Getting around Chicago on marathon weekend takes some planning, since the race closes a large part of downtown to traffic and draws an enormous number of runners and spectators onto public transit at the same time. Knowing the transportation landscape ahead of time saves a lot of race-week stress.

Getting Downtown Before the Race

If you are flying in, both of Chicago's major airports connect to downtown by train. O'Hare connects via the Blue Line, and Midway connects via the Orange Line, both running directly into the Loop without needing a transfer. Once you are downtown, walkability becomes the biggest factor in how smooth race morning feels, which is exactly why hotel location matters more than usual on marathon weekend. Runners staying within walking distance of Grant Park have a real advantage over anyone relying on transit or a car to reach the start.

Road Closures and Why Driving Is a Bad Idea

The course closes a large share of downtown and the neighborhoods it passes through to vehicle traffic for most of race morning, on a rolling schedule that lifts gradually as the last runners clear each section. If you are driving anywhere near downtown on race day, expect significant detours, and do not plan to cross the course by car once it is underway. Rideshare pickup and drop-off are also badly disrupted near the course, with apps typically directing drivers to designated zones several blocks away from the usual pickup points rather than the exact address you request.

CTA and Metra on Race Day

The Chicago Transit Authority typically adds extra service on the rail lines that run near the course, and starts that extra service earlier than a normal Sunday to accommodate runners heading downtown before sunrise. Multiple rail lines serve different sections of the course, which makes the CTA genuinely useful for both runners trying to reach the start and spectators trying to catch a runner more than once. Metra, the regional commuter rail, also typically adds extra service into and out of the city on race day for runners and spectators coming from the suburbs. Buses are far less reliable on race day, since so many routes near the course get rerouted or temporarily suspended, so lean on the rail system rather than buses whenever possible.

Getting Out After You Finish

Getting out of downtown after the race is often harder than getting in. Tens of thousands of finishers and their families converge on the same CTA stations and rideshare pickup zones within a fairly narrow window, so expect crowded platforms and long waits for a car. If you can, walk a few blocks away from the immediate finish area before trying to catch a train or request a ride, stations and pickup zones closer to Grant Park tend to be the most congested. Building slack into your post-race plans, whether that is a flight, a dinner reservation, or a drive home, is worth doing, since the trip out of downtown almost always takes longer than expected on race day.

If you are building out a broader visit around race weekend, RaceRove's Illinois race guide is a good place to keep exploring other races and events around the state.