Chicago travel at night?
Another Chicago traveler question. I'm seeing a show in Chicago that lets out around 5pm in downtown Chicago and have about 3-4 hours before I have to be at the airport. We wanted to get a feel for Millennium park and check out the city lights from one of the 'towers' in the city but I'm worried about traveling at night, and more specfically getting back to the airport safely too. I had planned on taking Blue line (What does Chicago call it? Rail? Train? Metro? Subway?) but from past experience around rail/subway's it's possible that they are not the best place for a tourist/stranger to be in for a 45 minute ride back to O'hare after nightfall. Thoughts? Thanks for the help!
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You should be ok on the L , It is quite safe, I used to travel on them all the time. Also from downtown to O'hare you are not traveling in any bad neighborhoods. The best free view is from the hancock building observatory.
It'll be fine. Sure you can run into trouble on a CTA train, but it can happen at ANY time, not just at night. But it's not that bad, especially since you'll be travelling back to the airport at about 8 or 9 p.m. If there IS any trouble on the train it usually happens much later than that at night, about midnight or after. Besides, they have guys with guard dogs that patrol the trains at night. If you're really worried, sit in the very first car of the train near the driver. Just act like you know where you're going and not looking around like a, well, tourist. Look at a Chicago Transit Authority map (they have one on their website) and see where the nearest Blue Line train entrance is to where you'll be. But at 8 p.m., it's still pretty crowded and not a lot is going on, crime-wise.
The L (which is what it's called) is pretty safe day and night. The Blue Line goes through largely nice areas of Chicago, and lots of people use it to get to and from O'Hare at all hours. It shouldn't be an issue.
I lived in Chicago for 5 years. I used to ride the "L" Blue Line a lot from downtown to O´Hare, and your best bet for safety is to ride in the car closest to the driver, and do not make eye contact with anyone.
Go to the John Hancock building, and go up to the lounge-it´s one floor above the Signature Room restaurant. Sit down, have a drink-if you don´t drink, have a soda, and if you can, go into the ladies room-this is where the best view of Chicago is located!!!
You have nothing to worry about if you remain around millenium park area. You will be on the L heading northwest to O'hars from that location. What you don't want to do is travel south form the downtown area if your concern is your safety. The first answerer is correct.
My suggestion... Take a cab from Union Station to everywhere you're hopping on the Orange Line just to be risk-free, like various massive city, Chicago does have crime, extraordinarily at nighttime. As for halfway, i could assume that the terminals are open because of the actuality they do have "pink-eye" flights. Worst case concern could be you examine in to the trip hotel style hotel it is hooked as much as the airport, yet i think of you may desire to be great. which would be my superb suggestion on the situation. desire it enables.