These boots may have been made for walkin’, but sometimes there is a more efficient route to get from point A to B. Evanston and the neighboring city of Chicago have plenty of transit options for people of any speed. The Daily has compiled a list of on-campus and off-campus resources to get you where you need to be.
Northwestern Intercampus Shuttle
To start, there are a few ways to get around campus. The Northwestern Intercampus Shuttle runs year-round from Monday through Friday, and can be tracked in real time using the TripShot app. It’s a convenient (and free) way to get from the Evanston campus to downtown Chicago and vice versa, with stops between Ryan Field and the Feinberg School of Medicine. Be sure to bring your Wildcard when using the Intercampus. Note that the Intercampus does not run during University holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
SafeRide
NU’s version of ride-hailing apps, these free cars are available to book using the NU Safe Ride app for you and up to two others. Expect to share cars with fellow students. Safe Rides also have a radius within a few miles from campus, and at least one of your pickup or dropoff must be a campus building. They run daily during the school year from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., useful for late nights out. Beware — SafeRide is very busy on weekends, and rides may not always be available when you want them, so book ahead.
201
The Central/Ridge bus, commonly known as the 201, operates from the Howard CTA terminal and goes as far as Ryan Field. The 201, part of the CTA’s bus service, also stops at Westfield Old Orchard in neighboring Skokie. Ventra cards can be used on CTA buses as well.
The “L”
The famous “L,” operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, is Chicago’s elevated rapid transit system. Spanning eight separate — conveniently colorful — lines, the CTA’s subway system can be accessed through several points along the Evanston campus. From north to south, the four closest Purple Line stops are Central, Noyes, Foster and Davis. Any trip into downtown Chicago will require a quick transfer to the Red Line at Howard. A one-way trip on the “L” is $2.50, and can be bought on-site using a single-use ticket or a reloadable Ventra card. Typically trains come at least every 15 minutes, but delays are possible. Some lines are 24 hours, while others, including the Purple Line, stop running for a few hours in the middle of the night.
Metra
The commuter rail cousin of the “L” connects Chicago to neighboring suburbs, and even goes as far as Wisconsin. Ride fares increase by a zoning system, but a trip from Evanston to Chicago is $3.75 each way. A day pass for unlimited rides will cost you between $7.50 and $13.50 depending on your selected zones, but there are bundle options for frequent riders and weekend and holiday discounts. . Metra’s Union Pacific North crosses through Evanston, and goes from Kenosha, Wisconsin to Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago. Beyond being conveniently close to Chicago’s West Loop and Chicago’s Union Station — the hub for Amtrak’s national train system — OTC is complete with an array of dining options for hungry travelers.
Airports
Chicago is home to two major international airports, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport. For $2 one way — or $2.25 if you pay with cash — the Pulse Dempster line of the Pace Bus connects downtown Evanston to O’Hare, while Midway can be accessed from the CTA’s Orange Line.
The Davis CTA station is where the Pulse Dempster bus stops every 15 minutes, while the Orange Line can be accessed starting at the Roosevelt station after a transfer from the Red Line at Howard.
Uber and Lyft
Ride-booking apps like Uber and Lyft are also a convenient, but more expensive, way to get from Evanston to its neighboring areas.
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