O'Hare to McCormick Place
The train route from O'Hare is the Blue Line to Clark and Lake, then a southbound Green Line train to Cermak-McCormick Place. A shared taxi charges a flat fare instead of the meter.
More in our guide: O'Hare to McCormick Place for a convention.
- Where
- McCormick Place: McCormick Place convention campus; the Cermak-McCormick Place station is 0.15 mile from the northwest corner of the West Building
- Ways compared
- CTA Blue Line, then Green Line, Shared taxi, Taxi, Rideshare, Pre-arranged car
Every way to get to McCormick Place, compared
| Way | Time | Cost | First from ORD | Last from ORD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTA Blue Line, then Green Line | 40 to 45 minutes to downtown on the Blue Line | $5 to board at O'Hare ($1.25 reduced, $0.75 student); transfers are free within two hours on the same card | Blue Line: 24 hours a day. Green Line: from 3:45 a.m. weekdays and 4:45 a.m. weekends at Harlem/Lake | Blue Line: 24 hours a day. Green Line: until 12:45 a.m. toward Cottage Grove and 1:00 a.m. toward Ashland/63rd, from Harlem/Lake |
| Shared taxi | None published | $30 flat | None published | None published |
| Taxi | 25 to 90 minutes to downtown | The meter; no fare published for this trip | None published | None published |
| Rideshare | 25 to 90 minutes to downtown | Around $35 to $50 to downtown, surging to $140 or more | None published | None published |
| Pre-arranged car | None for the trip; the car takes 5 to 20 minutes to reach you at O'Hare | None published | None published | None published |
CTA Blue Line, then Green Line
From Terminals 1, 2 and 3, follow the Trains to City signs through the pedestrian tunnels on the basement level; the walk from baggage claim takes under ten minutes. From Terminal 5, ride the free Airport Transit System to Terminal 2 first. At Clark and Lake the Blue Line is a subway train and the Green Line an elevated train. Take a southbound Green Line train marked Cottage Grove or Ashland/63rd Branch to Cermak-McCormick Place. If you'd rather not walk from the station, an eastbound #21 Cermak bus boards directly below the Green Line platform and stops in front of the main entrances of the South, North and West Buildings. Going back to the Loop, use the northbound platform marked Harlem/Lake. The CTA allows two free transfers within two hours on the same Ventra card, ticket, bank card or wallet.
CTA Blue Line, then Green Line at ORD: boarding point and full details
Shared taxi
A shared ride program serves people flying into O'Hare and Midway who take a cab to McCormick Place or downtown. Confirm at the stand that it's running. It ends at a gate your event designates.
Taxi
Taxis wait at the stand on the lower-level curb outside baggage claim at every terminal. Use the marked stand, and turn down rides offered outside it or on the departure level. The meter charges a $3.25 flag covering the first ninth of a mile, then $0.31 for each further ninth, plus a $4 airport departure tax. A $2.50 rush hour surcharge applies from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a $1.00 overnight surcharge from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The ride ends at a gate your event designates. For the ride back, hail a taxi with the ARRO or CURB app.
Rideshare
Pickups are on the upper level: Terminal 2 at the orange poles 2A to 2G, Terminal 3 at the green poles 3G, 3H, 3J and 3K. The airport names no poles for Terminals 1 or 5. At McCormick Place the app uses the gates and zones on the campus map. Leaving during busy events, choosing Gate 40 as the pickup may get you out faster; it sits on the west side of the West Building on S. Indiana Ave.
Pre-arranged car
Book ahead, then call the company once you have your bags; it gives you a plate number, a description of the car and a door to meet at. Cars meet you in lane 2 on the lower level. The airport publishes no fares for them. Ask your company which gate it uses for your event.
Good to know
- The L fare is $2.50, except at O'Hare, where boarding costs $5.
- Hotels at McCormick Place include the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, the Hiltons at McCormick Place and the Marriott Marquis Chicago. The Hyatt and the Marriott connect to McCormick Place.
- Check McCormick Place's event calendar for the buildings your event uses.
Sources: Chicago Transit Authority, McCormick Place, Chicago Department of Aviation, City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection