Getting to Wrigley Field

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The CTA Red Line to the Addison stop is the standard way to get to Wrigley. The station sits one block east of Wrigley at 940 W. Addison. From the Loop, about 20 to 25 minutes. From O’Hare, Blue Line to Jackson and transfer to the Red Line. Buy a 1-Day Pass, as low as $5, in the Ventra app. If you have to drive, the Cubs point drivers to SpotHero for advance parking; for night and weekend games, the Cubs also run free remote parking with a shuttle at 4650 N. Clarendon Avenue. Post-game rideshare surge around Clark and Addison is severe, and pickups are only allowed in two zones, Addison between Broadway and Halsted and Irving Park between Clark and Seminary, so walk to one or wait it out at a bar. Bag policy is strict: no backpacks (including clear), bags smaller than 16 by 16 by 8 inches only, no glass or cans. Each mobile ticket has an assigned entry gate; check before walking up.

The CTA Red Line to Addison

Most Cubs fans without a car take the Red Line to Addison. The station is at 940 W. Addison Street.

Distance to Wrigley. The station lets out one block east of the ballpark. Walk west on Addison to the ballpark, then head to the gate printed on your ticket. The Marquee Gate is at Clark and Addison, and the Bleacher Gate is at Sheffield and Waveland. The gameday crowd flow makes the route impossible to miss.

Travel times:

• From the Loop (Lake, Monroe, or Jackson Red Line stations): about 20 to 25 minutes northbound to Addison.
• From O’Hare: plan on well over an hour in total. Blue Line from O’Hare to Jackson (the CTA puts O’Hare to downtown at about 40 to 45 minutes), transfer underground to the Red Line at Jackson , then ride the Red Line north to Addison (about 20 to 25 minutes).
• From Midway: about 50 to 60 minutes total. Orange Line from Midway toward the Loop, transfer to the Red Line at Roosevelt, then north to Addison.

Best O’Hare route. Blue Line to Jackson, walk to the Red Line at Jackson, north to Addison.

Best Midway route. Orange Line toward the Loop to Roosevelt, free transfer to the Red Line toward Howard, ride to Addison.

Hours of operation. The Red Line runs 24 hours a day. Trains run less often overnight, about every 15 minutes, but the line does not close.

How often trains run. On weekdays, Red Line trains come every few minutes at rush hour and about every 6 to 10 minutes midday and in the evening. Expect packed cars in the hour before first pitch and right after the final out.

Fares

• Single rail ride: $2.50 with Ventra.
• Bus ride: $2.25.
• Transfers (up to two more rides within two hours): free.
• 1-Day Pass: $5.00.
• 3-Day Pass: $15.00.
• 7-Day Pass: $20.00.
• Train fare when you board at O’Hare: $5.00, charged as you enter the station. A 1-Day Pass covers it.

For a single Cubs game, get the 1-Day Pass at $5.00, because round-trip rail alone is $5.00 and the pass also covers buses.

Ventra

Ventra is the official CTA fare payment system. The Ventra app is the easiest way to pay. Download it from the App Store or Google Play, load value or buy a pass, and tap your phone at the turnstile. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and contactless credit cards also work at fare gates without needing the app.

Accessibility at Addison Red

The Addison Red Line station is fully ADA-accessible with elevators connecting the street level to the platforms.

CTA buses

The Red Line gets the headline, but the bus network is useful.

• Bus #152 Addison. East-west on Addison. Stops directly in front of Wrigley at Addison and Clark, essentially at the Marquee Gate. Best bus for fans coming from the lakefront or the West Side along Addison.
• Bus #22 Clark. North-south on Clark. Stops at Clark and Addison, right at the ballpark, and runs 24 hours a day. Useful coming from Lincoln Park, Old Town, or River North.
• Bus #80 Irving Park. East-west on Irving Park Road, a few blocks north of Wrigley. Drops you about a 10-minute walk north of the ballpark. Less useful as a primary mode for most fans.
• Bus #36 Broadway. North-south on Broadway, about half a mile east of Wrigley . Stops at Broadway and Addison, then about a 10-minute walk west .

As a practical matter, the #152 Addison and #22 Clark are the only buses fans typically use as a primary mode. The other two are useful for last-mile connections from specific neighborhoods.

Metra (commuter rail)

Metra does not have a station immediately adjacent to Wrigley. The closest options require a CTA transfer:

• Union Station (BNSF, Milwaukee District, Heritage Corridor, North Central Service, SouthWest Service). From Union Station, take the #151 Sheridan bus to the Jackson Red Line station, then ride Red north to Addison.
• Ogilvie Transportation Center (Union Pacific lines including UP-North, UP-Northwest, UP-West). The Cubs suggest the #20 or #56 bus east to State and Washington, then the Red Line north to Addison.
• Ravenswood Metra station on the Union Pacific North line is geographically the closest Metra stop to Wrigley, but it still requires about a 2-mile walk or a bus transfer .

Metra is useful only if you live on a Metra line and your trip already starts at a Metra station. Otherwise, the Red Line directly is faster.

Divvy bike-share

Divvy is Chicago’s bike-share system, operated by Lyft. Multiple Divvy stations sit within a block or two of Wrigley along Clark Street, Sheffield Avenue, and Waveland Avenue.

On game days, the nearby stations can run out of bikes before the game and out of open docks after it.

Pricing (divvybikes.com/pricing):

• Single ride: $1 to unlock, plus about 20 cents a minute on a classic bike or 44 cents a minute on an e-bike.
• Day Pass: $19.90 for unlimited classic-bike rides of up to 3 hours each, for 24 hours.
• Annual membership: $143.90 a year.

Divvy is a strong option for the trip TO the game (no waiting on a car, predictable timing) but can be frustrating AFTER the game because nearby docks may all be full. Expect to ride a few blocks south or east to find an open dock.

Bringing your own bike? The Cubs run a free bike valet for home games in the alley just east of the Addison Red Line entrance. It opens three hours before the scheduled start and closes one hour after the game ends, and it also takes electric scooters.

Driving and parking

Driving is usually the hardest way in. Parking is limited, and the surrounding streets are heavily restricted.

Official Cubs parking lots

The Cubs list three lots near the ballpark for season parking holders and event-day parking, subject to availability: the Toyota Camry Lot (1126 W. Grace St.), the Toyota RAV4 Lot (1140 W. Eddy St.), and the Irving Park Lot (1052 Irving Park Rd.). All Cubs lots are cashless, tailgating is not allowed in them, and the Cubs link to SpotHero for reserving a spot ahead.

Free remote parking at 4650 N. Clarendon Avenue

The Cubs offer free remote parking for night and weekend games at 4650 N. Clarendon Avenue, with a free shuttle to and from the ballpark. The shuttle starts two hours before first pitch, and return shuttles run for about 90 minutes after the game. The shuttle drops off and picks up on Irving Park Road between Clark Street and Seminary Avenue.

For a night or weekend game, this is the best option for a driving family that wants to skip the post-game rideshare crush and the hunt for parking.

CPS school lots

Chicago Public Schools lots near the ballpark also open for Cubs games. In 2026 they opened for night and weekend games all season, and for weekday day games from June 5 to August 11 and on major holidays. The lots are at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy (3338 N. Seminary Ave.), Inter-American Magnet School (a garage at 808 W. Addison St. and a lot at 3639 N. Fremont Ave.), and Walt Disney Magnet School (4151 and 4105 N. Clarendon Ave.). They open at 5 pm for night games and 10 am for day games, and they close one hour after the game ends.

ParkChicago meter parking

Wrigleyville street meters are run by ParkChicago, and you can pay in the ParkChicago app. Read the posted rate and time limit on the pay box before you walk away.

Private garages and SpotHero

Several private garages serve Wrigleyville, including Halsted Flats Garage at 3740 N. Halsted.

Reserve ahead on SpotHero. The Cubs link to SpotHero from their own parking page. Booking in the app holds a spot and locks in the price before you leave, which takes most of the stress out of driving to a Cubs game.

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Free street parking

Free street parking without meters or permit rules gets easier to find the farther you get from the ballpark, but read every sign.

Permit-only resident zones

The streets immediately around Wrigley are designated Resident Permit Parking zones during gamedays and adjacent hours. Parking without a permit risks a ticket or a tow. Read every sign on every block, including the small white “Zone XXX permit required” signs that often appear below the street-cleaning signs. The risk is real and the towing fees stack quickly.

