ORDAirport Guide

O'Hare to a Bears game at Soldier Field

Blue Line from O'Hare ($5 to board), then a Green or Orange Line train to Roosevelt or the 128 Soldier Field Express. Rideshare, taxi and bags.

The limestone colonnade of Soldier Field in Chicago, home of the Bears, seen across the lawn in front of it.
Soldier Field, Chicago

The train trip from O’Hare is the Blue Line to Clark/Lake, a change to a Green or Orange Line train for Roosevelt station, then a walk. O’Hare’s transit page calls the CTA the most economical option.

Four ways to the stadium

No page publishes a fare or a travel time for the whole trip from O’Hare to Soldier Field. The CTA’s and the airport’s O’Hare figures stop at downtown, and the one Soldier Field fare printed is the $5 for the 128 Soldier Field Express.

Way Cost Time Where it ends
Blue Line, then Green or Orange Line $5 to board at O’Hare The CTA says 40-45 minutes from O’Hare to downtown, with nothing published past that Roosevelt station, then the Bears’ 0.8 mi walk
Blue Line, then the 128 Soldier Field Express $5 to board at O’Hare, then the Express at $5 round trip on the CTA’s fare chart Nothing published Soldier Field
Taxi The meter. The airport’s average to downtown is $50, the CTA’s is around $40 The CTA says 25-90 minutes to downtown The Bears’ page names no taxi stop
Rideshare None published for this trip. The CTA’s chart says around $35-50 to downtown, surging to $140 or more The CTA says 25-90 minutes to downtown Balbo Dr. between Columbus Dr. and Jean-Baptiste Pointe Dusable Lake Shore Dr.

Blue Line first, then a train to Roosevelt

The Blue Line starts inside O’Hare and runs at all times, every day. Our Blue Line guide walks you from each terminal to the platform.

The Bears say the Red Line, the Green Line and the Orange Line all go to Roosevelt station. From the Blue Line, change at Clark/Lake to the Green Line or the Orange Line. The CTA’s Clark/Lake station page lists the Blue, Green and Orange Lines there.

The change costs nothing extra. The CTA says transfers to another train or bus are free, up to two within two hours, on the same Ventra Card, Ventra Ticket, bank card or wallet. Boarding anywhere else on the L costs $2.50, so the way back is cheaper.

The 128 Soldier Field Express skips the walk

The Bears say the 128 Soldier Field Express runs nonstop between Ogilvie, Union Station and Soldier Field during Bears games, for only $5. The CTA’s fare chart lists the Soldier Field Express round trip at $5, or $2.50 reduced, and says passes are accepted.

The Blue Line stops at Clinton, and the CTA’s Clinton station page lists Metra and Amtrak trains at Chicago Union Station among its connections. No page says where the 128 boards at Union Station, so check CTA’s 128 route page for the stop before you go.

Metra is the other way to Union Station. The North Central Service runs from O’Hare Transfer to Union Station for $3.75 one way, on weekdays only, so it helps only for a weekday game. Ride the free Airport Transit System from your terminal to reach O’Hare Transfer. Our Metra page has where to board and the fares, and our Union Station guide sets Metra against the Blue Line and a taxi.

The Bears also name the 146 as the Museum Campus bus to the north side of Soldier Field. Check the route and its stop on CTA’s bus pages before you board.

Rideshare, taxi and a rental car

Rideshare pickups at O’Hare are on the upper level, at the orange poles 2A to 2G in Terminal 2 and the green poles 3G, 3H, 3J and 3K in Terminal 3. Our Uber and Lyft guide covers Terminals 1 and 5.

Taxis wait at the stand on the lower-level curb outside baggage claim at every terminal. Use the marked stand, because the airport warns against rides offered outside it or on the departure level. A shared cab has a flat fare of $30 from O’Hare to downtown or McCormick Place, below the $50 metered average, though no page lists a shared fare to Soldier Field itself. Our taxi page lists the rates and the surcharges the meter adds, and our taxi fares guide covers the shared flat fares and suburban cabs.

For a rental car, the Bears say on-site parking is extremely limited and must be purchased in advance. They add that there is no single game or cash parking on any of the Museum Campus lots. Our rental car page shows where the counters are.

Luggage and the clear-bag rule

If you fly in the same day with a carry-on, note that the Bears limit approved bags to clear bags up to 12”x6”x12”, one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags and small bags no larger than 4.5”x6.5”. The gates have walk-through metal detectors, and all carry-in items are searched.

O’Hare lists no lockers or left-luggage counter (see luggage storage), and the Bears’ gameday page mentions no bag check. So the suitcase has to go somewhere else before you reach the gate. If you’re staying the night, our hotels page lists places to stay near the airport and downtown.

Game days: what’s published and what isn’t

The Bears say the gates open two hours before kickoff and encourage fans to enter early. O’Hare’s Public Transit and Taxi pages mention neither games nor Soldier Field, and the CTA’s Blue Line page lists no game-day service.

Neither the Bears nor the airport publishes hours for the Green or Orange Line, so check CTA’s timetable for your line before the game ends. CTA’s alerts page carries current and upcoming ‘L’ alerts, including planned work.

Sources