CTA L line

Blue Line in the West Loop.

The Blue Line is one of two CTA L lines that run 24 hours a day, seven days a week (the other is the Red Line). It connects O'Hare International Airport on the northwest end to Forest Park on the west end, running through downtown and the West Loop in between. Five stations sit within or immediately adjacent to the neighborhood.

For live alerts, route changes, and exact schedules, see the official CTA Blue Line page. This page describes the line itself; real-time service data is the CTA's authoritative answer.

Stations in the West Loop

• Clinton (Blue Line)
• UIC-Halsted (Blue Line) ♿ ADA accessible
• Racine (Blue Line)
• Illinois Medical District (Blue Line) ♿ ADA accessible
• Grand (Blue Line)

Where the line goes from the West Loop

Headline destinations reached by the Blue Line from any of the West Loop stations above:

• O'Hare International Airport — The Blue Line's northwest terminus is the O'Hare station, with direct subway service from anywhere on the West Loop's Blue Line stations.
• The Loop — LaSalle, Monroe, Jackson, Washington — the Blue Line's subway runs the spine of downtown.
• Wicker Park & Logan Square — Damen, Western (O'Hare branch), California, Logan Square — Chicago's northwest hipster corridor, reachable in 15–20 minutes from Clinton.
• Forest Park — The line's western terminus, with park-and-ride access at the Forest Park station.
• Illinois Medical District — The IMD station drops riders directly into the medical campus — Rush, UIC Medical, Stroger, the VA.

Adjacent stations (first stop outside the West Loop)

Useful to know if you're crossing the neighborhood boundary by L:

Heading east →

LaSalle (downtown) — The first stop east of Clinton on the Forest Park branch. Connects to the LaSalle Street financial district.

Heading west →

Western (Forest Park branch) — The first stop west of the Illinois Medical District, heading toward the Forest Park terminus through North Lawndale.

Hours and frequency

Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One of only two L lines (along with the Red Line) with continuous overnight service.

Frequency: Trains every 5–10 minutes during weekday peaks, 10–15 minutes midday and weekends, 20–30 minutes overnight.

These descriptions reflect the line's service character, not a live schedule. For trip-planning, see the CTA's tools at transitchicago.com.

Connecting lines

• Green Line and Pink Line (one-block walk from Clinton Blue to Clinton Green/Pink)
• Red Line (at Jackson)
• All other L lines at Clark/Lake (one stop east of LaSalle)

Getting to and from the West Loop

From the West Loop, the Blue Line is the line you take to O'Hare — about 40–45 minutes from Clinton or UIC-Halsted to the airport, no transfers. It's also the only L option for overnight trips, since it runs 24 hours. For Wicker Park dinner, Logan Square bars, or anything along the Milwaukee Avenue corridor northwest of downtown, the Blue Line is the natural choice. For UIC visits, IMD appointments, or a Forest Park outing, the Forest Park branch covers the western trips.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Blue Line go to O'Hare from the West Loop?

Yes. The Blue Line runs directly from any West Loop Blue Line station (Clinton, UIC-Halsted, Racine, Illinois Medical District, Grand) to O'Hare International Airport. Travel time from Clinton to O'Hare is about 45 minutes; from Grand, about 40 minutes. No transfers required.

Is the Blue Line 24 hours?

Yes. The Blue Line is one of only two CTA L lines (along with the Red Line) that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Overnight service runs every 20–30 minutes.

What's the closest Blue Line station in the West Loop?

It depends where in the neighborhood you are. From Randolph Restaurant Row or Fulton Market, Clinton (Blue) is the closest — about 0.4 mi from Morgan and Randolph. From the south end of the West Loop, UIC-Halsted is closer. From the very north edge (above Grand Avenue), Grand (Blue) is the nearest stop.

How do I transfer from the Blue Line to the Green or Pink Line?

Get off at Clinton (Blue) and walk one block north to Clinton (Green/Pink) — they share the name but are separate stations, about a block apart on opposite sides of the elevated tracks. The transfer takes about three minutes.

Does the Blue Line stop at Union Station or Ogilvie?

No. Neither Union Station nor Ogilvie has a Blue Line stop. From the Blue Line, get off at Clinton (Blue) and walk east on Adams Street — Union Station is about a five-minute walk; Ogilvie is one block north.

Where can I catch the Blue Line for Wicker Park or Logan Square?

From the West Loop, take a Blue Line train heading toward O'Hare from Clinton, UIC-Halsted, Racine, IMD, or Grand. Damen (in Wicker Park) is about 15 minutes from Clinton; Logan Square is about 20 minutes.