Getting Around Chicago
El & the Subway:
Sky Train: Chicago's El: Chicago has the biggest El in the country, and the second-largest public transportation system.
The rapid transit system operates five major lines, which the CTA identifies by color: The Red Line runs north-south; the Green Line runs west-south; the Blue Line runs through Wicker Park/Bucktown west-northwest to O'Hare Airport; the Brown Line runs in a northern zigzag route; and the Orange Line runs southwest, serving Midway airport.
A separate express line, the Purple Line, services Evanston, while a smaller, local line in Skokie (the Yellow Line) is linked to the north-south Red Line. Skokie and Evanston are adjacent suburbs on Chicago's northern boundary.
By Car
Chicago is laid out in a very straight forward grid pattern, and it is easy for visitors to get around the city by car. Unless otherwise posted, a right turn on red is allowed after stopping and signaling.
The city's streets are set up in a grid pattern, providing ease of navigation. Parking is often hard to find. Taxis are readily available. The elevated "El" trains are color coded and run through the downtown "Loop" every five to fifteen minutes during the day Walking is an option year round as the underground Pedway pedestrian tunnels link more than 40 blocks of the central business district.