Currently, getting to O’Hare Airport by car can take over an hour, especially during rush hour—it’s a pain, to say the least. However, a group of business and civic leaders in Chicago is working to change that.
Today, they announced plans to transform the airport transportation experience in Chicago by introducing the O’Hare Flyer, the first airport express train in the United States.
The O’Hare Flyer will offer a 15-minute ride from downtown Chicago to Terminal 2 at O’Hare Airport, operating on a dedicated track, providing a reliable schedule of quiet train departures every 15 minutes.
Chicago is launching the nation’s first 15-minute express train
O’Hare Flyer Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dave Lundy said:
“O’Hare Flyer will connect our world class downtown with our world class airport in fifteen minutes.
This is a first-of-its-kind express train in the U.S. and will give Chicago a safe, reliable, world-class rider experience on a fast, whisper-quiet battery-electric train.”
The O’Hare Flyer will offer concierge-level service with clean trains, comfortable seats, and luggage racks in every car. The train will operate on continuous rail and recharge at its downtown station near the Old Post Office and at its Terminal 2 station at O’Hare.
O’Hare Flyer Founder and Chief Engineering Officer Mark Walbrun said:
“By combining three existing but underused freight rights-of-way into a dedicated express rail service, we will create the best airport transportation experience in America – and one of the best in the world.”
The O’Hare Flyer is a completely private initiative, meaning that the project will not seek government subsidies or funding that could otherwise be allocated to regional transit agencies such as the CTA or Metra.
The objective is to launch the project within the next five years.
