Millennium Station - South Shore Line

[fredevad]

So I've decided to have lunch in South Bend on Saturday to take a ride on the South Shore line. Provided the Hiawatha is on time, I'll have 40 minutes to make my connection to Millennium Station. Should be no problem - if I knew where the dang entrance is! I've been all over Google maps street view, and I don't see anything obvious. It all looks like park to me. Can anyone help me find the entrance so I know where I'm going?

There's a bus stop supposedly just west on Randolph from where it's marked on Google maps, and that's where I'll be getting off the bus.

Thanks in advance!

 

[AlanB]

Millennium is essentially an underground station, which makes it a bit harder to find. There is an entrance on the SW corner of Randolph and Michigan, probably right where the bus would drop you off. However, it looks more like a subway entrance than a traditional train station entrance. I suspect that there are probably a few more entrances around, but that's the one that I know.

 

[Eric S]

As Alan mentioned, one of the more obvious/visible entrance is at the southwest corner of Randolph/Michigan. It's probably the most convenient if you are riding a bus along Randolph. It does look like a subway station entrance, but the signage above the stairs mentions Metra Electric, South Shore, and (perhaps) Chicago Pedway (underground walkway network). I cannot recall if the signage mentions Millennium Station (or Randolph St. Station, its previous name).

 

[MikefromCrete]

The most obvious entrance is at the southwest corner of Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue, right next to the stairs to the old public library, now the Chicago Civic Center. If you need an elevator there's one on MIchigan Avenue just south of Randolph Street. There's also an entrance east of Michigan Avenue through the Prudential Building on a small street about a half block off of Michigan.

As others have said, the Randolph Street entrance looks like a subway entrance, but there are signs indicating it is a Metra and South Shore station.

If coming from the Randolph Street entrance walk down the steps, go through the doors, past a bunch of shops and eating places. The South Shore ticket office is on the left (but it's not open for the 8:45 a.m. departure, buy your ticket from the conductor), keep going straight to the South Shore tracks (which are different from the Metra Electric tracks.)

 

[fredevad]

Thanks Alan and Eric. That SW corner entrance confirms what I had guessed from a

where someone filmed walking through and exiting the station. I see that subway-like entrance on the street view.
According to Google maps, the 60 bus from Union Station will actually drop me off on the SE corner, so I'll just have to cross Michigan Ave. to get to that entrance. Although, since the address is listed as "151 E Randolph", it seems odd that there wouldn't be an entrance somewhere on the SE corner side. If I get a chance, I'll ask the bus driver.

Also caught some "riding the South Shore line" YouTube videos in my search, so I'm looking forward to it! Thanks again.

 

[PerRock]

According to Google maps, the 60 bus from Union Station will actually drop me off on the SE corner, so I'll just have to cross Michigan Ave. to get to that entrance. Although, since the address is listed as "151 E Randolph", it seems odd that there wouldn't be an entrance somewhere on the SE corner side. If I get a chance, I'll ask the bus driver.

Saddly thats not how the North-South or East-West Streat naming works. East Radolph means it is East of State St. on Randolph (North-South it is based off Madison). To know which side of the street you base off the number; Odd is one side Even is the other side; I don't recall which side is which in Chicago.

peter

 

[MikefromCrete]

The bus stop is actually on the Northeast Corner of Michigan and Randolph. The 151 bus (which originates at Union Station) will also get you to Millennium Station.

 

[John Bredin]

Just to clarify, the stop for the #151 bus is near the northeast corner of Michigan and Randolph but the stop for the #60 is on the southeast corner, as the #60 turns to go east on Randolph.

 

[fredevad]

Just to clarify, the stop for the #151 bus is near the northeast corner of Michigan and Randolph but the stop for the #60 is on the southeast corner, as the #60 turns to go east on Randolph.

Thanks for confirming John, that's what I'm seeing on Google maps. It'll depend on the actual time I step out of Union Station as to which bus I'll take, based on the bus timetables. I've got my trusty iPhone to get me on the right one.

 

[Trogdor]

Your iPhone won't get you on the bus.

Also, it's important to note that the 60 and 151 stop in different places. The 151 stops southbound on Canal at the corner of the Canal & Jackson intersection in the bus-only lane. The 60 stops northbound on Canal, at the corner of Canal & Adams, mixed with other traffic.

There are a couple of other bus routes that will also get you there, but for simplicity's sake, you're probably better off taking the 151 and getting off at Randolph.

 

[fredevad]

Your iPhone won't get you on the bus.

Umm... sorry but... I beg to differ. The Google maps iPhone application shows public transportation stops and gives public transit directions. That's how I knew what buses to take to start with. I've used it in New York too, and found better (faster) directions from Times Square to La Guardia than an avid New York traveler (my wife) had been taking for years.

Screen showing bus 60 route from Union Station to Millennium Station.

In fact, last night just for fun I had it route me all the way from the MKE Amtrak station taking the Hiawatha to South Bend Airport on the South Shore Line (including the CTA bus in between). I know you can't always trust these things and one must use common sense, but these online maps are getting much better than they used to be. Plus, things typically only fail me when someone else is with me, so I'm confident that this is right since this is a solo trip.

What the iPhone didn't tell me, was how to get in to Millennium Station once I stepped off the bus. That's what took the detective work! Even Google's street view didn't help.

 

[one helpful tip]

Make sure you also use cta bus tracker which will tell you when the next bus will get to your stop.

www.ctabustracker.com

The full version allows you to overlay where the buses are on a google map. There is also a mobile version and a text version for those that do not have fancy phones. To use the text you must know the bus stop id for your stop. Text "ctabus (stop id #)" to 41411 and it will send you a text that tells when the next two buses will arrive at your stop.