Travel Note
There are two airports you can fly into in the Chicago Land Area: Midway International Airport (MDW) and O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
Hotel
We'll be booking a hotel block near our wedding venue that guests can optionally use. More information coming soon!
Train
The metra is one of the most affordable ways to get to the city. If you're staying at a hotel in Bartlett, there's a metra stop you can take to Chicago Union Station. The address of the Bartlett Metra Station stop is 120 E. Railroad Avenue, Bartlett, IL 60103. The stop in Chicago is called Chicago Union Station and its address is 225 S Canal St, Chicago, IL 60606. The line between the two stations is Milwaukee District West (MD-W); the MD-W schedule is available at the provided link (click the view button below). You can either pay on the Ventra app, with cash to the conductor, or at a ticket vending machine at either station.
Train
For those of you who want to explore Chicago, one way to get around Chicago is to use the L trains. Getting on the L: 1. Find your nearest L station. Be sure to review when your train is coming to make sure you don't miss it. This information can be found on screens inside and around the station, as well as on apps like Google Maps. The most accurate way to determine the train schedule is to use CTA's official train tracker. 2. If you have not done so already, get your Ventra Card or CTA Pass from the kiosk in the station. 3. Go to the turnstile and tap your card on the card reader. If you have enough fare on your card, you should hear a ding and the turnstile will unlock for you. NOTE: Take your card out of your wallet or phone case in order to tap it. The CTA card reader can also read certain types of credit/debit cards and apps like Apple Pay, and you don't want to be charged twice for the same trip! 4. Travel up (or down) the stairs, escalator or elevator to the station platform and wait behind the blue line. 5. When the train arrives at the station, the doors will open after a moment. Stand back to let exiting passengers get off first before getting on the train. Getting off the L: 1. The L will stop at every station and open its doors for several seconds (depending on entering/exiting passengers). There is no need to request a stop on the L. 2. When you arrive at your stop, simply exit the train when the doors open. You can also stand up and walk towards the door when your train gets near your stop if you want to exit more quickly. 3. Travel down (or up) to the ground floor and simply exit through the metal bars or the turnstile. There is no need to tap your card again, as CTA fares are a flat rate and not based on distance traveled.
Train
Another way to get around Chicago is to use the buses. Getting on the bus: 1. Determine when the bus will be arriving at your stop so you can plan accordingly. The most accurate way to determine the bus schedule is to use CTA's official bus tracker. You can also use apps such as Google Maps; however, post-Covid the CTA has experienced staff shortages, so these times often reflect scheduled buses instead of tracking real buses (i.e. "ghost buses") and are therefore not always accurate. 2. Go to the bus stop and wait. Some stations have a covered bench in a canopy, while others are simply a street sign. If the former, pay attention to oncoming traffic so that you can make yourself visible when the bus is on its way. 3. When the bus arrives, enter through the front door (the back door is for exiting only). Stand back so that exiting passengers can get off first. For wheelchair users, there is a ramp that is lowered to allow folks to enter/exit. If you are not a wheelchair user, do not step on the ramp. The bus driver will raise it when it is your turn to get on. 4. Tap your Ventra card on the card reader to pay your fare. You can also use cash if you have exact change. If you do not have exact change, you can still use cash; however, you will not get your change back. Getting off the bus: 1. The bus will NOT stop at every stop. There should be a sign/voice that announces every stop as it comes up. Pay attention to this announcement. 2. When your stop is announced, pull the cord that is located above the bus windows; this will alert the driver that you want to get off. Alternatively, some poles will have signal buttons for use by standing passengers who cannot reach the cord. 3. Once the bus stops and the green light above the door lights up, exit the bus. The front door will open automatically but the back door will not. In order to open the back door, gently press on the yellow line along the inner seam of the door to make it open.