Commuting to Downtown Chicago

[Nikko12]

Originally Posted by Mads912

Hi Nikko - I just moved to Schererville a year ago from Chicago. I commute to downtown Chicago 4 days a week. I typically drive and have found that there are many parking garages with reasonable monthly rates or good "early bird" rates if you arrive and park before 9. I sometimes take the southshore train however, it is very slow and cold in the winter. I'd much rather spend a bit more and be in the warmth of my car. I've also found that it doesn't usually save me any time and many times would take longer than if I drove. I have take the metra from University park and its very nice but the drive home does add on a bit more time once you get off the train.

I also am sorry to hear about the close mindedness of your employer. Having lived in the city and now here in Northwest Indiana, I can say that sometimes getting to work from the Northside of Chicago took almost as long as it does coming from Chicago. Additionally, Northwest Indiana is just as close if not closer than many of the Western Suburbs many people commute from.

Good luck! I just suggest doing a balance between driving and taking the train and you will be just fine. Check with area garages or see if your employer offers any discounts for monthly transportation/parking.

Thanks for the info! I actually did a comparison of costs between driving and taking the south shore. Both options have me leaving and getting home about the same time. My hours are 9-5, so I will need to leave shortly after 7am and arrive home around 6:45pm.

Provided I pay $15.00 a day for parking, it will cost me approximately $6,500 to commute per year when factoring in the daily parking and gas. Taking the train, however that amount goes down to around $3,200 per year.

I will definitely ask the employer if they offer any kind of commuting savings accounts or discounts anywhere. I also agree with you that people drive from the northern or northwest suburbs usually spend more time commuting than from NW Indiana. They did not make it a major issue but one of the people that interviewed me did mention it a couple of times. I think she was only concerned that I would grow tired of the commute.

I think that combining driving/taking train is a good idea, however the South Shore offers a big discount if you pay monthly $155, opposed to like $120 for a 25 ride.

Any garage or lot recommendations? I am thinking of using the Grant Park South garage as it is $15 if you get in before 9. That's about the best deal that I found.
Thanks!

[svillechris]

Nikko-

The people that I know that live in Crown Point and take the south shore typically use the Gary Metro train station. Hop on 65, get off westbound on 12/4th Ave to the train stop. You'd be backtracking back east if you went to the Miller stop.

Also, where is your office at in the loop? There are two $10 cash only lots on either side of Clinton, literally underneath Congress. It's not a beautiful parking garage or anything but it gets the job done and is probably the cheapest you'll find without going a mile south.

[Nikko12]

Originally Posted by svillechris

Nikko-

The people that I know that live in Crown Point and take the south shore typically use the Gary Metro train station. Hop on 65, get off westbound on 12/4th Ave to the train stop. You'd be backtracking back east if you went to the Miller stop.

Also, where is your office at in the loop? There are two $10 cash only lots on either side of Clinton, literally underneath Congress. It's not a beautiful parking garage or anything but it gets the job done and is probably the cheapest you'll find without going a mile south.

I will be working on LaSalle/Adams...

I crossed the Miller stop off my list...doesn't make sense and there isn't a lot of parking there.

If I am taking the train, which at this point I am leaning towards, I would probably get a monthly pass as it is much cheaper. So that leaves me with either Gary Metro or East Chicago. EC is about 7 miles further and traffic could be an issue in the Borman. Gary Metro monthly passes cost more, and they also charge for parking, but factoring in the gas prices it is pretty much a wash.

[Nikko12]

I think I have decided to pick up the train in East Chicago. Now, my question, I will be getting off on Van Buren, but when I make the return trip, how crowded is the train at 5:30 if I got on at the Van Buren stop? Would I be better to walk 5 more minutes to Randolph to get a seat?

[Nikko12]

After working for a few days, driving definitely saves time. The lot I found is $15 a day and only 4 blocks away. I don't have to leave until 7:20-7:30 and I get home around 6:00-6:15. But that's taking the Skyway, which is another $9.00 a day plus gas

It's not cost effective though, as the train is the cheapest way to go, but I have to leave around 7:10-7:15, and I don't get home until 6:45, but it's only $8-9 a day if I buy a monthly pass, although they offer a transit plan so it saves about $40-50 a month on the $155 ticket

[BridgetJones]

Originally Posted by Nikko12

I think I have decided to pick up the train in East Chicago. Now, my question, I will be getting off on Van Buren, but when I make the return trip, how crowded is the train at 5:30 if I got on at the Van Buren stop? Would I be better to walk 5 more minutes to Randolph to get a seat?

