A Guide to Transportation at Loyola
At some point you will likely be transporting between Loyola’s two campuses- the Downtown Water Tower Campus and the North side of Chicago Lake Shore Campus. To get between Loyola’s campuses there are basically 3 options.
Loyola’s Shuttle.
The shuttle service is really quite good. It takes you straight from the Lake Shore campus to the downtown campus. During the day it leaves every 20 minutes: On the hour, then 20 minutes after the hour, and 20 minutes before the next hour. Around lunch time it works every 15 minutes, and in the evenings it leaves every half hour. I like it because it’s very predictable and all you have to do is check the time and hop on the next shuttle for direct service.
But there are a few downsides to the shuttle. The other two options that I will get to come more often than every 15, 20, or 30 minutes at the times that the shuttle service runs at those frequencies. 15 minutes isn’t too bad, but 20 and 30 minutes is a long wait. The other downside is that the shuttle has to use public roads, which means that during rush hour it gets stuck in rush our traffic. Also, the shuttle service ends at midnight and doesn’t start again until 7:00 a.m.
The “El,” or the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA’s) Red Line train is what I would say is the most reliable transportation option. As I said above, the Loyola shuttle service ends at midnight on both campuses and doesn’t start until 7:00. The Red Line runs 24/7.
The wait for the Red Line is usually faster than the shuttle. So, if you just missed the Shuttle, you’ve got better odds taking the Red Line rather than wait 20 minutes for the next Shuttle.
The downside is that it is not a direct line. There are stops right at Loyola’s Lake Shore campus and Downtown Campus (the Chicago & Loyola stops) but you have to make a lot of stops on the way. In addition, you need to be more aware of your surroundings on public transportation.
However, one major advantage to the Red Line is that it doesn’t use public roads; it stays on its own tracks. This means that rush hour traffic or bad weather has no effect on the length of your journey.
Your final option is the 147 CTA bus. This is an express bus that runs down Lake Shore Drive. It stops right at the Lake Shore Campus and only 2 short blocks from the downtown campus.
The good news is that this bus also runs more frequently than the Shuttle. Obviously you need to be aware of your surroundings on CTA, but for the most part the 147 is a more exclusive bus (due to its express route) and there are mostly commuters riding.
Since it is express it is faster than the Red Line if there is no traffic. However, if there is a lot of traffic, rain, or snow, the bus ride length will be effected.
So what do I recommend?
If the timing works for you, take the shuttle. It’s the fastest.
If the timing didn’t work and you have to wait more than 10 minutes, take the CTA.
When choosing between CTA routes make your decision based on the time of day. Is it rush hour? Then take the Red Line. Is it not rush hour? Take the 147 express.