CHICAGO PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) refers to the bus and train system for the city.  The CTA’s train system is also called the “L”, Chicago’s elevated track system.

A transit card, called “Ventra”, can be purchased from the vending machines in the airport CTA stations when you arrive. They can also be purchased at all CTA train stations, and in certain retail locations, such as Walgreens or Jewel, using a credit card or cash.  Any amount of money can be stored on the card for later use on any CTA bus or train.   Please note: Ventra cards can NOT be used on Metra Trains, which run between Chicago and the suburbs. Metra tickets can be purchased online or in Metra stations. Please visit the Metra website for more information. With a transit card, the fare is $2.25 for each train ride in the city and $2.00 for each bus ride.  It costs 25 cents to make a transfer. Note: it costs $5.00 for a ride from O’Hare to downtown.

Unlimited passes (Unlimited Ride Cards) can also be purchased for 1 day ($10), 3-day ($20), 7-day ($28), as well as monthly passes ($100). These can be purchased at the CTA stations in the airports, Currency Exchanges, select Jewels, and in the CTA store.

Transit cards or exact cash fare can be used on the buses. (Note: the bus drivers will not provide change!)

If you have any questions regarding your travel, CTA representatives monitor all of the stations and will be happy to answer any inquiries.  You can also visit www.transitchicago.com  for a door to door trip planner.

CTA bus routes #151 and #156 both serve the zoo. Other bus routes that run close to the zoo are #22 and #36. For schedules, contact the RTA/CTA at (312) 836-7000, or go to CTA Bus Tracker.

Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes
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Lincoln Park Zoo is open 365 days a year and is FREE every day!