any other trip. Unlike some cities, Chicago’s stations have real fare gates — you tap to get in, not an honor system.
The basics
The ‘L’ is eight color-coded rail lines that converge downtown in the Loop, the ring of elevated track that gives the neighborhood its name:
- Red — the busiest line, running north–south 24 hours a day between Howard and 95th/Dan Ryan.
- Blue — the other 24-hour line, connecting O’Hare Airport in the northwest to Forest Park via downtown.
- Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, Yellow — cover the rest of the North, South, and West Sides, plus Evanston/Wilmette (Purple) and Skokie (Yellow, the “Skokie Swift”).
The CTA also runs an extensive bus network across the city. Beyond city limits, Metra commuter rail (11 lines from four downtown terminals) reaches the suburbs and collar counties, and Pace runs suburban buses — many timed to meet Metra trains and CTA lines.
How to pay
Chicago’s shared fare system is called Ventra, and — unlike Portland’s honor system — CTA stations have real fare gates you must tap through:
- Tap a Ventra card, contactless bank card, or your phone (Apple Pay / Google Pay) at the fare gate or on the bus reader. This is the cheapest way to ride.
- Buy a paper Ventra single-ride ticket from a station vending machine if you don’t have a card — it costs more ($3.00) than tapping.
- Pay cash on the bus with exact change (drivers can’t make change) — cash costs a bit more than tapping.
There’s no capping system like some cities’ — if you’re riding a lot in a day or week, buy an unlimited pass instead (see Fares below).
Fares
| Fare (tap) | Fare (cash/paper) | |
|---|---|---|
| ‘L’ train | $2.50 | $3.00 (station ticket) |
| Bus | $2.25 | $2.50 |
| Reduced (seniors 65+, riders with disabilities, students 7–20, with an RTA Reduced Fare Permit) | $1.25 (‘L’) / $1.10 (bus) | — |
| Kids under 7 | Free | — |
A tap includes two free transfers within two hours — any mix of bus and train. Unlimited passes: 1-Day $5, 3-Day $15, 7-Day $20, 30-Day $75 — all available in the Ventra app or from station machines, and none carry the O’Hare surcharge below.
CTA proposed a 25-cent fare increase for February 2026, but it was cancelled after Illinois passed a new transit funding bill in late 2025 — current fares are the same as they’ve been since 2018.
Getting from the airport
O’Hare (ORD): Take the Blue Line — the station is under the airport itself, with a direct connection to Terminals 1, 2, and 3, and a free automated shuttle train (the ATS people mover) from Terminal 5 (international arrivals) to Terminals 2/3, where you walk to the station.
- Time: about 40–45 minutes to downtown.
- Cost: a boarding fee deducted at the O’Hare station — $5 full fare, $1.25 reduced fare, $0.75 student fare — charged only when you pay with a Ventra card or contactless tap (cash isn’t accepted for ‘L’ entry); unlimited passes board at no extra charge.
- How often: every 3–8 minutes at peak, 7–10 minutes midday/evening, about every 15–20 minutes overnight.
- Hours: runs 24/7 — there’s no first or last train to worry about.
Midway (MDW): Take the Orange Line — an enclosed walkway connects the station directly to the terminal.
- Time: about 20–25 minutes to the Loop.
- Cost: the regular fare, $2.50 — no airport surcharge.
- Hours: roughly 3:30am–1:25am; it does not run overnight. Late arrivals can take the N62 Archer night-owl bus instead, roughly every 30 minutes.
CTA has announced plans to extend the Orange Line to 24-hour service sometime in 2026 as new state funding arrives, but as of this writing that hasn’t happened yet — don’t count on it for a late-night arrival.
Apps to download
- Ventra — the official app for CTA, Metra, and Pace: buy and manage fares, load a virtual card into your phone’s wallet, buy Metra mobile tickets, and check real-time arrivals.
- Transit — real-time arrivals and clear step-by-step trip planning across all three agencies.
- Google Maps or Apple Maps — solid for trip planning with live CTA data built in.
When it runs
The Red and Blue lines run 24 hours a day, every day — Chicago is one of only three cities in the world with round-the-clock rail service. The other six ‘L’ lines and most buses run roughly 4am to 1am, with frequency of about every 3–10 minutes at peak and 10–15 minutes off-peak on the busier lines. Overnight, service thins out to every 15–30 minutes on the lines that keep running, and “Night Owl” buses cover the gaps elsewhere.
Accessibility
More than 70% of ‘L’ stations are currently step-free, and the CTA’s ongoing All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) is working toward full coverage — check a station’s accessibility before you travel if you need step-free access. All CTA and Pace buses are 100% accessible with ramps and kneeling. ADA Paratransit, run by Pace for the whole region, offers shared, next-day-reservation rides for $3.25 per trip to anyone RTA-certified; certified riders have ridden fixed-route CTA, Metra, and Pace buses and trains for free since October 2025.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Tap in every time, even on transfers — CTA has real fare gates, and in 2026 it’s stepping up fare-evasion enforcement (more transit police, high-barrier gates being tested at some stations) after a rise in incidents.
- Bikes are welcome on trains most of the day (look for the green bike decal near certain doors, 2 bikes per car) but are banned weekday rush hours, 7–9am and 4–6pm. Buses have front-mounted racks anytime.
- The ring of elevated track downtown is “the Loop” — locals use the name for the neighborhood, not just the trains.
- Stand right on escalators, let riders off before boarding, and offer priority seats near the doors — same as most big-city systems.
Good to know
- Security: the CTA announced an expanded security plan in 2026 — more police and sheriff patrol hours on trains, plus high-barrier fare gates being piloted at stations with high fare evasion — after a stretch of high-profile safety incidents. It’s a live, evolving effort, so expect visible police presence at some stations.
- Weather: Chicago winters are cold and windy, and ‘L’ platforms are mostly outdoors and elevated — dress for the wait, not just the ride. Heavy snow can slow buses more than trains.
- No fare capping: unlike some peer cities, tapping repeatedly doesn’t automatically cap your spending — if you’re riding often, buy a day or multi-day pass up front instead.