CTA Orange Line: Route, Stations and Guide

The CTA Orange Line runs from Midway International Airport on the Southwest Side to the Loop, where it circles the Loop elevated clockwise. The ride from Midway to downtown normally takes 20 to 25 minutes. It has 16 stations and does not run overnight.

Fact	Orange Line
Terminals	Midway (southwest) and the Loop (downtown)
Stations	16, including 8 on the Loop (State/Lake closed into 2029)
Length	About 13 miles
Hours	About 3:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.; not 24 hours
Opened	October 31, 1993
Loop direction	Clockwise
Fare from Midway	$2.50 standard L fare

Route overview

The Orange Line starts at Midway in Garfield Ridge and runs northeast through Archer Heights, Brighton Park, McKinley Park and Bridgeport to Roosevelt. From Roosevelt it continues to the Loop, circles it clockwise and returns to Midway.

The line opened on October 31, 1993, giving Midway Airport its first rapid transit link.

Hours

Direction	Weekdays	Saturday	Sunday/holiday
Midway to Loop	3:30 a.m. to 1:05 a.m.	4:00 a.m. to 1:05 a.m.	4:30 a.m. to 1:05 a.m.
Loop to Midway	3:55 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.	4:25 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.	4:55 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

When the Orange Line is not running overnight, CTA points riders to the N62 Archer owl bus.

Stations, Midway to the Loop

#	Station	Area	Transfers and notes
1	Midway	Garfield Ridge	Midway Airport; Park and Ride
2	Pulaski	Archer Heights/West Elsdon	Park and Ride
3	Kedzie	Brighton Park	Park and Ride
4	Western	Brighton Park/Gage Park/New City	Park and Ride
5	35th/Archer	McKinley Park	Park and Ride
6	Ashland	McKinley Park/Lower West Side
7	Halsted	Bridgeport	Park and Ride
8	Roosevelt	Near South Side	Red, Green
9	Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren	The Loop	Brown, Pink, Purple (rush periods); Blue and Red subways with farecard
10	LaSalle/Van Buren	The Loop	Metra Rock Island at LaSalle Street Station
11	Quincy	The Loop	Metra BNSF, Milwaukee District, North Central and Amtrak at Union Station
12	Washington/Wells	The Loop	Brown, Pink, Purple (rush periods); Metra Union Pacific lines at Ogilvie
13	Clark/Lake	The Loop	Blue (subway), Brown, Green, Pink, Purple (rush periods)
14	State/Lake	The Loop	Temporarily closed for reconstruction into 2029
15	Washington/Wabash	The Loop	Metra Electric and South Shore Line at Millennium Station
16	Adams/Wabash	The Loop	Brown, Green, Pink, Purple (rush periods)

State/Lake, on the north side of the Loop, is temporarily closed for reconstruction into 2029; CTA directs riders to Clark/Lake or Washington/Wabash instead.

Getting to and from Midway Airport

The Midway station is just east of the terminal building and is reached by an enclosed walkway. Follow signs for CTA Trains or Trains to City; a painted orange line on the floor also leads to the station.

The ride downtown normally takes 20 to 25 minutes. The fare is the standard $2.50 L fare, and there is no airport surcharge at Midway. A 3-day Ventra ticket is sold at the Midway vending machines.

Notable stations and what is near them

Midway: Midway International Airport, with a Park and Ride lot.
Halsted: Bridgeport.
35th/Archer: McKinley Park.
Roosevelt: the South Loop, with transfers to the Red and Green lines.
Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren: the first Loop stop, at State Street and Van Buren Street in the Loop.

Transfers

Roosevelt: Red and Green lines.
Harold Washington Library: Brown, Pink, Purple Express; Blue and Red subways with a farecard.
LaSalle/Van Buren: Metra Rock Island at LaSalle Street.
Quincy: Metra and Amtrak at Union Station.
Washington/Wells: Brown, Pink, Purple Express; Metra at Ogilvie.
Clark/Lake: Blue, Brown, Green, Pink, Purple Express.
Washington/Wabash: Metra Electric and South Shore Line.
Adams/Wabash: Brown, Green, Pink, Purple Express.

Tips for riding the Orange Line

Every Orange Line station from Midway to Halsted has a Park and Ride lot except Ashland.
Plan around the overnight gap: the first trains leave Midway at about 3:30 a.m. on weekdays.
Trains loop the downtown elevated, so you can ride to any Loop station and back without changing trains.
For Chinatown, change to the Red Line at Roosevelt.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Orange Line go to Midway Airport?

Yes. Midway is the Orange Line’s southwest terminal, connected to the terminal building by an enclosed walkway.

How long is the Orange Line from Midway to downtown?

CTA says the trip normally takes 20 to 25 minutes.

Does the Orange Line run 24 hours?

No. Trains run from about 3:30 a.m. to about 1:30 a.m.; the N62 Archer bus runs overnight.

How much is the Orange Line from Midway?

The standard L fare of $2.50 as of 2026. Unlike O’Hare, Midway has no higher boarding fare.