$2.25 Pace 382 is really built for Clearing locals
Pace Route 382 Central–Clearing runs as a suburban bus around Chicago Midway’s Main terminal area, not a straight airport–downtown link. The regular fare is $2.25, and the bus mainly serves the Central Avenue and Clearing neighborhood corridor that wraps the airport and its employee entrances.
Daytime frequency sits around every 20–30 minutes, with reduced service in the evenings and on weekends, so it’s not something you just walk up to at 23:30 and expect a quick ride. Trips are short local segments near Midway and along Central, and riders on transit forums call it a route for residents and workers rather than tourists with rolling suitcases.
The 382 pattern includes multiple deviations and frequent local stops, which means travel times stretch compared with the Orange Line train from Midway to the Loop. Pace maps show the bus looping through side streets and employment areas instead of holding a straight line on Archer or Cicero, so this is a connector route, not a time-saving hack to downtown.
Most airport workers use 382 as a feeder to other routes, often timing their shifts to connect smoothly with CTA rail or buses at Midway or along Central. A typical move is 382 to the Orange Line at Midway or to another Pace route on Central, then onward home; they don’t ride it end-to-end hoping for a fast airport line.
Local reviews point out that neighborhood routes like 382 can slip off the posted 20–30 minute headways during rush-hour traffic on Central Avenue, especially around the weekday PM peak. That matters if you’re clocking in for a shift at a fixed time at Midway or transferring to a CTA train with a tight margin.
Practical tip: If you’re an out-of-towner aiming for downtown Chicago, skip 382 and walk to the CTA Orange Line station attached to the Main Terminal; save Route 382 for short hops along Central or if you’re specifically heading into the Clearing neighborhood.