Chicago is served by two major airports:
O'Hare International Airport and Midway Airport.
Midway being the smaller airport, more
focused on discount carriers. For general information
about the airports, as well as traffic and parking information,
terminal maps, and available services, see the O'Hare website
or the Midway website.
When booking your tickets, remember that O'Hare Airport
is 15 miles from the Westin, but Midway is 38 miles from
the Westin. Cab fares and travel times should be figured
in.
Picking Up Someone
From O'Hare or Midway
If you are picking up someone from O'Hare, it is recommended
that you use the Kiss-n-Fly.
Arriving passengers will need to take a five-minute ride
on the ATS (Airport Transit System monorail) from the
terminals to the end of the line. A map is available
here (PDF link).
Cars are permitted to idle at the O'Hare Kiss-n-Fly, though
unattended vehicles will be towed. Another alternative
is the O'Hare
Cell Phone Lot (by Parking Lot F, just east of Mannheim
Rd.), where you can wait until the person you are meeting
arrives and calls you, then you can drive to the terminal
and pick them up.
Note that during peak arrival/departure times, I-190/O'Hare
Terminal Access Road gets terribly congested and
driving can be a bit...exciting. Using the Kiss-n-Fly
option is highly recommended.
If you are picking up someone from Midway,
they provide a Cell
Phone Lot at 61st St and Cicero Ave.
O'Hare or Midway To the Westin By
Train
Note: All
train options require that you are a paying guest at the
Westin Chicago North Shore to request a shuttle!
You have two options to get to the Westin
by train from O'Hare. The simplest option is to catch
Metra's North
Central Service train from the O'Hare Transfer station (take the Airport Transit System
monorail to the end, then transfer to the free shuttle
bus to Lot F, which will also take you to the Metra station.
Once on the train, purchase a ticket from the conductor;
the fare will be $3.35. You will be going to the Wheeling station (about 15 minutes). Once at the Wheeling
station, call the Westin Chicago North Shore at (847)
777-6500 and request a shuttle to pick you up.
Alas, the North Central Service line runs
infrequently, and not at all on weekends. There is an
alternative, though. From the O'Hare terminals, follow
the signs to the Chicago Transit Authority train, the
Blue Line. Prior to boarding the train, purchase a ticket
for $2.00 at the machines in the station. Exact change
will be required! Take the Blue Line to the Montrose station
(about 24 minutes). Once on the Montrose platform, take
the escalators to street level. Walk approximately 300
yards west on Montrose Ave. (as shown on this map) then take the stairs up to the Metra
Mayfair station. From here, take the Metra Milwaukee District North train to the Lake Cook Road station (about 30 minutes). Again, pay the
conductor on the train; the fare will be $3.80. Once at
the Lake Cook Road station, call the Westin Chicago
North Shore at (847) 777-6500 and request a shuttle to
pick you up. (A
note about the Mayfair station: it is pretty much just
a platform with no shelter. In the event of bad weather,
this option is not recommended)
To get from Midway to the Westin by train
takes a while but it is relatively simple. From the Midway
terminal, follow the signs to the Chicago Transit Authority train, the
Orange Line. Prior to boarding the train, purchase a ticket
for $2.00 at the machines in the station. Exact change
will be required! Take the Orange Line to the Quincy/Wells
station (about 25 minutes). Once on the Quincy/Wells platform,
walk downstairs and then south a half-block to W. Jackson
Blvd. Walk three blocks west on W. Jackson Blvd. (as shown on this map) to Union Station.
Locate the Metra ticket windows (map of Union Station - PDF link) and purchase a ticket on
either the North Central
Service train (to the Wheeling station - $4.30) or
the Milwaukee District North (to the Lake Cook Road station -
$3.80). Follow the directions above to get to the Westin.
If you are traveling by Amtrak or Megabus,
you will be arriving in Chicago at Union Station.
Locate the Metra ticket windows
(map of Union Station - PDF link) and purchase a ticket on
either the North Central
Service train (to the Wheeling station - $4.30) or
the Milwaukee District North (to the Lake Cook Road station -
$3.80). Follow the directions above to get to the Westin.
If you are traveling by Greyhound Bus Lines, you can either walk the six blocks to
Union Station (as shown on this map) or you can catch a Chicago Transit Authority bus (either #7, #60, #156, or #157)
on the southwest corner of Harrison and Jefferson for
a short ride to Union Station ($2.00, exact change needed).
Alternatively, you can also
take a taxi from either Unions Station on the Greyhound
Terminal to the Westin Chicago North Shore. Taxis offer
fixed rates from The Loop (downtown Chicago):
All Star Taxi and Limo Service
(888-533-4240) - $46.00
American Taxi (800-244-1177) - $56.00
Please note the rates listed
above are advisory only and provided for relative
comparison only. We advise that you call the livery service
directly with any questions about pricing or availability.
Questions? We can provide travel advice
until Tuesday before the convention (at which point e-mail
contact will be unreliable, if not nonexistent). Just
drop us an e-mail!
