From Transportation Chair, Stan Subeck:

Getting Around Chicago: The Hyatt Hotel is located on the edge of Chicago’s “Loop”, the central business district. An abundance of shopping, dining and sightseeing is located in walking distance (1 mile or less) of the hotel. In addition Chicago has a great public transportation system. CTA buses and the “L”, Chicago’s subway and elevated train system provide easy, economical transportation within the Loop and to other nearby areas. In addition Chicago’s taxicabs are numerous and reasonably economical for short jaunts. Parking in downtown Chicago is not cheap and we recommend the use of public transportation whenever possible. Generally, you should not use the subway and “L” system in the late evening hours, unless you are familiar with the system and are comfortable with the areas through and to which you will be traveling. Michigan Avenue and Loop area buses are quite safe in the evening hours. Transportation to the suburbs is provided by the RTA. The RTA trains are a safe, easy transportation mode, but service is sparse in the late night hours and you should check the schedules ahead of time. 

Walking: Chicago streets are a simple grid with a few diagonal streets. The “Zero” point is at the corner of State and Madison Streets in downtown Chicago. A mile is comprised of eight full blocks (each block equals 100 in addresses). The Hyatt Hotel is located at 151 E. Wacker Drive. Wacker Drive is 3½ blocks north of Madison Street and the Hotel is 1½ blocks east of State Street.  

Almost all walks from the Hyatt will begin by heading west to the corner of Michigan and Wacker Drive. There are only a few establishments east of the hotel. The Chicago River is immediately north of the hotel and can be crossed by bridge at Michigan Avenue and on each of the next several streets to the west of Michigan Avenue. 

The Magnificent Mile begins on the north side of the river on Michigan Avenue. Many restaurants are located on Michigan Avenue and on the east/west streets that cross Michigan as well as on the streets paralleling Michigan within a block or two to the east or west. The area to the east of Michigan Avenue is known as Streeterville.

Wacker Drive which follows the Chicago River is the northern and western border of the Loop. The Loop extends approximately ¾ mi. to the west of Michigan Avenue and ¾ mi. to the south of Wacker Drive with the southern border being Congress Street.  

Beware! Wacker Drive turns a corner approximately 4 blocks (1/2 mi.) west of the hotel and becomes a North-South Street. Remember the Hyatt is located on EAST Wacker Drive. Also note that Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue have lower levels but these beneath grade streets are not conducive to walking. 

Basically all points in the Loop, Streeterville and the Magnificent Mile are less than 1 ½ miles from the Hyatt and are walk-able in good weather. A Map of these areas follows:

The L and Subway: If you plan to take in a ballgame during your stay in Chicago, the “Red” line subway which runs beneath State Street, is the most economical and convenient mode of transportation. The nearest stop to the hotel is at State and Lake Streets (an easy 2 block walk). Take the Subway south to 35^th Street for Cellular One Field, home of the World Champion White Sox. If you prefer “minor” league baseball, take the Red line north to Addison Street, where you can visit Wrigley Field, home of the Cellar Dwelling Cubs. Either trip takes about 15 minutes. Trains run frequently and extra trains are added at the end of the ballgames. You can also take the Red line to Chinatown. Go South from the Loop and exit at 22^nd Street. 

The L system is also a convenient mode of transportation to Chicago’s airports if you are traveling with limited baggage. Take the “Blue” line subway from the corner of Clark and Lake Streets to O’Hare airport (allow an hour for this trip). You can take the “Orange” line “L” from the corner of Randolph and Wabash Streets to Midway airport.

One-way fares on Chicago’s L and Subway system are $2.00. You must purchase a Transit-card prior to boarding the train. The Transit-cards can be loaded with any amount of fare dollars and are available from machines at most stations. These same Transit-cards can be used for bus transportation. Bus fares are also $2.00 per ride. The best deal for visitors, who are staying in downtown Chicago, is the CTA’s Visitor-Pass. The visitor-pass provides unlimited travel on the L, Subway and bus system ($18 for 5 days, $12 for 3 days) and can be purchase online at www.transitchicago.com or in person at several Loop locations. The closest location to the Hyatt is the Cultural Center on the corner of Michigan and Randolph Streets. Note: The Chicago Visitor’s Center is located in the Cultural Center and is a very useful source of information for both local and out-of –town guests. 

Buses: Take a load off your feet and hop on a bus for short jaunts around the Loop and North Michigan Avenue locale. Many bus routes run past the corner of Michigan and Wacker. Check the bus stop signs for the route numbers that stop at a specific corner. Ask the driver, if you are unsure of your stop. Beware of Express buses which by pass many stops. Fares are $2.00. The same fare-cards are used for buses and subways. The buses also accept dollar bills, but no change is given. 

Taxis: Chicago has an abundance of taxis (unless it’s raining!). All taxis are supposed to be metered. Do not use un-metered “Jitney” cabs. The fares are generally considered moderate for a large city. The initial fare is $2.80 plus $0.20 per 1/8 of a mile. Additional passengers are charged $0.50. From the Hyatt to areas in the loop or on North Michigan Avenue, the fare will be about $5.00. Fares to Chinatown, Little Italy and the near-north restaurant areas will be $10-$15. Fares to O’Hare and Midway airport are $30-40. Tip the driver by rounding the fare up to the next dollar.

Commuter Rail Transportation: The Metropolitan Transit Authority (“METRA”) runs an extensive rail system between downtown Chicago and the suburban areas. Trains run very frequently during the morning and evening rush hours. Mid-day service is about once an hour. Late-night service is less frequent. Schedules are available at www.metrarail.com. Trains arrive at one of five Loop stations. All of these stations are within walking distance of the Hyatt and connecting buses are available (Union Station, the Ogilvie Center and the LaSalle Street Station are a mile or so from the Hyatt). The METRA Electric line from the South Suburbs and the South Shore Line from Northern Indiana utilize the Randolph-South Water Station, which is adjacent to Illinois Center, where the Hyatt is located.