Public Transportation

Cermak-McCormick Place Green Line Station
The nearest CTA rail station is located at the intersection of Cermak Road and State Street, 2 blocks (0.15 mile) from the northwest corner of the McCormick Place West Building – Gate 41- located at Cermak Road and Indiana Ave.

Fare and Frequency
A one-way fare on the L train is $2.25 (Additional fare if coming directly from O’Hare Airport). Fare cards can be purchased at the station and collected prior to boarding the platform. To learn more about the CTA fare card system, visit Ventra Card. On average, Green line trains operate approximately on an 11 minute frequency from 5 a.m. to Midnight. Review the station timetable for additional information.

Riding the CTA to and from McCormick Place
CTA “L” Train routes our designated by colors and terminating stations. When traveling to McCormick Place from the downtown Loop, make sure to enter the southbound Green Line Cottage Grove or Ashland/63rd Branch trains as indicated on the platform and train display cards. When returning to the Loop from McCormick Place use the northbound platform marked “Harlem/Lake”.

Optional Cermak #21 Bus Transfer
For an additional $.25 transfer fare, Green Line riders transfer to an East bound Cermak Road #21 Bus located directly below the station platform on Cermak Road. As an alternative option to walking, The #21 bus stops directly in front of McCormick Place.

Connections to Other Trains, Airports
The CTA Green Line Route offers convenient citywide connections to the Loop and free transfers to many other “L” lines including the Blue Line – O’Hare Airport branch and the Orange Line – Midway Airport branch. The Green Line also offers near-direct connection to suburban METRA train stations servicing the North and Western Suburbs via Ogilvie Transportation Center, Union Station and Amtrak – via the Clinton Green Line stop.

Metra Train and CTA Bus City Map
Metra Train and CTA Bus Locations at or near McCormick Place

The CTA “L” trains provide service to Downtown Chicago and McCormick Place from both international airports.

From O’Hare International Airport: The CTA “Blue” line provides service to and from the airport. Take the Blue Line from O’Hare and transfer to a south-bound Green Line train at Clark and Lake. Note, in the Loop the Blue Line is a Subway Train and the Green Line is an elevated train, a free transfer is available at Clark and Lake.

From Midway Airport: The CTA “Orange” line provides service to and from the airport. Take the train to the Roosevelt Street Station (Subway) and transfer to the elevated Green Line Station. Continue on the southbound Green Line train for 1-stop to the Cermak-McCormick Place station.

The Cermark-McCormick Place Station is 2 block (0.15 miles) walk from the Northwest Corner of the McCormick Place West Building.

Here is helpful information for using Metra to traveling from McCormick Place to Midway or O’Hare airports.

More than 5,800 city taxis are at your service in Chicago. Facility direction signs and personnel at the Concierge Desk will direct attendees to gates that are designated for your event.

Shared Taxi Program: There is a Shared Ride Program available for those flying into O’Hare and Midway and taking a cab from one of these airports to either McCormick Place or downtown.

Located on Level 2.5 of the Grand Concourse in the South Building, the METRA Electric commuter railroad provides direct service within seven minutes to and from downtown Chicago. Service from the Millennium (Randolph St.) Station (near the Fairmont Hotel) to McCormick Place begins early morning, with more frequent pick-ups during rush hours.

Shuttle connections (via CTA bus) can be made to the METRA system at Chicago Union Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center and LaSalle Street Station. METRA services the Midwest as far north as Kenosha, Wisconsin; northwest to Fox Lake and Harvard; west to Elgin, Geneva and Aurora; southwest to Joliet and Orland Park; south to University Park; and east to South Bend, Indiana. Metra/CTA Bus Map

Here is helpful information for using Metra to traveling from McCormick Place to Midway or O’Hare airports.

Getting to McCormick Place is possible by using the city transit system. The Chicago Transit Authority provides the following bus service and runs approximately every 15 minutes. Drop off is located at the main entrance to the South Building on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

The #3 King Drive bus is the most common bus route to McCormick Place as it runs north/south along Michigan Avenue serving many downtown hotels and the Magnificent Mile and Water Tower Place. The McCormick Place stop is located at 2301 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago and is in front of our main entrance.

One-way bus fare is $2.00 and it is recommended to pre-purchase a Ventra card prior to using the bus system.

McCormick Place Bus Station List:
• #3 King Drive “McCormick Place – MLK Drive @ McCormick Square – 2301 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago” – for North, South, Lakeside Center Buildings and the Hyatt Hotel.
• #3 King Drive “Cermak @ Indiana” for McCormick Place West Building.

Additional Nearby Stations and Routes
• #4 Cottage Grove “Michigan @ Cermak Road – runs north/south along Michigan Ave.
• #21 Cermak Road – Runs East/West Along Cermak

#3 King Drive Route Map with Hotels | Metra and CTA Bus Map

A Transportation Network Provider (TNP) company, also referred to as a “rideshare” company, provides prearranged transportation services for compensation through an Internet-enabled application or digital platform connecting passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire.

“CHICABS” offers options for taxicab passengers to electronically hail (E-Hail) a taxicab through a mobile app. CHICABS approved apps also let passengers electronically pay (E-Pay) for the taxicab fare through the app. Download “Curb” from your favorite App Store. Click “Arro” for the Arro App site.

“Lyft” and “Uber” are licensed TNP companies with the City of Chicago. Download their application(s) from your favorite App Store.

TNP Pickup Locations at McCormick Place

McCormick Place has several public bike racks located around the facility. Please view the Bike Rack Locations map to choose the rack closest to your venue.

Divvy Bike Program: McCormick Place is part of the City of Chicago Bike Sharing System called Divvy. A 24-hour pass can be purchased at Divvy Bike station for a day of unlimited 30-minute trips. Bikes can be reserved and dropped off at any Divvy station around the city, including the station located in McCormick Square – 2301 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. There’s also an additional station located at Cermak and Wabash near the Cermak – McCormick Place Green Line Station. For more information including a system-wide map, visit:www.divvybikes.com