Central station
Purple Line · stairs only
Lines
Position
Through station
Service hours
4:45 am – 1:40 amPurple Line, Mon–Fri
Step-free access
NoStairs only — not step-free
Central station on the Purple Line
Central is a station on the Purple Line of the Chicago ‘L’.
On weekdays the first Purple Line train leaves Central at about 4:45 am and the last at about 1:40 am. At the morning rush trains come every 8 minutes; at midday, every 10.
This station is not step-free — access to the platform is by stairs only. If you need a lift, the station pages here list which stops nearby have one.
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.
Central station · Purple Line — photo SecretName101 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
How long from Central to…
| To | Time | Stops | Changes | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O'Hare Airport | 101 min | 44 | 2 changes | Purple → Red → Blue |
| Midway Airport | 78 min | 37 | 2 changes | Purple → Red → Orange |
| Clark/Lake (the Loop) | 58 min | 28 | 2 changes | Purple → Red → Blue |
| Roosevelt | 54 min | 30 | 1 change | Purple → Red |
| Belmont | 34 min | 20 | 1 change | Purple → Red |
| 95th/Dan Ryan | 77 min | 39 | 1 change | Purple → Red |
| Fullerton | 38 min | 21 | 1 change | Purple → Red |
| Cermak-McCormick Place | 62 min | 31 | 2 changes | Purple → Red → Green |
Midday on a weekday, including a typical wait when you change. Plan your own trip.
Next and previous stops
The Purple Line at a glance
Questions about Central
On weekdays the first Purple Line train is about 4:45 am and the last about 1:40 am. Saturdays and Sundays differ slightly — the schedule page has all three.
No. Access is by stairs only; there is no lift at this station.
About 58 minutes to Clark/Lake in the Loop at midday, 2 change(s), 28 stops. Plan your exact trip.