$2.50 keeps you moving when the Orange Line shuts down
CTA Bus 62 Archer and its night variant N62 are the backup plan from Midway Main Terminal when the Orange Line stops running, with trips between the Loop and the airport often pushing 45–60 minutes late at night. The route runs along Archer Avenue instead of the rail corridor, so it makes the most sense if you actually need Archer (Garfield Ridge, Archer Heights, Brighton Park, McKinley Park) rather than straight into the Loop.
The fare is a flat $2.50 with Ventra (cards, contactless, or mobile), the same as the train. Daytime 62 buses usually show every 10–12 minutes, while overnight N62 service often stretches to around 20–30 minutes between buses. The bus stop for 62/N62 sits outside the Midway terminal at the usual CTA bus bays; follow signs for "Public Transit" near the Main terminal exits on the lower level.
Count on a slower ride than rail: Archer Avenue is full of traffic lights and local stops, which adds time compared with the Orange Line’s roughly 25-minute train ride from Midway to the Loop. Several locals on r/chicago say they “only use 62 if going somewhere along Archer,” and otherwise default to the train for downtown. If you land around 1:30 a.m. or later though, N62 often ends up as the only CTA option headed toward the Loop.
Late-night regulars say N62 can feel rougher than the Orange Line for visitors, especially after midnight, which lines up with Reddit comments about the bus feeling sketchier to out-of-towners. Night gaps of 20–30 minutes are common, so people check the official CTA Tracker and wait inside the terminal until the bus is 5 minutes out, instead of standing at the outdoor stop the whole time.
Step-by-step from Midway Main Terminal:
- 1. After baggage claim on the lower level of Main, follow signs to "CTA Buses" and walk about 3–5 minutes to the bus bays outside.
- 2. Look for the stop marked 62 Archer or N62 Archer; check the posted schedule and compare it with the CTA Tracker app or mobile site.
- 3. Tap in with a Ventra card, contactless bank card, phone, or pay cash ($2.50 exact fare, no change) when boarding through the front door.
- 4. For the Loop, stay on until the downtown section around State/Washington or similar central stops; total time can exceed 45–60 minutes late at night.
- 5. Getting back to Midway, board a southbound 62/N62 on Archer, confirm the headsign shows "Midway," and budget at least 45 minutes before check-in cutoff.
Practical tip: Before you walk out to the curb, pull up CTA Tracker; if the next N62 is more than 20 minutes away and it’s late, compare that against the cost and time of a rideshare from Midway instead.