How to navigate the Democratic National Convention using public transportation

July 25, 2024

The Democratic National Convention is coming to Chicago’s United Center and McCormick Place August 19-22, 2024, and with it will come roughly 50,000 visitors, 20,000 members of the media, and 5,500 delegates, alternates, and other guests. Whether you are traveling to the DNC or are a local trying to avoid its traffic impacts including street and sidewalk closures, parking restrictions, checkpoints for perimeter entry, and geofencing boundaries for rideshare, taxis, etc., public transportation is your best option for getting around during the convention.

Security perimeter and street closures

The City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications has released road restrictions maps and lists of street closures, sidewalk closures, parking restrictions, and reroutes for both the United Center and McCormick Place. Businesses and residents around McCormick Place should expect security restrictions to take effect on the evening of Friday, Aug. 16. Businesses and residents around United Center should expect security restrictions to start on the evening of Aug. 17. There may be some disruptions before then to allow for necessary construction around the events.

With these traffic impacts, the region’s public transportation agencies are ramping up service and even opening a new station to accommodate both locals and DNC visitors.

CTA

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is one of the nation’s largest transit systems, serving the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs and providing an average of 1 million weekday rides. The CTA’s new Damen Green Line station a half-mile from the United Center will open on August 5 ahead of the DNC, providing convenient access to the convention’s main site—in addition to existing convenient access via the Illinois Medical District station on the Blue Line (also about a half-mile walk from the United Center).

At this time, there are no planned impacts to CTA’s rail services for the duration of the DNC. There may be, however, the occasional unplanned event that impacts rail services. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to CTA Updates, which will notify you to any planned or unplanned events impacting service along your preferred route(s).

Bus reroutes are expected in and around the United Center and McCormick Place, as well as occasional reroutes throughout the downtown area due to rolling street closures during the event. Once the security plan is finalized, and the public impact map is released communicating road closures, parking restrictions, and entry check points, CTA will have more information to share regarding bus reroutes.

Metra

Metra is the Chicago region’s commuter rail system. From August 12-30, Metra will be operating service seven days a week on its North Central Service Line between the O’Hare Transfer Station and downtown Chicago’s Union Station. The travel time between those stations will be 36-39 minutes, and one-way fare is $3.75. Tickets can be purchased before boarding via the Ventra app, which is available for free download from the App Store or Google Play, or from ticket vending machines at Union Station. There are no vending machines at the O’Hare Transfer Station, so customers boarding there must use the app or pay with cash on the train.

The O’Hare Transfer Station is located by O’Hare’s multimodal rental car facility and can be reached from the airport’s terminals via the Airport Transit System, also known as the people mover.

At this time, there are no other planned impacts to Metra service during the DNC. Service updates are posted at metra.com.

Pace

Pace, our region’s suburban bus operator and one of the nation’s largest ADA paratransit service providers, will provide ADA paratransit service for RTA-certified passengers attending the convention. Designated pick-up/drop-off locations will be shared with passengers as soon as that information is available.

Certain Pace routes serving Chicago may operate on detours during the convention. Any temporary service changes will be communicated to riders and available at PaceBus.com before the convention.