Public Transportation to the United Center in Chicago

CTA Blue Line Trains to Illinois Medical District for Bulls, Blackhawks, and Concerts at United Center

The United Center, home to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks is located at 1901 W. Madison Street on the city's West Side. According to ownership, this iconic facility is the largest arena in the United States in terms of physical size (not capacity) and features a bronzed statue of Michael Jordan facing east. Damen Avenue, Madison, Wood, and Adams streets encircle the United Center.

This is a gentrified community in flux with private condominiums, luxury town homes, empty lots, and decrepit housing projects. Heavy police presence on game night and during events does keep the neighborhood relatively safe.

Although the area is also bounded by the I-290 Eisenhower Expressway and critical surface streets such as Ashland, Ogden, and Western Avenues - I am still advocating that sports fans utilize Chicago public transportation to access this site.

The United Center is situated within reasonable walking distance from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Blue Line Illinois Medical Center station and is also an important stop directly off the CTA 20 Madison bus route. Blue Line trains and Madison 20 buses run for 24 hours and CTA one-way fares cost $2.25, or $2.50 for two transfers.

Metra commuter rail trains into the city typically run at hourly intervals and fares vary according to rush hour scheduling and per zone - topping out at $8.05. Suburbanites must take the Metra into the city before entering the CTA system.

I will now describe in detail how to use public transportation to get to the United Center from all directions.

How to use Public Transportation to get to the United Center from downtown Chicago Loop

Blue Line trains transition into the Dearborn Street subway underneath the Loop.

Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks fans enter the Blue Line at Jackson, Monroe, and Washington along Dearborn. Blue placards mark Blue Line subway entrances overhead at all corners. These trains may also be accessed at Clark and Lake and LaSalle Street just south of the Chicago Board of Trade.

United Center spectators will take Blue Line trains marked as "Forest Park" for seven minutes to the Illinois Medical District station.