CTA holiday bus returns to Chicago Monday. Here's how to catch it

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Your Chicago bus ride is about to get more festive.

Monday, the Chicago Transit Authority’s holiday bus returns to the roads, the agency said. The bus joins the 2023 CTA holiday train, which began running Friday.

According to officials, the wintertime staple first began on the Blue Line in 1992 with an out-of-service train that delivered food to charities. The CTA holiday bus followed in 2014, as the agency transformed a 60-foot bus “into a winter wonderland to say ‘thank you’ to customers and bring added cheer during the holiday season.”

This year, photos with Santa will return to both the holiday train and bus on designated days and times. A CTA employee will take the images using your preferred device, but the photos will be on a first-come, first-served basis and one photo will be allowed per family or groups.

While the train and bus do operate on a schedule for riders, they can fill up quickly.

For those hoping to get on, the CTA offers the following tips:

• Plan ahead and allow extra travel time. You can also track the whereabouts of Santa using CTA Train Tracker, which will indicate the Holiday Train with a candy cane, or by using the dedicated holiday bus tracker.
   
• Travel light: With many families making the train a part of their holiday traditions, small collapsible strollers are encouraged so that you and others have an opportunity to board the train.
   
• Boarding: The train/bus will become more crowded as it travels down its route; therefore, we recommend customers consider the following:
  • Board at a station/stop close to the beginning of the route. Unlike other in-service trains/buses, many people who board the train or bus often stay on board until it reaches the end of its route—and will then take it back home if it is scheduled to make a return trip.
  • Train (Only): Railcars toward the front or back of the train will be less crowded compared to those immediately adjacent to Santa’s sleigh.
     
• Taking photos: When taking photos while the train or bus are in service, we recommend the following:
  • Train: If you are planning to ride the train, board the train first and then plan to take photos of Santa or the train when exiting at your destination—don’t miss your opportunity to board the train!
  • Bus: Riders who wish to take photos with Santa on board the bus are encouraged to do so only when the vehicle is stopped and ideally just before exiting through the rear doors.  

See the full schedules for the CTA holiday train and bus below: (Photo opps with Santa are noted using the camera emoji)

2023 Allstate CTA Holiday Train schedule All times pm
Green Line & Orange Line	Fri 11/24Departing:Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 3:07Harlem/Lake to Cottage Grove at 4:31 Cottage Grove toward Loop, then Midway at 5:51
Green Line & Photos with Santa	Sat 11/25 📷Departing:Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 2:11 Cottage Grove to Harlem/Lake at 3:30
Green Line & Orange Line	Tue 11/28Departing:Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 4:01Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 5:31 Ashland/63rd toward Loop, then Midway at 7:06
Orange Line & Brown Line	Wed 11/29Departing:Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:07 Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41
Orange Line & Brown Line	Thu 11/30Departing:Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:53 Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 5:28
Orange Line & Brown Line	Fri 12/1Departing:Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:07 Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41
Orange Line & Brown Line & Photos with Santa	Sat 12/2 📷Departing:Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 12:53Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 4:01 Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 6:39
Red Line	Tue 12/5Departing:Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 2:43 95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:19
Purple Line	Wed 12/6Departing:Howard to Linden at 3:15Linden to Loop, via express, at 3:50Loop (from Clark/Lake) to Linden at 4:38 Linden to Howard at 6:00
Red Line	Thu 12/7Departing:Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 3:13 95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:46
Purple Line	Fri 12/8Departing:Howard to Linden at 3:45Linden to Loop, via express, at 4:20Loop (from Clark/Lake) to Linden at 5:07 Linden to Howard at 6:20
Red Line & Purple Line & Photos with Santa	Sat 12/9 📷Departing:Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 12:1695th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 3:01Howard to Linden at 4:16 Linden to Howard at 6:31
Pink Line	Tue 12/12Departing:54th/Cermak to Loop at 2:43Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:1054th/Cermak to Loop at 4:16 Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 4:43
Pink Line	Wed 12/13Departing:54th/Cermak to Loop at 3:06Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:3354th/Cermak to Loop at 4:44 Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 5:11
Blue Line	Thu 12/14Departing:O’Hare to Forest Park at 3:13 Forest Park to O’Hare at 4:57
Blue Line	Fri 12/15Departing:O’Hare to Forest Park at 4:13 Forest Park to O’Hare at 6:02
Blue Line  & Photos with Santa	Sat 12/16 📷Departing:Illinois Medical District to Forest Park at 3:52 Forest Park to O’Hare at 3:53
Yellow Line	Thu 12/21All trains on Yellow Line will be 2-car Holiday Trains for service departing:Howard from 3:08 until 6:53 Dempster-Skokie from 3:22 until 7:07