Chicago commuters will soon be riding in holiday style!
The Chicago Transit Authority has announced its 2017 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. 28 through Dec. 23.
Here's a look at the train and bus schedules:
BUS:
NOTE: Departure times have not yet been released.
Tue 11/28
#56 Milwaukee
Wed 11/29 - photo day
#56 Milwaukee
Thu 11/30
#92 Foster
#91 Austin
Fri 12/1 - photo day
#22 Clark
Sat 12/2 - photo day
#22 Clark/#97 Skokie
Tue 12/5 - photo day
#66 Chicago
Wed 12/6
#66 Chicago
Thu 12/7 - photo day
#126 Jackson
Fri 12/8 - photo day
#12 Roosevelt
Sat 12/9
#12 Roosevelt
Wed 12/13 - photo day
#29 State
Thu 12/14
#29 State
Fri 12/15 - photo day
#28 Stony Island
Sat 12/16 - photo day
#62 Archer
Sun 12/17
#62 Archer
Wed 12/20 - photo day
#X49 Western Exp.
Thu 12/21 - photo day
#79 79th
Fri 12/22
#3 King Drive
Sat 12/23 - photo day
#3 King Drive
TRAIN:
* = Elves' workshop train will follow
11/18 - Sat
Red Line
11/24 - Fri
Green Line & Orange Line
11/25 - Sat* - photo day
Green Line
11/28 - Tue
Green Line & Orange Line
11/29 - Wed
Orange Line & Brown Line
11/30 - Thu
Orange Line & Brown Line
12/1 - Fri
Orange Line & Brown Line
photo day
12/2 - Sat* - photo day
Orange Line & Brown Line
12/5 - Tue
Pink Line
12/6 - Wed
Pink Line
12/7 - Thu
Blue Line
12/8 - Fri
Blue Line
photo day
12/9 - Sat*
Blue Line (+ photo-only stop on Pink Line)
12/12 - Tue
Red Line
12/13 - Wed
Purple Line
12/14 - Thu
Red Line
2/15 - Fri
Purple Line 1
12/16 - Sat* - photo day
Red Line & Purple Line
12/21 - Thu
Purple Line
12/22 - Fri
Yellow Line