Rideshare

Designated pickup and dropoff zones

On game days, the rideshare apps geofence pickups and drop-offs around Wrigley. The Cubs list two pickup zones:

• Addison Street between Broadway and Halsted Street (east of the ballpark).
• Irving Park Road between Clark Street and Seminary Avenue (north of the ballpark).

Walk to one of these before you request a car.

Where pickup and dropoff are illegal

It is illegal for rideshare and taxis to pick up or drop off on Clark Street and Addison Street directly adjacent to the park, as well as on most streets immediately surrounding the ballpark. The signs are everywhere. Drivers who stop in the no-stopping zones get ticketed.

Surge pricing

Post-game surge in Wrigleyville is severe.

Getting home after the game

1. Go to a bar. Make it part of the plan. Wrigleyville after a Cubs win is one of the best hours in American sports, and the alternative is standing in the middle of it staring at a rideshare app. Have a beer, sing with strangers, and walk out into a neighborhood that has calmed down.
2. Or just take the Red Line, and stop worrying about it. The trains run at short, consistent intervals. Worst case, the first one is packed and you let it go and take the next, and that is the whole of the downside.
3. If you must ride, walk to one of the two pickup zones above instead of trying to get picked up at Clark and Addison.

Taxis and pedicabs

Chicago still has a meaningful taxi presence. You can hail a cab a few blocks from the ballpark, away from the closed and no-stopping streets, or use the Curb app to call a metered taxi. Cabs charge the city’s metered rate.

Pedicabs are common around Wrigley on gamedays. Agree on the price before you get in.

Getting here from the airport

Chicago has two airports, O’Hare (ORD) and Midway (MDW), and the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) ‘L’ trains run from both.

From O’Hare. The Blue Line station is reached by underground walkways from Terminals 1, 2, and 3, and from Terminal 5 you ride the airport train (the ATS) to Terminal 2 or 3 first. Before you board, buy the 1-Day Pass, as low as $5, in the Ventra app or as a 1-Day Ventra Ticket from the station vending machine. It covers the O’Hare train fare, so there is nothing extra to pay at the airport, and every CTA ride for 24 hours after you first use it.

From there, pick your route:

• The all-train route. Take the Blue Line into downtown, transfer to the Red Line at Jackson, and ride north to Addison. The Blue Line alone takes about 40 to 45 minutes from O’Hare to downtown, according to the CTA. Both lines run 24 hours a day, so this route works no matter how late the game ends.
• The Cubs’ route. Take the Blue Line toward Forest Park only as far as Addison (a different station from Addison on the Red Line), then catch the eastbound #152 Addison bus, which stops at Wrigley on Clark Street. It skips the trip through downtown, but the bus is the weak spot after a night game. On the CTA schedule, the last westbound #152 of the night starts its run around 10:30 pm on weeknights and 10:20 pm on weekends. The Cubs say extra #152 buses run after games when the crowds call for it, but that is not a schedule you can count on.

For a day game, either route works. After a night game, take the all-train route back.

From Midway. Take the Orange Line toward the Loop, transfer to the Red Line toward Howard at Roosevelt, and ride north to Addison. The fare is $2.50 with a Ventra card or contactless payment, or buy the 1-Day Pass, and the Orange Line takes about 20 to 25 minutes to downtown. Skip any directions that have you change trains at the elevated State/Lake stop in the Loop (also written Lake/State), which is closed for reconstruction into 2029. Heading back to Midway, the Red Line runs all night, and the last Orange Line train from the Loop to Midway leaves at 1:30 am. After that, catch the N62 Archer overnight bus, which runs from State and Washington in the Loop to Midway.

Taxis. At O’Hare, taxis pick up on the lower level outside baggage claim at each terminal, and at Midway they are on the lower level through Door 2. Cabs run on the meter.

Driving. If you rent a car at O’Hare, the Cubs’ directions are I-90 east to the Addison Street exit, then east on Addison for three miles to Wrigley. Parking is covered in Driving and parking above.

The train works from either airport if you can carry your bags. However, backpacks, carry-on suitcases, and anything bigger than 16 by 16 by 8 inches will not get through the gates, and the Cubs will not hold them for you. If you are coming straight from the airport, check Luggage first.

