12/30/02
Choosing CTA for traveling to and from New Year's Eve celebrations is a greater bargain than ever before with penny rides and extra and later service to accommodate late night revelers. Already a convenient, safe and affordable option, the added incentives make CTA service the best option for New Year's Eve travel.
Riding CTA buses and trains will cost only a penny from 8 p.m. New Year's Eve Tuesday, December 31, until 6 a.m. New Year's Day Wednesday, January 1. In addition, the CTA is extending service hours. All 'L' lines and buses on five fully accessible bus routes will operate until 1:30 a.m. or later.
?Later hours and next-to-nothing fares are a way to get people to let the CTA be their designated driver," said CTA President Frank Kruesi. ?Those out and about on New Year's Eve ? whether as employees working at Navy Pier and other holiday celebrations or those out celebrating ? can count on CTA to get them home safe and at later hours than ever before."
Brown, Green and Orange Line trains will serve stations on the Loop 'L' until 1:30 a.m. New Year's Day, which is later than before for the holiday. Blue Line trains on the Cermak (Douglas) branch also will operate until 1:30 a.m. for the first time. Also new will be Purple and Yellow Line service from Howard to Evanston and Skokie, respectively, until 2:20 a.m., while Brown Line shuttle trains will operate between Belmont and Kimball until 2:25 a.m. Red Line trains and Forest Park-O'Hare Blue Line trains operate 24 hours daily.
Buses will operate later than usual on the #6 Jeffery Express route, with the last bus leaving Columbus/South Water at 3:30 a.m., and with #151 Sheridan buses leaving Union Station for Howard until 3:45 a.m. Alternate #151 buses from Union Station will serve the Berwyn Red Line 'L' station.
Six bus routes will have extra buses for service in the downtown area: #6 Jeffery Express, #29 State, #56 Milwaukee, #66 Chicago, #124 Navy Pier Express and #151 Sheridan.
Buses on the #29, #56 and #66 routes will operate from Navy Pier until 3:30 a.m. to accommodate Navy Pier employees who will be getting off work late. Navy Pier also will be served by #124 Navy Pier Express buses, which will operate from Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center every 15 minutes, starting at 6:30 p.m. #124 buses stop at Union Station northbound on Canal at Adams, and at Ogilvie Center on Canal at Madison (under the pedestrian bridge) and at Washington before running express to Navy Pier. #124 buses will make return trips from Navy Pier to the stations until 12:45 a.m.
Information about all CTA, Metra and Pace service will be available throughout the night by calling 836-7000 (all local area codes).
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