From the airport to the city centre Chicago

Chicago is served by two major airports: O'Hare(www.flychicago.com/ohare), and Midway(www.flychicago.com/midway). The one in Gary, Indiana, also serves the Windy City. Coming from France, you will inevitably land at O'Hare. It is the 6th busiest airport in the world, with approximately 83 million passengers each year

To reach downtown Chicago from O'Hare, you can take the GO Airport Express shuttle(www.airportexpress.com), which waits outside the arrival terminals. There is an Airport Express counter at the airport, but for added peace of mind and to save a few dollars, book your ticket in advance on the website. The fare is about US$30 per person for a trip to Downtown. The shuttles make several stops to drop off other passengers and run between 6am and 11:30pm daily. From Midway, you can also take GO Airport Express. Trips cost a few dollars less because the airport is closer to downtown.

However, you should know that public transportation connects these two airports, and it's very easy to use. From O'Hare, just take the Blue Line, which is within walking distance of terminals 1, 2 and 3. Just follow the "Trains to City" signs to get there. If you land at Terminal 5, a free shuttle bus will drop you off in less than 10 minutes. The ticket costs US$5 and can be purchased at the machines. The Blue Line has the advantage of running 24 hours a day. From Midway, you can take the Orange Line which runs from 4am to 1am. It picks up at the arrival terminal at the Midway Transportation Center and takes 20-25 minutes to reach Downtown Chicago. From Midway, the trip costs the same as a regular ticket, i.e. US$ 2.50 using the Ventra Card (to be bought for US$ 5 and reloaded at will) or US$ 3 for a single disposable ticket.

Finally, the cab is always a good option, especially if you are loaded. To get into an official cab, line up in front of the "Taxi" sign and wait for a dispatcher to tell you to get in. The ride costs about US$40 to the city center, depending on the time of day and the traffic jams.

Arrival by train Chicago

The main station in Chicago is Union Station(www.chicagounionstation.com). It is served by Amtrak trains(www.amtrak.com), which is the main operator of destinations to the rest of the United States. If you're taking the train from any other American city, this is where you'll arrive! Metra trains(www.metra.com), which serve Chicago's outer boroughs and the Chicagoland area, also stop at Union Station.

Arrival by boat Chicago

A city in the heart of the Great Lakes, with a river running through it, would be hard pressed not to take to the water! In addition to guided tours that let you discover Chicago from the water, the city has a network of water cabs that connect many of its neighborhoods. The Chicago Water Taxi(www.chicagowatertaxi.com) operates year-round, with reduced hours in winter. A day pass costs US$10 and a single trip US$6. The 6 lines, each a different color, serve the Chinatown, West Loop, Chicago Riverwalk, River North and Goose Island neighborhoods.

Public transport Chicago

Chicago is fairly well served by public transportation, but the city is large and it takes time to get around! The subway is the mode of transportation you will use the most. The subway and bus system is managed by the Chicago Transit Authority(www.transitchicago.com). There are 8 subway lines (known as the "L" Train), designated by colors. Each serves different parts of Chicago and all run through the interior of the Loop. They run every 3 to 12 minutes on weekdays, and every 6 to 20 minutes on weekends and evenings. Only the Blue Line and Red Line run 24 hours a day. For the other lines, service begins around 4:30 a.m. and ends around 1 a.m. The buses are easy to use, serving the city from east to west and north to south

To use the CTA bus and subway network, you need a Ventra rechargeable card, which costs US$5 to purchase. At the automatic terminals, it is possible that your bank card (debit card) will not be accepted. If this is the case, here's the trick: indicate that you have a credit card - even if it's not true - and enter zero when you enter your code. This will give you the card and an unlimited travel balance for 24 hours (US$5), 72 hours (US$15), a week (US$20) or a month (US$75) depending on your needs.
You can also buy single metro tickets, but this option is only interesting if you only take the metro a few times, as the trip costs more: US$ 3 compared to US$ 2.50 with the Ventra Card. The bus ride costs US$ 2.25 with the card, compared to US$ 2.50 when paying in cash (payment in coins only, only the extra money is accepted).

Bike, scooters & co Chicago

Bicycles can be a good option for getting around Chicago, although there are few separated bike lanes, which makes riding relatively dangerous. The Divvy Bikes bike share system(www.divvybikes.com)

is a particularly economical option, as a ride costs US$3 for 30 minutes (at a rate of US$0.1 per minute, plus US$1 to unlock the bike), while a day pass costs US$15 (provided you don't ride for more than 3 hours). You can buy your pass at the kiosks near the kiosks or on the mobile app. There are about 6,000 bikes throughout the city and nearly 600 kiosks where you can rent them, even in the middle of winter.

There are also organizations that rent bikes by the hour or by the day, such as Bike and Roll(www.bikechicago.com)

. It will cost you from 40 US$ for the whole day for an adult (29 US$ for a child). The good thing about Bike and Roll is that there are several kinds of bikes, for all ages, city bikes, off-road bikes, and even stronger ones for winter... As for electric scooters, the city of Chicago is letting them reintroduce themselves little by little. The experiment tried in 2019 had not been conclusive: too many accidents and violations according to the authorities, which ended in 4 months. But in the United States the market is king, when there is a demand, there is an offer..

With a driver Chicago

It's easy to catch a cab in Chicago: just wave your arm and there'll be plenty of them, especially in the downtown areas. If you're staying at a hotel, ask the staff to hail you a cab. There are several different companies, but all are licensed and have a metal plate on the roof with their registration number. The two best-known companies are Blue Ribbon Taxi(www.blueribbontaxi.com) and Checker Taxi(www.checkertaxichicago.com). A word of advice: when you hail a cab, don't step off the curb and stay well out of the way of traffic.

Uber(www.uber.com) and Lyft(www.lyft.com) are two mobile applications that enable you to find a private driver in just a few minutes. Knowing the fare before confirming the trip is a definite advantage. The other strong point of mobile applications is their reliability, whatever the time of day or the neighborhood you're in.

By car Chicago

If you stay in Chicago, there is not much point in renting a car during your stay! Traffic is often nightmarish, parking is expensive (between 40 and 70 US$ per day at the hotel and minimum 5 US$ per hour in the Loop) and sometimes difficult to find... In short, driving in Chicago will not bring you much, except a good dose of stress. If you still have to drive, the Spothero app(www.spothero.com) will help you compare prices and find a parking spot wherever you are in the city.

The reality is different in other Great Lakes cities, which don't have as extensive a public transportation system as Chicago. In Minneapolis, Milwaukee and even Detroit, renting a car may be recommended for getting out of the inner city, unless you're content to make short trips, in which case Uber will suffice

Accessibility Chicago

In Chicago, every effort is made to make life easier for people with disabilities. All buses and subway cars are accessible and have space for wheelchairs. The visually impaired can use the Braille markings on the vast majority of buttons and switches. However, only 70% of metro stations are accessible. Information is available on the CTA website(www.transitchicago.com/accessibility/). This is also where you will find the impact of certain festivities, work, or breakdowns on the different lines and the impact that this may have on your journey.