The O’Hare Flyer would connect downtown Chicago with O’Hare International Airport in about 15 minutes. The proposed Chicago–O’Hare rail connection would rely mainly on existing rail infrastructure, requiring approximately 1.5 miles of new track to reach the airport.

O’Hare Flyer project rendering at O’Hare Terminal 2
Official project rendering of the proposed O’Hare Flyer connection at O’Hare International Airport Terminal 2. Photo: O’Hare Flyer LLC

A team of industry professionals with experience in political and media affairs, rail planning, and the Illinois Tollway has spent the past three years developing the concept. The proposed route would start at the Old Post Office, pass through Forest Park, and continue north to O’Hare.

O’Hare Flyer route would use existing freight rail lines

Most of the route would run on tracks operated by three freight rail companies. Those corridors are expected to become relatively less used as the freight operators shift activity to other nearby railyards, a change that has occurred only in recent years.

If the necessary railroad agreements are completed, city approval would still be needed to use tracks beneath the Old Post Office and build the approximately 1.5-mile section into O’Hare.

The O’Hare Flyer is estimated to cost $2.25 billion, including new electric rolling stock, with the project intended to be privately funded. Trains would operate at speeds of up to 80 mph and recharge at both ends of the route.

Under the current plan, trains would run every 15 minutes between 4:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., with the journey between downtown Chicago and O’Hare expected to take 15 minutes.

No fare has yet been set. Comparable systems elsewhere charge between $10 and $40 for a one-way trip.

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Agreements, approvals and planning remain

Several steps remain before the project could move forward. The developers must complete agreements with the two remaining freight railroads, obtain city approval, and then secure authorization from federal departments.

Aerial view of O’Hare International Airport in Chicago
Aerial view of O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. Illustrative photo. Photo: 4300streetcar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

Context

The project’s own timetable remains preliminary. O’Hare Flyer says construction could begin as soon as 2028, while commercial service could start within five years. The proposed route would use rights-of-way owned by CSX, Canadian National and Union Pacific. The developers say terms with CSX have already been recorded in a Letter of Intent, while definitive agreements with all three railroads still need to be completed.

The proposal is expected to require another two to three years of planning, including final fundraising for the $2.25 billion cost. If the remaining steps proceed as planned, the O’Hare Flyer could be completed by the opening of O’Hare’s new global terminal.

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