Which means of transport to use Chicago?

From the airport to the city centre Chicago

Chicago is served by two main airports: O'Hare(www.flychicago.com/ohare), and Midway(www.flychicago.com/midway). The airport in Gary, Indiana, also serves the Windy City. Coming from France, you're bound to land at O'Hare. This is the ^6th busiest airport in the world, with some 83 million passengers a year.

To reach downtown Chicago from O'Hare, you can take the GO Airport Express shuttles(www.airportexpress.com), which wait outside the arrival terminals. There's an Airport Express counter at the airport, but for peace of mind and to save a few dollars, book your ticket in advance on the website. The fare is around US$30 per person to Downtown. The shuttles make several stops to drop off other passengers, and run between 6 a.m. and 11.30 p.m. every day. From Midway, you can also take the GO Airport Express. Trips cost a few dollars less, as the airport is closer to downtown.

You should know, however, that public transport links these two airports, and is very easy to use. From O'Hare, simply take the Blue Line, which is within walking distance of terminals 1, 2 and 3. Simply follow the "Trains to City" signs. If you land at Terminal 5, a free shuttle bus will drop you off in less than 10 minutes. Tickets cost US$5 and can be purchased at the ticket machines. The Blue Line runs 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 (which can be purchased for US$5 and recharged at will) or US$3 for a single disposable ticket.

Finally, cabs are always a good option, especially if you're 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 fare to the city center is around US$40, depending on the time of day and traffic jams.

Arrival by train Chicago

Chicago's main train station is Union Station(www.chicagounionstation.com). It is served by Amtrak trains(www.amtrak.com), the main operator of destinations to the rest of the USA. If you're taking the train from another American city, this is where you'll arrive! Metra trains(www.metra.com), which serve Chicago's outlying neighborhoods and the Chicagoland ring road, 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 pretty well served by public transport, but the city is vast and it takes a long time to get around! The subway is the mode of transportation you'll use the most. The subway and bus network is managed by the Chicago Transit Authority(www.transitchicago.com). There are 8 color-coded subway lines (nicknamed the "L" Train). Each serves different parts of Chicago, and all run within 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 starts around 4.30 a.m. and ends around 1 a.m. Buses are easy to use, serving the city from east to west and north to south.

To use the CTA bus and metro network, you need a rechargeable Ventra card, which costs US$5 to purchase. At automatic terminals, your bank card (debit card) may not be accepted. If this is the case, here's the trick: indicate that you have a credit card - even if you don't - and enter zero when entering your code. You'll then be able to obtain the precious sesame, as well as 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 individual metro tickets, but this option is only worthwhile if you only take the metro a few times, as the journey then costs more: US$3 compared with US$2.50 with the Ventra Card. A bus journey costs US$2.25 with the card, compared with US$2.50 when paid in cash (payment in coins only, only top-up is accepted).

Bike, scooters & co Chicago

Cycling can be a good option for getting around Chicago, although separate bike lanes are still quite rare, making 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 when the bike is unlocked), 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 terminals or on the mobile app. There are some 6,000 bicycles throughout the city and almost 600 kiosks where you can rent them, even in the dead of winter.

There are also organizations that rent bikes by the hour or day, such as Bike and Roll(www.bikechicago.com). Rates start at US$40 for a full day for an adult (US$29 for a child). The great thing about Bike and Roll is that there are several kinds of bikes, for all ages, city bikes, all-terrain bikes, and some tough ones for winter...

As for electric scooters, the city of Chicago has decided to let them reintroduce themselves after the experiment tried in 2019 was not conclusive: too many accidents and infringements according to the authorities, who put an end to it in 4 months. The self-service scooters are managed by Divvy, Lime and Spin.

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're staying in Chicago, there's not much point in renting a car during your stay! Traffic is often nightmarish, parking is expensive (between US$40 and US$70 per day in hotels and a minimum of US$5 per hour in the Loop) and sometimes hard to find... In short, driving in Chicago won't do you much good, apart from 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 space wherever you are in the city.

The reality is different in other Great Lakes cities, which don't benefit from a public transport network as developed as Chicago's. 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, everything is done to make life easier for people with disabilities. All buses and subway cars are accessible and have reserved space for wheelchairs. The visually impaired can rely on the Braille markings on the vast majority of buttons and push-buttons. However, only 70% of metro stations are accessible. Information is available on the CTA website(www.transitchicago.com/accessibility/). This is also where you'll find information on the impact of certain festivities, works or breakdowns on the different lines, and the impact this may have on your journey.