ORD airport transportation to North Chicago starts with a choice between driving and connecting to public transit at O’Hare. Chicago O’Hare International Airport is about 33 minutes by car from Red Carpet Inn North Chicago, while CTA, Metra and Pace serve parts of the O’Hare area.
- CTA Blue Line: runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Metra: North Central Service connects O’Hare Transfer with Union Station and suburban stations.
- Pace: buses serve the Multi-Modal Facility (MMF), with routes and schedules to verify.
- O’Hare’s North Central Service station list does not include North Chicago, so plan an onward connection.
Driving from O’Hare to North Chicago
Driving is the direct option identified for reaching North Chicago from O’Hare. If you are arranging a rental car or pickup, confirm the details with the relevant provider before leaving the airport.
Travel time can depend on conditions, so use a current navigation service when planning your drive.
Public transit connections
O’Hare has CTA, Metra and Pace connections, but you’ll need to confirm how to cover the rest of the journey to North Chicago.
CTA Blue Line
The Blue Line runs between O’Hare and Forest Park via downtown Chicago, around the clock, seven days a week.
Its station is in the lower-level concourse connected to Terminals 1, 2 and 3; from Terminal 5, take the Airport Transit System (ATS) to the CTA station. CTA gives a normal travel time of 40–45 minutes from O’Hare to downtown Chicago.
Metra North Central Service
From the airport, take the ATS to the MMF at 10255 W. Zemke Boulevard. The O’Hare Transfer station is behind the facility on its northeast corner. North Central Service runs between O’Hare Transfer and Union Station, with suburban stops including Antioch, Lake Villa, Round Lake Beach, Grayslake, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Wheeling and Prospect Heights.
Great Lakes is a station in North Chicago; the Great Lakes station guide covers getting to and from it. North Chicago is not a North Central Service station, so don’t assume the train takes you directly to the city.
Pace buses
Pace buses use bays 8 and 9 at the MMF, which you can reach from the terminals by ATS. Route 250 serves the MMF, Des Plaines Metra station and downtown Evanston via Dempster Avenue, with connections to Davis Street CTA Purple Line and Skokie Swift CTA Yellow Line stations.
Route 330 provides weekday and Saturday service to Archer Avenue and Harlem Avenue in Summit, with destinations including La Grange Road station and Countryside Plaza.
Routes and service details can change. Check the official site before you go: use Pace’s current information for bus service and the relevant transit operator’s information for other connections.
Shuttle and car-service questions
O’Hare says hotel and off-airport-parking shuttle pickups are at the Terminal 2 Arrivals curbside rather than the Bus Shuttle Center. Some shuttles may still pick up at Terminal 5, so contact your provider to confirm your pickup location.
Regional buses and charter buses have different pickup arrangements. Regional buses use the MMF, reached by ATS from any terminal. Non-scheduled charter buses pick up on lower-level commercial lanes at Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and at Terminal 5, Door 5D; they cannot use the MMF.
The airport’s regional bus providers serve destinations such as Madison, Rockford, Peoria, Champaign and Indianapolis. The airport describes its provider list as a courtesy, so confirm routes and availability directly with the company you plan to use.
Choosing a route for your arrival time
Your arrival time can shape which connection is practical. The Blue Line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while Pace Route 330 runs on weekdays and Saturdays. Check current service details before relying on a particular bus or train.
If you are considering a train connection, remember that the ATS links the terminals with both the CTA station and the MMF. The ATS serves Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5, as well as the MMF, and runs around the clock; during peak hours it operates every 3–5 minutes.
For a broader look at local movement after arrival, getting around North Chicago covers the area.
What to confirm before travel
Before leaving O’Hare, confirm the last leg to North Chicago as well as the first connection from the airport. North Chicago is not a North Central Service station, and a complete public-transit itinerary or current schedule from ORD to the city is not established.
- For a shuttle, ask your provider which terminal curbside to use.
- For Pace, confirm current routes and service times.
- For a regional bus, check its destination and pickup point with the provider.
- For Metra, confirm the train’s current service and your onward connection.
FAQs
Is there a direct public-transit route from O’Hare to North Chicago?
O’Hare has CTA, Metra and Pace connections, but North Chicago is not a North Central Service station. Confirm the full itinerary and current schedules before you travel.
Where do I catch the CTA Blue Line at O’Hare?
The station is in the lower-level concourse connected to Terminals 1, 2 and 3. From Terminal 5, take the ATS to the CTA station.
Where do hotel shuttles pick up at O’Hare?
O’Hare identifies the Terminal 2 Arrivals curbside as the hotel and off-airport-parking shuttle pickup area. Some shuttles may still serve Terminal 5, so confirm your pickup point with the provider.
How do I reach Metra from the airport?
Take the ATS to the MMF at 10255 W. Zemke Boulevard. The O’Hare Transfer station is behind the facility on its northeast corner.