Airport transfers from O'Hare to Magnificent mile area (Chicago, Forest Park: coupon, hotel)

[irishcolleen]

Hi we are looking to book a reputable transfer from the airport to the Magnificent mile area of Chicago. Would anyone have any contact details or links to some companies that offer this service? (cheapest if possible)

[OrangeAndBlue]

Cheapest would be taking the train (Blue line CTA) and then walking a bit or transferring to the Red line.
http://www.transitchicago.com/

Otherwise just go to the cab stand at O'Hare and take a taxi downtown. The train is $2.50 one-way and the taxi about $40.

[Thinking_Out_Loud]

OR you can go call All American Limo

[ole69]

cab fare from o'hare to the loop is a flat rate, $36

[OrangeAndBlue]

Originally Posted by ole69

cab fare from o'hare to the loop is a flat rate, $36

No it's not. Chicago cabs have meters and charge by distance. Only the suburban taxi companies have flat rates, but the trips must start or end in a suburb. Nevertheless, the rate from O'Hare to the Loop usually comes out to be pretty close to $36 based on my experience (before tip).

[ole69]

Originally Posted by OrangeAndBlue

No it's not. Chicago cabs have meters and charge by distance. Only the suburban taxi companies have flat rates, but the trips must start or end in a suburb. Nevertheless, the rate from O'Hare to the Loop usually comes out to be pretty close to $36 based on my experience (before tip).

When's the last time you've taken a cab in the city? They advertise flat rates between Midway, the Loop, O'Hare, and McCormick Center. Otherwise, they charge fare as normal.

Edit: All right, after looking around, I may be wrong. I don't take that many cabs, but when I have, it has been between downtown and UK village or Logan Square. And I swear that every one of them offered flat fares to the airports, and my origins and destinations were not "suburban".

Maybe it is specific to the companies that service those areas.

[nidex]

If you have a significant amount of luggage, your best bet is going to be catching a cab at O'Hare and having the cabbie take you to the Magnificent Mile. It's a pain in the you-know-what to haul luggage onto the train, off the train, onto the train again, and then to your hotel (or wherever it is you may be going).

If you do end up taking the CTA, get on the Blue Line towards the Loop/Forest Park at the airport. Transfer to the Red Line when you're downtown, the easiest will probably be at Jackson; there is a tunnel you can use. When you get off the Blue Line, just look for the red sign that says "Red Line" (or follow the urine smell), go down the stairs, walk through the tunnel, up the stairs, and then wait for a Red Line train going north towards Howard. If you tell us what block you're going to, we will be able to help you more.

[skeet09]

Originally Posted by irishcolleen

Hi we are looking to book a reputable transfer from the airport to the Magnificent mile area of Chicago. Would anyone have any contact details or links to some companies that offer this service? (cheapest if possible)

GO Airport Express | Airport Shuttle Chicago | Chicago Airport Limousine Service | Charter Bus Rental - Reserve for a round trip and ahead of time instead of going to the counter which will be a little more $. This is for the shared shuttle feature, a lot of your fellow passengers will also be traveling to the Mag Mile area.
If you use facebook, you can "like" their page and get access to coupon codes to save on the fare.
We used them for our trip just a few weeks ago, it was $44 total for 2 people.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by ole69

When's the last time you've taken a cab in the city? They advertise flat rates between Midway, the Loop, O'Hare, and McCormick Center. Otherwise, they charge fare as normal.

Edit: All right, after looking around, I may be wrong. I don't take that many cabs, but when I have, it has been between downtown and UK village or Logan Square. And I swear that every one of them offered flat fares to the airports, and my origins and destinations were not "suburban".

Maybe it is specific to the companies that service those areas.

There's no "maybe" about it - you are wrong.

What cabs do offer are fixed-rate shared cabs to several downtown areas. A shared cab is when the cab starter at the airport puts 2-4 people in one cab, each going to a different destination within the same general area and they each get a discounted rate. It can be a good deal for both the riders and the driver if there are at least 3 people.

The other things cabs have is a list of approximate trip totals from the airports to downtown places, which the city has them post so visitors will have some idea if the driver takes a wildly circuitous route to drive up the meter. However these are NOT actual fares, just guidelines to help discourage fraud.

[ole69]

Simmer down there, buddy. I already admitted my error.

Like I said, I don't take cabs that often in the city.

What must I do to rectify the indignation I have provoked in this thread?

Here is a piece of Chicago history as a peace offering:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uOwVg2B79E