CTA
The Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) affordable and reliable buses and trains are vital to Chicago’s residents, businesses and visitors. Lincoln Park is served by three CTA train lines, often dubbed the “L”: the Brown Line, which offers service between the Loop and Kimball; the Red Line, which runs between Howard and 95th/Dan Ryan; and the Purple Line Express, which offers rush hour service, Monday through Friday, between Linden (in Wilmette) and the Loop. Over a dozen bus routes offer service to and from Lincoln Park making access to the neighborhood and its amenities a breeze.
For additional information on routes and fares, including special packages and reduced fare qualifications, visit transitchicago.com.
METRA
Metra is Chicagoland’s popular commuter rail network and is a wonderful way to get to Lincoln Park and avoid traffic to and from the suburbs. For complete information on routes and fares, visit metrarail.com.
BICYCLING
Chicago continues to build on its commitment to being a bike-friendly city. In Lincoln Park, bike lanes can be found on many of the neighborhood’s most popular thoroughfares and hundreds of bike racks are available where they’re needed most. Chicago’s Lakefront Trail, which runs 18 miles from Edgewater to South Shore, is one of the best ways to see the city, and Lincoln Park is a natural stopping point during the journey. Most CTA buses have racks to transport your bicycle and CTA and Metra trains allow for bikes during non-rush periods.
Bikes are available through Divvy, Chicago’s bike sharing program. 24-hour passes are available for purchase at Divvy stations throughout Chicago. To check out the map of stations and for additional information, visit divvychicago.com.
RIDE & CAR SHARING
Ride and car sharing continues to grow in popularity in Chicago as people look for ways to cut costs but still enjoy the flexibility of a car. Uber, Lyft and Via provide ride sharing services throughout the neighborhood which can be accessed through their online apps. Zipcar offers residents the option of car-sharing to minimize congestion, pollution and physical vehicles in Chicago. They offer a range of rental packages to meet your needs and car-sharing parking spots can be found in dozens of Lincoln Park lots.
PARKING
Residents living in Lincoln Park, or any Chicago neighborhood, are required to renew their city vehicle stickers annually. Individuals moving to Chicago or purchasing a new vehicle are given 30 days following the purchase or move-in date to obtain the necessary sticker without incurring a late fee. Proof of residency is required.
Certain residential streets require specific residential parking permits that limit parking. One-day (24 hour) visitor parking permits are available for residents to provide parking access for friends or relatives. Twenty-four-hour visitor permits can be purchased by residents at your local alderman’s office. These passes cost $8 for 15 one-day permits.
Visit chicityclerk.com for more details on parking permits.
Most commercial streets in Lincoln Park feature pay-and-display parking boxes where you purchase time with quarters and/or credit cards. The printed receipt is then placed on your dashboard. The maximum allotted time on streets governed by pay-and-display boxes is generally three hours — enough to allow for dinner and a show. Download the Park Chicago app (parkchicago.com) for convenient payment and tracking of your parking.