Chicago commuters will soon be riding in holiday style!
The Chicago Transit Authority has announced its 2018 holiday train and bus schedule, which continues through the end of December.
The holiday train and elves' workshop train will not only be bringing commuters to their destinations this season, it will also deliver food baskets to charities across the city, the transit agency announced.
The train is a tradition decades in the making, beginning on the Blue Line in 1992 with a simple "Season's Greetings from the CTA" sign on a train that delivered food to various charities.
Now, the train has evolved, bringing Santa on board as he waves to riders from his sleigh at the front of the train.
The holiday train and elves' workshop train will be wrapped in festive gear and adorned with thousands of twinkling lights. Inside, riders will be greeted by Santa's elves, who will have "plenty of candy canes for good boys and girls," the CTA said.
The 60-foot holiday bus will also be transformed into a "winter wonderland" with "Ralphie the Reindeer" and Santa's sleigh in tow. Strings of lights will outline the bus and its windows along with 3-D antlers up top and a ruby light at the front of the bus. Some riders will even be able to take photos with Santa.
Local
The CTA Holiday train will make its way through all "L" lines in late-November and December from 1-8 p.m. on weekends and 3-7 p.m. on some weekdays. Every Saturday, the holiday train will be followed by the elves' workshop train to "allow more to enjoy this one of a kind holiday experience."
The holiday bus will run from Nov. 27 through Dec. 23.
Here's a look at the train and bus schedules:
BUS:
NOTE: Schedule times are approximate
Tue 11/27
#56 Milwaukee
12:45p: NB from Madison/Wabash
Wed 11/28
#56 Milwaukee
12:30p: SB from Jefferson Park Blue Line
Photo session @ Jefferson Park Blue Line
approx. 3:30p-4:30p
Thu 11/29
#92 Foster, #91 Austin
12:25p: WB as #92 from Berwyn Red Line to Jefferson Park Blue line
1:25p: SB as #91 from Jefferson Park Blue Line
6:45p: EB as #92 from Jefferson Park Blue Line to Berwyn Red Line
Fri 11/30
#22 Clark
photo day
12:30p
SB from Howard Terminal (Red/Purple/Yellow lines)
Photo session @Howard Terminal
approx: 4p-5p
Sat 12/1
#22 Clark/#97 Skokie
photo day
12:40p: WB as #97 from Howard Terminal to Old Orchard
Photo session @Old Orchard
approx: 1:35p-2:30p
3:40p: SB as #22 from Howard Terminal to Harrison/Clark
Tue 12/4
#66 Chicago
photo day
12:00p: EB from Chicago/Austin
Photo session @ Navy Pier
approx. 4:15p-5:15p
Wed 12/5
#66 Chicago
12:25p: EB from Chicago/Austin
Thu 12/6
#126 Jackson
photo day
1:50p: EB from Jackson/Austin
Photo session @ Jackson/Austin
approx. 4:20p-5:20p
Fri 12/7
#12 Roosevelt
photo day
1:05p: EB from Harrison/Central
Photo session @ Harrison/Central
approx. 3:30p-4:30p
Sat 12/8
#12 Roosevelt
1:10p: EB from Harrison/Central
Tue 12/11
#31 31st
2:00p: EB from Ashland Orange Line
2:40p: WB from 33rd Place/Lake Meadow
3:15p: EB from Ashland Orange Line
NOTE: the final trip will depart at 4p from 33rd Place/Lake Meadow to Sox-35th Red Line
Wed 12/12
#29 State
photo day
12:50p: NB from 95th Red Line
Photo session @ Navy Pier
approx. 5:25p-6:25p
Thu 12/13
#29 State
12:50p: NB from 95th Red Line
Fri 12/14
#28 Stony Island
photo day
1:10p: NB from Olive Harvey College to 47th/Lake Park
3:05p: NB from Olive Harvey College to Union Station
Photo sessio @ Union Station
approx. 4:45p-5:45p
Sat 12/15
#62 Archer
photo day
12:20p: NB from Midway Orange Line
Photo session @ Midway Orange Line
approx. 3:05p-4:05p
Sun 12/16
#62 Archer
1:10p: SB from Kinzie/Sate
Wed 12/19
#49 Western, #X49 Western Exp.
photo day
12:30p: NB as #49 from 79th/Western
2:30p: SB as #X49 from Berwyn/Western
Photo session @ 79th/Western
approx. 4:25p-5:25p
5:40p: NB as #X49 from 79th/Western
7:25p: SB as #49 from Berwyn/Western
Thu 12/20
#79 79th
photo day
12:40p: EB from 79th/Western
1:55p: WB from 79th/Lake Front to Ford City Mall
Photo session @ Ford City Mall
approx. 3:25p-4:25p
Fri 12/21
#3 King Drive
12:20p: NB from 95th/Chicago State U.
Sat 12/22
#3 King Drive
photo day
1:45p: SB from Ontario/Fairbanks
Photo session @ 95th/Chicago State U.
approx. 3:30p-4:30p
Sun 12/23
#87 87th
12:05p: EB from 88th/Cicero to 91st/Commercial
TRAIN:
* = Elves' Workshop Train to follow
Green Line & Orange Line 11/23
Green Line* 11/24 (photo day)
Green Line & Orange Line 11/27
Orange Line & Brown Line 11/28
Orange Line & Brown Line 11/29
Orange Line & Brown Line 11/30
photo dayOrange Line & Brown Line* 12/1
Pink Line 12/4
Pink Line 12/5
Blue Line 12/6
Blue Line 12/7
Blue Line (+ photo-only stop on Pink Line)* 12/8 (photo day)
Red Line 12/11
Purple Line 12/12
Red Line 12/13
Purple Line 12/14
Red Line & Purple Line* 12/15 (photo day)
Purple Line 12/20
Yellow Line 12/21
