Chicago Travel Guide (Chicago, Illinois)

Getting around Chicago is simple and quick, thanks to buses and the "El," a system of elevated trains operated 24 hours a day by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA; tel 312/836-7000, ). Pick up a CTA System Map, available at most subway stations and visitor centers or from the CTA office on the seventh floor of the Merchandise Mart. Buses run every five to fifteen minutes during rush hours and every eight to twenty minutes at most other times. Rapid transit trains run every five to fifteen minutes during the day and every fifteen to sixty minutes all night. Lines are color-coded and denoted by route rather than destination. The Howard-Dan Ryan is the Red Line; Lake Englewood-Jackson Park is the Green Line; the O'Hare-Congress-Douglas is the Blue Line; the Ravenswood is the Brown Line (whose trains circle the Loop, giving the area its name); the Evanston Express is the Purple Line; and the Skokie Swift is the Yellow Line.

The CTA no longer accepts tokens; instead, riders purchase a transit card (available in all El stations) and add value to it. One ride costs $1.50; another ride within two hours costs just 30¢. If you plan to be on the move, passes good for one ($5), two ($9), three ($12) or five ($18) days of unlimited rides might be a good idea. They're available at O'Hare, Midway and Amtrak subway stations.

Chicago's taxis , despite a recent increase in fares, are more reasonable than those of many other major US cities. Charges are $1.50 at the drop of the flag, $1.20 per mile and 50¢ for each additional passenger. Cabs can be hailed anytime in the Loop and other central neighborhoods; otherwise call Yellow (tel 312/829-4222) or Checker taxis (tel 312/243-2537).

A River Bus (April-Oct; $2; tel 312/337-1446) operates on the river during rush hour in summer, running from the Michigan Avenue Bridge to Union Station in eight minutes.