Chicago 'L' fares and tickets
$2.50 takes you anywhere on the network. Here is every fare, every pass, and how to pay without buying anything at all.
What a ride on the 'L' costs
One flat fare: $2.50 gets you from any station to any other station. One stop or the entire 27-mile Blue Line, it is the same price. There are no zones and no distance bands.
Two things modify that, and they are the only two:
- Entering at O’Hare costs $5.00. Only when you tap in at the airport — going the other way, towards O’Hare, is the normal fare. And if you are using an unlimited pass, there is nothing extra to pay at all.
- Transfers are free. After you pay, you get up to two more rides within two hours at no extra cost — including onto buses. This changed some years ago and plenty of guides still say it costs 25 cents. It does not.
| Fare | Full | Reduced | Student | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'L' train fare | $2.50 | $1.25 | $0.75 | Any journey, any distance |
| 'L' from O'Hare | $5.00 | $1.25 | $0.75 | Only when you enter at O'Hare. A pass covers it with nothing extra to pay |
| Bus fare | $2.25 | $1.10 | $0.75 | Ventra or contactless |
| Bus fare, cash on board | $2.50 | $1.25 | $0.75 | Exact change. No transfers |
| Transfer | Free | Free | Free | Up to 2 more rides within 2 hours |
| Pass | Price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Day pass | $5 | Unlimited rides for 24 hours from first tap |
| 3-Day pass | $15 | Sold at Ventra machines at O'Hare and Midway |
| 7-Day pass | $20 | Pays for itself at about 8 rides |
| 30-Day pass | $75 | Reduced fare $35 |
Source: CTA fare chart. The fare rise announced for 2026 did not go ahead — state transit funding replaced it — so the 'L' fare is still $2.50 and the 3-day pass still exists. Always worth a second look at transitchicago.com before you travel.
How to pay
Contactless bank card or phone
Tap your Visa/Mastercard/Amex, Apple Pay or Google Pay straight on the turnstile reader. $2.50 — the same fare as a Ventra card. Nothing to buy, nothing to top up, no app. If you are visiting, this is the answer.
Ventra Card
A reusable card, $5 to buy — and you get the $5 back as travel credit if you register it within 90 days, so it is effectively free. You need one to load a pass, or to pay for several people at once.
Ventra Ticket
A disposable paper ticket from a station machine. $3 for up to three rides in two hours, or $5 at O'Hare. The most expensive way to ride — only worth it if you have no contactless card at all.
Which pass is worth it?
Simple arithmetic: a single ride is $2.50, so a 1-Day pass at $5 pays for itself on the third ride of the day. A 7-Day pass at $20 pays for itself at eight rides — about four days of commuting.
If you are visiting for a weekend and riding a few times a day, the 1-Day or 3-Day pass is the easy answer. If you are here for two nights and taking maybe four trains total, just tap your bank card and pay as you go — it works out cheaper and there is nothing to buy.
Landing at O’Hare is where a pass quietly wins: a pass covers the $5.00 airport entry with no surcharge, so a 1-Day pass at $5 costs barely more than the single airport fare on its own.
Reduced and free fares
| Who | 'L' fare | How |
|---|---|---|
| Full fare | $2.50 | Everyone else |
| Reduced fare | $1.25 | Older adults, riders with disabilities, and Medicare cardholders — needs an RTA-issued Reduced Fare permit |
| Students | $0.75 | Grade and high school students, on school days, with a Ventra student card |
| Children under 7 | Free | With a fare-paying adult |
| 30-day pass, reduced | $35 | Against $75 at full fare |
Fare questions
$2.50 for any journey, however far. The only exception is entering at O’Hare Airport, which is $5.00. Buses are $2.25, or $2.50 if you pay the driver in cash.
No. A rise was announced in October 2025 — the ‘L’ fare to $2.75, the day pass to $6, the 3-day pass scrapped — and it was widely reported. It then did not happen: Illinois passed a transit funding bill and CTA dropped the increase. As of July 2026 the ‘L’ fare is still $2.50, the day pass is still $5 and the 3-day pass still exists at $15. Several sites are still quoting the numbers that never took effect.
No. Tap a contactless bank card or your phone at the turnstile and you are through — same fare, nothing to buy, no app to download. That is the fastest option for a visitor. There are no ticket barriers to work out and no zones to select.
Yes. One fare buys you up to two more rides within two hours, including between the ‘L’ and buses. You do have to tap again — the system works it out — but you are not charged. Changing between ‘L’ lines inside a station does not even need a tap.
There is no group fare as such, but one Ventra Card can pay for several people: tap it once per traveller at the turnstile. Passes cannot be shared this way — a pass is one person. Children under seven ride free with a fare-paying adult.
Fare evasion carries a fine, and CTA does check. There is no realistic upside — the fare is $2.50.