Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren station
Brown Line · change to Orange Line, Purple Line, Pink Line · step-free
Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren station on the Brown Line
Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren is an interchange on the Chicago ‘L’, served by the Brown Line, Orange Line, Purple Line and Pink Line.
On weekdays the first Brown Line train leaves Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren at about 4:39 am and the last at about 1:40 am. At the morning rush trains come every 5 minutes; at midday, every 8.
The station is step-free: there is a lift or ramp from street level to the platform, and trains are level with the platform edge.
A ride from here costs $2.50, the same as anywhere else on the ‘L’ and the same however far you go. Transfers are free for two hours.

Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren station · Brown Line — photo Jacob G. from Cleveland, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
How long from Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren to…
| To | Time | Stops | Changes | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O'Hare Airport | 50 min | 19 | 1 change | Brown → Blue |
| Midway Airport | 29 min | 8 | direct | Orange |
| Clark/Lake (the Loop) | 5 min | 3 | direct | Brown |
| Roosevelt | 9 min | 1 | direct | Orange |
| Belmont | 24 min | 11 | direct | Brown |
| 95th/Dan Ryan | 32 min | 11 | direct | Red |
| Fullerton | 18 min | 8 | direct | Brown |
| Cermak-McCormick Place | 14 min | 2 | direct | Green |
Midday on a weekday, including a typical wait when you change. Plan your own trip.
Changing trains at Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren
Change between these lines without leaving the station:
It is all one station — walk across, no second tap, no extra fare.
Out-of-system transfer: leave the station and walk. A transfer is charged unless you are using a pass.
Out-of-system transfer: leave the station and walk. A transfer is charged unless you are using a pass.
Next and previous stops
The Brown Line at a glance
Questions about Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren
It is served by the Brown Line, Orange Line, Purple Line, Pink Line.
On weekdays the first Brown Line train is about 4:39 am and the last about 1:40 am. Saturdays and Sundays differ slightly — the schedule page has all three.
Yes — there is a lift or ramp from the street to the platform, and trains are level with the platform.
Yes, and it costs nothing: it is one station, so you walk across to the other platform without tapping again. You can change between the Brown Line, Orange Line, Purple Line and Pink Line.
It is about a 4-minute walk. Out-of-system transfer: leave the station and walk. A transfer is charged unless you are using a pass. Jackson station.
It is about a 4-minute walk. Out-of-system transfer: leave the station and walk. A transfer is charged unless you are using a pass. Jackson station.
About 5 minutes to Clark/Lake in the Loop at midday, direct, 3 stops. Plan your exact trip.