I live in Crown Point as well and commute to Chicago with similar hours--if they were the same as mine, I'd almost ask if you would want to consider a carpool! I use the East Chicago station due to the amount of parking, and find it takes me about 25-30 minutes to drive there (I get on 65 the same place you would, take that to 80-94, get off at Cline, and get off at Michigan Rd...Cline is under construction right now but I'm finding leaving 5 min early is giving me plenty of time). I usually allow at least 6-7 minutes for walking through the massive parking lot and getting up to the platform--I find sometimes the morning train will be running early too, so if you're on time, you'll miss it.

I take that same train in the afternoons, and it is very crowded so if it's not too far out of your way, you might walk to Randloph. I always ride in the first or second car though, because otherwise it will take you probably 10 minutes or more to get to your car due to the volume of people who get off at East Chicago on that train and the fact that the platform at East Chicago only has one staircase. Maybe the third car back or so might be less crowded though. And usually most people who get on at Van Buren can get seats, except for times when there are a lot of non-commuters on the train (special events, week before Christmas, etc.).

I would be a little concerned though if your employer won't be understanding if you're late due to a train issue. This morning, the trains were "delayed indefinitely" because one broke down on the tracks and I was about 35 minutes late to work. This isn't a regular occurrence by any means, but a delay of 10 minutes isn't out of the ordinary, and I think your employer should be understanding in cases like that, and they will pass out late slips so you can show that the train is what caused you to be late. It's not like Metra runs perfectly on time all the time either.

[Nikko12]

Thanks for the info! This is my 4th commute so I am figuring out what works best. I took the train in on Thursday and got on at East Chicago, and you pretty much nailed it! On the commute home I took the 5:28 train, and got on at Randolph and was able to get a seat no problem, in fact no one was even next to me which was nice. I could have probably got on at Van Buren just fine and still sat, but I got on in the middle towards the end, and when we got off in E.C. it was a long wait to get out the doors.

I would much rather drive in, however it is just way too expensive. Just for parking and tolls it is $26 a day plus gas, but it saves my a lot of time. Driving in I don't have to leave until about 7:30 and I get home a little after 6pm, but taking the train I leave the house at about 7:10 and get home around 6:45. It would be great to set up a car pool though!

Originally Posted by BridgetJones

I live in Crown Point as well and commute to Chicago with similar hours--if they were the same as mine, I'd almost ask if you would want to consider a carpool! I use the East Chicago station due to the amount of parking, and find it takes me about 25-30 minutes to drive there (I get on 65 the same place you would, take that to 80-94, get off at Cline, and get off at Michigan Rd...Cline is under construction right now but I'm finding leaving 5 min early is giving me plenty of time). I usually allow at least 6-7 minutes for walking through the massive parking lot and getting up to the platform--I find sometimes the morning train will be running early too, so if you're on time, you'll miss it.

I take that same train in the afternoons, and it is very crowded so if it's not too far out of your way, you might walk to Randloph. I always ride in the first or second car though, because otherwise it will take you probably 10 minutes or more to get to your car due to the volume of people who get off at East Chicago on that train and the fact that the platform at East Chicago only has one staircase. Maybe the third car back or so might be less crowded though. And usually most people who get on at Van Buren can get seats, except for times when there are a lot of non-commuters on the train (special events, week before Christmas, etc.).

I would be a little concerned though if your employer won't be understanding if you're late due to a train issue. This morning, the trains were "delayed indefinitely" because one broke down on the tracks and I was about 35 minutes late to work. This isn't a regular occurrence by any means, but a delay of 10 minutes isn't out of the ordinary, and I think your employer should be understanding in cases like that, and they will pass out late slips so you can show that the train is what caused you to be late. It's not like Metra runs perfectly on time all the time either.

[Mads912]

Sounds like you're figuring it out well! I agree train is so much cheaper but for me time is so important (I have a 3 year old waiting at home for me!) I was also going to mention looking into Pace Rideshares. I have a couple friends who use this service. They pick up near the amtrak station in Dyer. They have groups of small vans that people pay monthly to carpool together. The one I was looking into was really cheap but they left dyer at 6:30 am and I just couldn't make that time work with my schedule. It's worth looking into if you have time. Hope everything else is smooth at your new job! Good luck!