Five ways to the UIC

You have your books for the fall semester – done. All the furnishings for your new apartment or your new dorm room – done.

But do you know how to get to campus?

If you're new to UIC and perhaps new to Chicago, you may be overwhelmed by the variety of commuting options. Here's a list to help you find the best option for you. The university has parking, of course, but also encourages biking, walking, and using public transportation.

Drive

How long you spend in the car getting to campus depends on traffic, so even if your GPS says it will take 45 minutes, you should plan on a few extra minutes to be on the safe side.

On campus, you will likely have to pay for parking unless you are lucky (and arrive early enough) and find a free parking spot on the street.

You can choose between several parking spaces on the east and west sides of campus and four payment options:

• 24-hour access for one semester costs $411 (the price for the fall 2024 semester). You can get in and out as many times as you like. How does it work? You apply for a parking space and Parking Services programs your i-Card for access to the parking garage or lot of your choice (depending on availability). Billing is done via your student account.
• If you only need to be on campus in the afternoons (after 3pm) or on weekends, the fee is $276 per semester. You also use your i-Card to get on and off.
• You can pay per visit at 15 USD per day.
• If you only come to campus occasionally, you can Prepaid cardThis way, you pay a $9 discount per visit and park in a designated visitor parking lot (on the east side of campus: Harrison Street, Halsted/Taylor and Maxwell Street parking garages and lot 5; on the west side: Wood Street and Paulina Street parking garages and lot E). You cannot drive away and return; you must use a Value Card ticket each time you park. Additionally, you must pick up Value Card tickets in person at a valet parking office (Student Center East, Room 317 or Wood Street Parking Garage, Room 122).

Go

If you're walking from downtown, you can easily cross the highway on the Peoria Street pedestrian bridge without having to dodge cars, and it also offers beautiful views of the city!

UIC Police recommend taking precautions when walking alone (stay alert and don't wear earplugs!). They also issue safety alerts to all students, faculty and staff when crimes occur near or on campus.

If you are out at night, you can ask someone to accompany you. Security escort on footOr download the UIC Safe App to get a virtual escort who will virtually follow you by tracking your phone as you walk.

Bicycle

Do you want to limit your carbon footprint? Cycle to UIC.

Chicago is crisscrossed with bike lanes, paths and trails. Read these helpful Bicycle map from the city of Chicago that shows them all.

And find a bike rack with this map. It shows where the shelves are located on the east and west sides of campus.

Do you need to repair your bike? You can Check out a repair kit in the Student Center East, Student Center West or the Student Recreation Facility. The student centers also have air pumps.

You can take your bike on the train or bus. However, please note that there are some Limits. Bicycles are not allowed on Line L trains during rush hour.. See How to park your bike on the bus.

If you don't own a bike, there are Divvy bikes, light blue rental bikes from Lyft. There are six Divvy bike racks on the east side of campus.s and three on the west side (find them with Divvy's interactive map). Get the Divvy app, unlock a Divvy bike and off you go. Or better yet, get the discounted Divvy membership for UIC students. Divvy also has Scootersanother popular option.

Or go skateboarding! There are a handful of racks around campus where you can lock your skateboard or scooter. On the east side of campus, these are located at the quad entrance to Daley Library, in Taft Hall, on the west side of Lecture Hall Center C, and at the West Vernon Park Place entrance to the Behavioral Sciences Building. There is also a scooter stand at the southeast corner of the academic and residential complex.

Trains: L and Metra

There are two options for commuting by rail: the CTA (L train) and the Metra.

The L will take you closer to campus. The UIC-Halsted stop on the blue line is about a five-minute walk from Student Center East.

To get to the west side of campus, walk to the Polk (Pink Line) or Illinois Medical District (Blue Line) stop and you're right there.

Although Metra trains travel farther into Chicago's suburbs than the L, even as far as Kenosha, Wisconsin, Metra does not have as many stops as the L.

The closest Metra stations to the east side of campus are Ogilvie Transportation Center, Union Station, and Halsted, each about a 20-minute walk from campus.

The closest Metra stop to the west side of campus is Western, about a 30-minute walk from Student Center West.

Check out the Metra map to find stations. From a Metra station, you can take a bus that goes to campus. Just use Ventra, transit or another public transport app toSee how to make this connection.

With the U-Pass+, UIC has just made it easier for students to use both the Metra and the L. Students who purchase a U-Pass (valid for travel on all Chicago Transit Authority trains and buses) can U-Pass+which adds unlimited rides on the Metra.

bus

Taking the bus may not be the fastest way, but it will get you there. Chicago Transit Authority buses cover a wide area, take you directly to campus from an L or Metra stop, and are inexpensive. There are Bus stops everywhere Campus, including Halsted Street, Harrison Street and Roosevelt Road.

If you are coming from the suburbs, the Pace buses are a good option. Use Pace's route planner to plan your route.

UIC Shuttle

The UIC shuttle buses cover a wide area between the east and west sides of campus, with routes running along West Harrison Street and Roosevelt Road. Service is available every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 60 minutes on weekends.

And the best part? You can UIC Ride App to see when your shuttle arrives.

Students with disabilities can book rides through UIC's Paratransit service. To begin this process, you must first call the Disability Resource Center.

Some students attend classes at UIC and the University of Urbana-Champaign. For them, there is UI Ride, which runs between the two campuses on weekdays.

And there are Night rideIf you are out and about on campus late at night – after 10 p.m. – you can request a ride to another location on campus using the UIC journey App. They will also take you home if you live within the service boundaries.

Fancy a scavenger hunt?

Most UIC students commute and With so many commuters on the UIC, it is no surprise that Events and services just for them. The Commuter Student Resource Center provides more information on transport And Commuters can rent lockers. They are even planning a Commuter Dash Scavenger Hunt from August 26-30, so that new commuter students can get to know each other.