Hello Prospective Students!
We are excited to see you all for Campus Days this weekend and have some excellent events planned for you all. But first, here is some advice for getting to Hyde Park and even exploring Chicago, if you have time. Below are our recommendations for transportation. Feel free to email us (ma-humanities@uchicago.edu) if you have any questions!
From the Airport:
O’Hare: The Blue Line runs straight from ORD to the Loop, where you can grab any other L train or the buses that go to Hyde Park (see below).
Midway: The 55 bus goes straight from Midway to Hyde Park. The 55th & Ellis stop is essentially on campus, but some of you might be staying farther east, as ask your host (or Google) which stop you should use. You can also jump on the Orange Line from Midway. This will take you to the Loop, where you can grab a train to another neighborhood if you are staying/hanging out outside of Hyde Park.
The 6 Bus runs express to/from the Loop and 47th all day everyday and into the night (south from 5:00 am until 1:00 am and north from 4:00 am until ~midnight). It is a quick, and rather scenic, way to get to and from downtown, dropping you along Michigan Avenue. If you are staying outside of the neighborhood, this will probably be your bus.
It is the best way to get from Hyde Park to other neighborhoods, as the 6 Bus will connect you to all of the El Train lines.
The 2 Bus runs express to/from the Loop and 57th & Stony Island. This bus only runs during weekday rush hours, so it is more limited. But the 60th & Ellis stop will drop you off directly across the Midway from the Classics Building (1010 E. 59th Street), home of the MAPH Office and many Campus Days events.
The Metra goes from Millennium Station to 57th and 59th street. Riding the Metra is more expensive than the CTA, but it is speedy and pleasant. Like the 2 Bus, the Metra’s schedule is less frequent. It is worth looking up the Metra’s times to avoid a long wait.
Within Hyde Park
The 170, 171, and 172 buses travel throughout Hyde Park.The University also runs daytime shuttles that follow routes throughout the neighborhood, including to/from the Metra stations.
There is also a 53rd street shuttle that makes getting from campus to businesses and residences near 53rd & Lake Park a breeze.
The UGO NightRide shuttles will come in handy, well, at night. These shuttles (North, South, East, and West) run into the early morning, and will likely take you near your destination if you are staying in Hyde Park.
A couple of the shuttles pick up near the Logan Center, where our reception will be on Sunday evening. We’ll provide you will passes for the shuttles in the information packets you’ll receive on Sunday.
If you are driving
Parking on the weekend shouldn’t be a problem, though parking near campus will prove harder on Monday. If you are driving to campus on Monday, we recommend you budget extra time. as parking spots around campus tend to have disappeared by an ungodly hour on the weekday. You can usually find something on the Midway after circling around a few times, but, if that doesn’t work out, there is a free lot on 60th & Stony Island that is open 24/7 or a parking structure on Ellis & 55 (though you do have to pay for this one).
Cabbing, etc.
- As you may already know, ride-sharing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, provide popular [and often cheaper] alternatives to cabs in cities like Chicago.
- Hailo can help pin down cabs in places where it is harder to hail one
- Cab companies in Chicago: Yellow Cab, Flash Cab, Chicago Carriage Cab
