CHICAGO
is in many ways the nation's last great city. Sarah Bernhardt called it "the pulse of America" and, though long eclipsed by Los Angeles as the nation's second most populous city after New York, Chicago really does have it all, with less of the hassle and infrastructural problems of its coastal rivals.
Founded in the early 1800s, Chicago grew up with the country, serving as the main connection between the established east coast cities and the wide open Wild West frontier. This position on the sharp edge between civilization and wilderness made the city into a crucible of innovation. Many aspects of modern life, from skyscrapers to suburbia, had their start, and perhaps their finest expression, here on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Arrival And Information :
Chicago's
O'Hare International Airport
(tel 773/686-2200, ), the national HQ for United, American and several other airlines, is seventeen miles northwest of downtown Chicago. It is connected to the center by 24-hour CTA (Blue Line)
trains
from the station under Terminal 4, which take around forty minutes and cost $1.50.
Midway Airport
, smaller than O'Hare but used by an increasing number of domestic airlines, is eleven miles southwest of downtown; take one of CTA's Midway (Orange Line) trains, which take thirty minutes, or the #99M Midway Express bus (weekday rush hours only).
Taxis
into town from O'Hare cost around $25-30 (there's also a shared ride program with a flat rate of $15), and take thirty minutes to an hour. From Midway the fare is about $25 (shared rides are $10) and the journey time twenty to forty minutes. Another option is Continental Air Transport's
express bus and van
service between the airports and downtown hotels ($20 from O'Hare, $15 from Midway; tel 312/454-7799, ). The highways are often clogged, so allow at least an hour for the trip from either airport. More Chicago information... |
Call toll free..
US and Canada: 1-800-780-5733
Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40
Use discount code: 89865
