Get to Lollapalooza Affordably & Conveniently – Let CTA Drive You to the Party!

Extra service for Lollapalooza, Cubs, Barbara Streisand and Chicago Bears Family Fest

CTA is adding extra service on its rail lines Thursday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 4 for Lollapalooza. Those traveling into the city via Metra can exit at Union Station or Ogilvie Transportation Center, each of which will have directional signage to guide riders to the appropriate CTA bus routes. (See sample of directional signage in PDF version. See Service Release link below) Buses providing service to Grant Park will also have signs in their windows indicating service to Lollapalooza. More information on CTA’s service to Lollapalooza can be found here:

Service Release – Aug. 1 – 7_FINAL

Extra Rail Service:

  • Longer trains and/or more frequent service on the Red, Brown, Blue, Green and Orange lines
  • Yellow Line service hours extended until 1 a.m. each day of the event

Metra riders connecting to CTA:

  • From Union Station: Take #126 Jackson
  • From Ogilvie Transportation Center: Take the #J14 Jeffery Jump

Note that Lollapalooza restricts items that can be carried into the festival grounds. For more information on what is permitted, go to: lollapalooza.com/information/.

Travel Tips

  • CTA strongly recommends customers plan ahead, allow extra travel time this weekend
  • Download the Ventra app, a must-have for travel on CTA, Metra and Pace (ventrachicago.com)
  • Purchase Metra tickets
  • Add value and manage Ventra account
  • Access to service information, alerts and schedules
  • Purchase fares in advance to avoid long lines (see below for more details)
  • 3-day or 7-day unlimited-ride passes are the best value for those visiting multiple days

Extra Service for Other Events
Soldier Field: Chicago Bears Family Fun Fest – Sat. 8/3 at 7 p.m.

United Center: Barbara Streisand Concert – Tues. 8/6 at 8 p.m.

Wrigley Field
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs – Fri. 8/2, Sat. 8/3 and Sun. 8/4 at 1:20 p.m.
Oakland Athletics vs. Chicago Cubs – Mon. 8/5, Tues. 8/6 at 7:05 p.m.; Wed. 8/7 at 1:20 p.m.

Need another great reason to take CTA to the Cubs game? Limos, ride-hailing vehicles and taxis will be restricted from picking up and dropping off passengers in close proximity to Wrigley Field in order to reduce traffic congestion.

Additional Fare information
Customers can add  unlimited ride passes (1-day, 3-day, 7-day and 30-day) or add money to their Ventra cards for pay-per-ride via the following ways: free Ventra app, rail station Ventra vending machines, online or at nearly 900 local retailers (for locations visit ventrachicago.com or the Ventra app).

Single-ride tickets are also available for purchase ($3) at all Ventra vending machines. Single-ride tickets include up to two transfers in two hours.

In a hurry? Ventra allows riders to use Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay, or any contactless credit or debit card, for pay-as-you-go rides ($2.25 for bus, $2.50 for train).

Service information
Plan your trip using the Google Transit Trip Planner. Be sure to also check out CTA on Facebook or Twitter (@CTA) for system travel updates and alerts. For details about all CTA service, call 312-836-7000 or visit the CTA website at transitchicago.com.

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