What is the best way to get to/from United Center in Chicago

[TRACYWAX]

I am going to United Center in Chicago for the May 12th show. I have never been to United Center. What is the best way to get to and from United Center from downtown loop area. I thought a cab woule be OK to get there but it is hard to get a cab out of there when the show is over? Or is there a better way to get there? any suggeations would be a great help. Thanks!

 

[Elevate77]

I have the same kinda question. I thought about a cab too, but wasn't sure what it would be like at night. Thinking maybe I'll just rent a car for a couple days and only use it to go to/from the show. Anyone also have any hotel recommendations?

 

[miss becky]

I've been wondering this too. Someone told me the blue El line will take you right to the United Center. Can anyone from Chicago confirm this? Thanks!

 

[Pop Artist]

Don't rent a car if staying in the city, definitely not worth it! The El is some blocks away, and it will be hard to impossible to get a taxi after the show. But there is a bus that brings you from the Loop right to the UC doorstep, and an express one that starts a couple of hours before the show. And there are buses lined up to bring people back after the show. So no worries on that... Do a Google on the CTA or Chicago Transit Authority for the official site where you can get specifics, the United Center site might have the bus #s too.

 

[Lone Justice]

To get to the United Center from the loop take the #20 bus (I lived there and did this for the last tour)- it goes out of the loop on Madison (it comes back in one block north on Washington) West of Halsted it runs in and out on Madison. (The United Center is at Madison and Damen)

You have to be at a bus stop to get on. Bus fare is $1.75 (no change available) Look for signs on the street every few blocks. The sign will have lots of bus routes on it. You will need to be at a stop with a sign that says 20 on it. There are genrally lots of extra busses added for big United Center events.

Also, after the show tons of busses are lined up outside the United Center - but I have never been able to compress my post-U2show elation enough to get on the bus and wait in stopped traffic - cabs are impossible within a few blocks of the United Center - but lots of people will walk east toward the loop on Madison. I did this for the last two U2 shows I went to at the United Center and I was able to get in a cab (once on Madison and once on Ogden) in about 15 or 20 minutes.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need an extra pair of tickets for Tuesday 5/10. Cheap!

email4randy@gmail.com

 

[miss becky]

Thank you Lone Justice!

 

[trainspotter]

I will be stateside in early may, so I have just decided to include the Chicago 9th May show into my trip, flying in and out of Chicago for a one night stay. So any hotel tips will be handy, I am thinking of possibly staying up near the airport, but if there is a group of out of towners all turning up for the show, having the same hotel booked might mean that I have someone to discuss the concert with in the hotel bar afterwards (as I am travelling alone)

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

Lone Justice's directions and advice are excellent. As a supplement to them, if you want specific directions to or from anywhere on the CTA, this trip planner is really handy:

http://tripsweb.rtachicago.com/

 

[miss becky]

I will be stateside in early may, so I have just decided to include the Chicago 9th May show into my trip, flying in and out of Chicago for a one night stay. So any hotel tips will be handy, I am thinking of possibly staying up near the airport, but if there is a group of out of towners all turning up for the show, having the same hotel booked might mean that I have someone to discuss the concert with in the hotel bar afterwards (as I am travelling alone)

I'm staying in Rosemount. It's close to the airport, and there is a Loop close by to take us the United Center.

And if it helps, I didn't book the hotel until last week. I used hotels.com and they still showed plenty of available rooms for that weekend.