Chicago Bike Routes
What Chicagoland Bike Trails Can Be Reached By Pace Bus?
Posted: 8/31/2024
Image: Pace Bus Routes Overlaid on Chicagoland Bike Trails Map
Bikes can be taken on both CTA and Pace buses in Chicagoland. Each bus has a rack on its front with 2 bike slots. I sometimes take my bike on buses when I want to use public transit to get between places in the suburbs.
The image above shows some Pace bus routes overlaid on the off street bike trails map from this site's routes page. It can provide some ideas for getting to trails by using buses. For example, I have used the 603 Pace bus to get from Rosemont to Elgin where I can then easily access the Fox River Trail.
The most up to date Pace bus routes are available at pacebus.com.
Pace buses serve suburban Chicagoland, but they operate in much the same way as CTA buses within the Chicago city limits. Both CTA and Pace buses have bike racks that work the same way and both accept Ventra cards (fare payment cards used by customers).
Using Pace Bus Bike Racks
Below is an image showing a Pace bus bike rack and a bike stored on it. Using the rack is easy; you just lift the handle by squeezing with your hand which allows you to unfold the rack. You can then load your bike onto the rack by placing the front wheel near one of the slot's support arms. The support arm should be pulled out and placed on the front bike wheel. The CTA website provides more detailed instructions.
The first time that I used a bus bike rack, I did it at a bus terminal (such as the Rosemont CTA station) where buses tend to idle at the bus stop for several minutes before departing.
Left: Pace bus bike rack Right: Road bike placed on a Pace bus rack
