$2.25 gets you from O’Hare to Des Plaines on Pace 250
Pace Route 250 is a suburban bus running between the O’Hare Multi-Modal Facility (near the O’Hare Transfer station) and areas like Des Plaines Transit Center and Wheeling along Dempster Street. It’s the rock-bottom-cost option at ORD for that corridor, but it behaves like a local bus, not an airport shuttle.
From Terminals 1, 2, 3, or 5, you first ride the free Airport Transit System (ATS) to the Multi-Modal Facility, which is one stop past the O’Hare Transfer Metra station. Route 250 boards at the bus bays there, not at the terminal curbs, so factor in 10–20 extra minutes just to reach the stop.
The cash fare is $2.25 each way, payable with Ventra, contactless bank cards, or cash (exact change only). Ventra cards and contactless taps speed boarding and help regulars grab seats faster, especially during weekday rush periods around 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.
Headways run about every 15–20 minutes in the daytime on weekdays, stretching to roughly every 30 minutes in the evening and on weekends. After around 10 p.m., gaps can feel long enough that locals check the schedule rather than treating 250 as turn-up-and-go.
Travel time to Des Plaines Transit Center is often 30+ minutes, and longer during rush hour because Route 250 makes many stops along Dempster. Riders headed farther, toward Golf Mill or Wheeling, can see 45–60 minutes or more from O’Hare, which surprises people who expect an express-style run.
Onboard, you’re in standard suburban bus territory: front-door boarding, seated layout, and limited room near the driver for bags. With two suitcases, you’ll be juggling them in the aisle, especially during the after-work push around 5 p.m., when airport workers and local commuters fill the bus.
Regulars often pair Metra’s North Central Service or UP-NW lines with Route 250, using O’Hare Transfer or Des Plaines Transit Center as the handoff to avoid riding every stop along Dempster. Local workers also time their trips around the lower-frequency late-night and Sunday schedules.
Step-by-step from the terminals
- 1. After landing at Terminal 1, 2, 3, or 5, follow ATS signs and ride the train to the Multi-Modal Facility stop.
- 2. At the Multi-Modal Facility, follow signs to the Pace bus bays and look for the Route 250 stop marker.
- 3. Check the posted timetable or a trip-planning app; off-peak, expect up to a 30-minute wait.
- 4. Have $2.25 ready on Ventra, contactless, or exact cash before the bus pulls in.
- 5. Board quickly, move your bags out of the aisle, and confirm with the driver if you’re unsure about your stop on Dempster or at Des Plaines Transit Center.
One tip: if your flight lands late evening and you still need 250 from O’Hare, check the Pace schedule before you leave the terminal so you’re not standing at the Multi-Modal Facility for a 25–30 minute gap.