Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
• You can also save on airfares by
keeping an eye out in local news-
papers for
promotional specials
or
fare wars,
when airlines lower
prices on their most popular
routes. You rarely see fare wars
offered for peak travel times, but if
you can travel in the off-months,
you may snag a bargain.
• Search
the Internet
for cheap
fares (see “Planning Your Trip
Online,” earlier in this chapter).
• Join
frequent-flier clubs.
Accrue
enough miles, and you'll be
rewarded with free flights and elite
status.
• For many more tips about air
travel, including a rundown of the
major frequent-flier credit cards,
pick up a copy of
Frommer's Fly
Safe, Fly Smart
(Wiley Publish-
ing, Inc.).
BY CAR
Interstate highways from all major
points on the compass service
Chicago. I-80 and I-90 approach from
the east, crossing the northern sector
of Illinois, with I-90 splitting off and
emptying into Chicago via the Skyway
and the Dan Ryan Expressway. From
here, I-90 runs through Wisconsin,
following a northern route to Seattle.
I-55 snakes up the Mississippi Valley
from the vicinity of New Orleans and
enters Chicago from the west along
the Stevenson Expressway, and in the
opposite direction it provides an out-
let to the Southwest. I-57 originates in
southern Illinois and forms part of the
interstate linkage to Florida and the
South, connecting within Chicago on
the west leg of the Dan Ryan. I-94
links Detroit with Chicago, arriving
on the Calumet Expressway and leav-
ing the city via the Kennedy Express-
way en route to the Northwest.
Here are a few approximate driving
distances in miles to Chicago: from
Milwaukee,
92; from
St. Louis,
297;
from
Detroit,
286; from
Denver,
1,011; from
Atlanta,
716; from
Washington, D.C.,
715; from
New
York City,
821; and from
Los Ange-
les,
2,034.
BY TRAIN
Rail passenger service has made enor-
mous advances in service, comfort,
and efficiency since the creation of
Amtrak in 1971. Still, traveling great
distances by train is certainly not the
quickest way to go, nor always the
most convenient. But many travelers
still prefer it to flying or driving.
For tickets, consult your travel
agent or call
Amtrak
(
&
800/USA-
RAIL;
www.amtrak.com). Ask the
reservations agent to send you
Amtrak's useful travel planner, with
information on train accommodations
and package tours.
When you arrive in Chicago, the
train will pull into
Union Station
at
210 S. Canal St. between Adams and
Jackson streets (
&
312/655-2385
).
Bus nos. 1, 60, 125, 151, and 156 all
stop at the station, which is just west
across the river from the Loop. The
nearest El stop is at Clinton Street and
Congress Parkway (on the Blue Line),
which is a fair walk away, especially
when you're carrying luggage.
10 Packages for the Independent Traveler
Before you start your search for the
lowest airfare, you may want to con-
sider booking your flight as part of a
travel package. Package tours are not
the same thing as escorted tours. Pack-
age tours are simply a way to buy the
airfare, accommodations, and other
elements of your trip (such as car
rentals, airport transfers, and some-
times even activities) at the same time
and often at discounted prices—kind
of like one-stop shopping. Packages
are sold in bulk to tour operators—
