Whether you’re making a pitstop on your way from St. Charles to Chicago or finding new activities nearby, St. Charles is a charming suburb for all lifestyles. You can enjoy more balanced and quieter living outside of Chicago, with plenty of things to do.
Below is a St. Charles travel guide with multiple transit options and adventures to try during your visit and as a local.
How Far is St. Charles, IL, From Chicago?
St. Charles is one of the trending nearby Chicago neighborhoods and is a city located west of the Windy City. As a nearby Chicago suburb, visitors and residents can easily commute into the city in a little over an hour with multiple public transportation options within proximity. St. Charles is an ideal location for those who want to enjoy Chicago without living in it.
Popular Destinations from St. Charles IL to Chicago, IL
Make the most of your trip from St. Charles to Chicago with popular destinations along the way. Some fun things to do in and around St. Charles include:
LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles
The LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve has plenty of outdoor recreational activities for all fitness levels in St. Charles. Take in the scenic views of floodplain forests and oak woodlands, with over 130 feet of elevation. Or, enjoy interactive exhibits with nature programs and bison tours at the Creek Bend Nature Center.
Pottawatomie Park
At Pottawatomie Park, you can stroll on a scenic walking trail along the Fox River, a miniature and adult golf course, a swimming pool, and children’s playgrounds. They offer paddlewheel riverboat cruise tours up the Fox River or adventure on your own by renting a small paddleboat.
St. Charles’s proximity to the Fox River is a key destination of the cityscape and culture.
The Koi Whisperer Sanctuary & Japanese Gardens
Enjoy the zen lifestyle at The Koi Whisperer Sanctuary & Japanese Gardens. Located minutes from downtown St. Charles, you can explore over two wooded acres of this inspiring nature spa habitat.
Experience free-floating meditation decks over koi ponds, rejuvenate at the Buddha Tea House on the Fox River or relax with the Ryokan Spa’s amenities, like cedar saunas and stone rooms.
Geneva Downtown District
Geneva is a 10-minute drive from St. Charles, with a picturesque and historic downtown business district. This city offers ongoing events and community festivals, like Geneva Restaurant Week and a seasonal Geneva French Market with European-style cuisines and merchants.
St. Charles Durant House Museum
All summer long, the St. Charles Durant House Museum offers fun art programs and engaging educational demonstrations. All ages can explore what the 1840s pioneer life was like. With costumed docents and authentic furnishings, history comes alive at Durant House.
How to Get From St. Charles, IL to Chicago, IL
There are multiple ways to travel from St. Charles to Chicago via the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)—Chicago’s public transportation. Below is a list of public transit options, including trains, buses, and driving directions.
Geneva Metra Station to Chicago OTC (Downtown Chicago)
The easiest way to get from St Charles to Chicago is the Geneva Metra train to the Chicago Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC) in downtown Chicago. The Geneva station is conveniently less than 10 minutes away from St. Charles and easily accessible by taxi, ride-sharing, or the Pace Suburban Bus.
Geneva Metra to Chicago OTC via Pace Suburban Bus
If you’re traveling via the Pace Suburban Bus from St. Charles to Chicago, take the 801 route from Randall Rd & Prairie St towards the Geneva Metra terminal. The bus route is less than 15 minutes with 12 stops.
The weekday bus schedule runs hourly from 5:30 am to 6:30 pm. On Saturdays, it runs from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Getting back from Chicago to St. Charles via the 801 bus route is the same. Bus fares range from $1 to $2.25.
Geneva Metra to Chicago OTC via Union Pacific West (UP-W) Train Line
From the Geneva station, it’s a direct trip to the Chicago OTC via the Union Pacific West (UP-W) Line, about an hour and 15 minutes straight into downtown Chicago.
During the week, the Geneva to Chicago OTC train schedule arrives around every 30 minutes from 4:30 am to 10:30 pm. On weekends, trains arrive hourly from 6:30 am to 10:45 pm. Returning from Chicago to St. Charles via this route is the same.
Metra train tickets are relatively inexpensive, with $6 unlimited day passes within one to three fare zones, $10 unlimited day passes on all Metra lines or 10-ride tickets for 10-one-way trips within specified zones. For locals, there are also Super Saver Monthly passes for a $100 flat rate for unlimited travel on the entire Metra system.
Additionally, CTA and Pace released new $30 Regional Connect Passes for Metra Monthly Pass holders. It offers unlimited monthly rides with no zone limits on all Metra systems. This travel option is ideal for the outer Chicago suburbs, like St. Charles residents, to have more flexibility and save money for regional commuters into the city.
Indian Trails 1482 Bus from Naperville, IL, to Chicago
For direct bus routes into the city instead of connecting to the Geneva Metra station, you can commute from Naperville, IL to Chicago via the 1482 route. The Naperville bus stop is on 105 E. Fourth Ave and is a 30-minute drive away from St. Charles. Indian Trails offers the 1482 bus route twice daily, which takes a little over an hour to get to Chicago.
You can get off in Chicago on S. Desplaines St & Congress Pkwy in the West Loop neighborhood or 95th & Dan Ryan on Chicago’s South Side. Bus fares range from $4 to $21.
Driving From St. Charles to Chicago
If you want to skip Chicago public transit options and rather drive, you can get into the city via I-290 E, which is less than an hour’s drive. It’s 42 to 46 miles away, depending on your route.
You can get from I-88 E in Aurora Township from S Kirk Rd for 18 minutes, then hop on I-290 E to W Ida B. Wells Dr in Chicago for another 36 minutes. This route has two tolls with Illinois Tollway rates ranging from $0.55 to $4.10, depending on vehicle size and overnight hours. The total mileage is 46 miles.
Another driving commute option is via I-355 S in Lombard from IL-64 and E- North Ave for about 25 minutes, then hop onto I-290 E to Ida B. Wells Dr in Chicago for another 30 minutes. This route also has two tolls and a little over 42 miles.
Lastly, you can get on IL-390 in Hanover Park from IL-25 N and W Stearns Rd for 24 minutes and take I-290 E to W Ida B. Wells Dr in Chicago, which is 34 minutes from there. This route is 45 miles total with tolls.
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