Bag policy

Permitted:

• Bags smaller than 16 inches by 16 inches by 8 inches, including briefcases.
• Fanny packs.
• Purses.
• Drawstring bags.
• Lunch bags.
• Soft-sided coolers within the size limit.
• Medical bags, and diaper bags for guests with young children (the Cubs make exceptions for these).

Prohibited:

• Backpacks of any kind, including clear backpacks. Wrigley does not store bags, so this one has no on-site fix.
• Hard-sided coolers of any size.
• Any bag larger than 16 by 16 by 8 inches.
• Luggage and car seats.
• Aerosol cans, including spray sunscreen.

Outside food and drink:

• Factory-sealed plastic bottles are allowed.
• A personal amount of food carried in a small disposable bag is allowed.
• No glass or metal containers, including cans, tumblers, thermoses, and flasks. No outside alcohol.

Luggage

The Cubs do not store luggage. Their policy says they do not offer large bag or luggage storage, and luggage and car seats are both on the list of prohibited items, so drop your bags at your hotel if you can.

If you are coming straight from the airport, two storage spots near the ballpark take bags:

• Stash-It, at 3727 N. Seminary Ave., says it is open for every game and concert at Wrigley. Online prices are as low as $8 for a backpack or carry-on and $14 for a checked bag or large rolling bag. Its office hours are 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. For weekday night games it stays open for up to an hour after the last pitch, and on weekend game days it opens three hours before the game and stays open for up to an hour after it ends.
• Bounce lists a spot at 3549 N. Sheffield Ave., about 3 minutes from Wrigley, as low as $4.25 a bag per day. It is closed Monday, and its listed hours are 11 am to 10:30 pm Tuesday, 11 am to 10 pm Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 am to 6 pm Sunday, so check the closing time against when the game will end, not when it starts.

For a night game or a Monday game, Stash-It is the safer pick, since it says it is open for every game.

Gates

The Cubs renamed several entrance gates in recent seasons. The current names, from the Cubs gate map:

• Marquee Gate (formerly Gate F). Clark and Addison, directly under the red marquee. Main home plate entrance.
• Wintrust Right Field Gate (formerly Gate D). On Addison Street, on the southeast side of the ballpark. Right field entry.
• Gallagher Way Gate (formerly Gate H). Clark Street, west side of the park, opening directly onto Gallagher Way plaza.
• Left Field Gate (formerly Gate K). On Waveland Avenue, on the northwest side.
• Budweiser Bleacher Gate. At the corner of Sheffield and Waveland avenues. You need a bleacher ticket to enter here.
• Harrison Street Premier Entrance. Entry for premier seating, on Clark Street on the west side of the ballpark.

Each mobile ticket lists an assigned entry gate. Check it in the MLB Ballpark app before you walk up.

Gate open times. For most games, gates open 90 minutes before first pitch. They open 2 hours before first pitch for Opening Day, Saturday games, and special occasions.

Security lines. Bags are subject to inspection at the gate, and every fan walks through a metal detector, though you can leave your phone, wallet, and keys in your pockets. Lines are longest in the 30 minutes before first pitch, so getting there an hour early usually means a short wait.

Accessibility

Accessible seating sections are spread throughout Wrigley Field, each near an elevator, lift, or ramp. For accessible parking, the sensory room, and free assistive listening devices, check the Cubs’ accessibility guide before game day.

Pre and post-game traffic patterns

Pre-game. Wrigleyville traffic congestion begins building roughly 2 hours before first pitch and peaks in the 30 to 45 minutes before game time. The Red Line gets crowded during the same window. Arriving 75 to 90 minutes before first pitch works best, because the gates are open, the train is busy but not packed, and you can walk in without a meaningful wait at the bag check.

Post-game. The crunch immediately after the final out is the worst window of the day. The Red Line platform at Addison fills up fast, rideshare pickups are at their slowest, and traffic on Clark and Addison stays jammed for a while after the game.

There are two ways to beat it:

1. Leave in the seventh-inning stretch or top of the eighth if you want to beat the crowd entirely. You give up the last couple of innings, but you get a normal commute home.
2. Stick around for an hour after the final out at a bar, restaurant, or Gallagher Way. By the time you leave, the crowd has thinned out, the Red Line platform has cleared, and Clark Street is moving again.

The worst thing you can do is leave with the crowd at the final out and try to grab a rideshare on Clark or Addison.

Photo gallery: the transit options

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