Trains heading in and out of Chicago this weekend will be packed as the iconic Lollapalooza music festival for 2026 kicks off in Grant Park.
“Anytime you have 100,000 people coming to an event, it kind of acts as a pressure zone,” NBC 5 traffic reporter Kye Martin told commuters Thursday morning.
Overall, more than 400,000 people are expected to head to the festival, which officially starts at 11 a.m. Thursday with Lorde and John Summit as headliners.
Early Thursday morning, NBC 5 captured people already lined up at the gate.
The grounds will be open until 10 p.m. through closing day Sunday, with more than 170 performances across multiple stages. Several street closures in and around Grant Park including on Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive were already in effect, and public transportation was highly encouraged.
“Metra and CTA are again working together to make the trip as easy as possible with added service as well as Day and Weekend Passes that make public transit the easiest choice to get to the festival” Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski said in a release.
Metra also said daily commuters on trains should prepare to see an “expected increase” of passengers.
As the busy weekend approaches, here’s what to know.
Street closures
The following closures are in effect:
Balbo from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 15–August 9 Jackson, from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 21–August 8 Balbo, from Michigan to Columbus: July 27–August 3 Jackson, from Michigan to Columbus: July 27–August 3 Columbus, from Monroe to Roosevelt: July 27–August 3 Columbus (NB, center lanes), from 13th Street to Roosevelt: July 27–August 3 Congress Plaza Dr, from Michigan to Columbus: July 27–August 3 Monroe, from Michigan to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 27–August 3Metra added service
Metra this weekend will provide extra trains on seven of its 11 lines and add railcars “for extended capacity to accommodate the anticipated demand for ridership.”
A full Metra Lollapalooza weekend schedule can be found here.
Riders can get $7 tickets Saturday or Sunday, or purchase a $10 weekend pass.
“All riders must have a ticket to ride Metra trains, and tickets will be checked,” Metra said. “On outbound trains, riders may be asked to show their ticket before boarding at downtown stations.”
Riders are also encouraged to buy their tickets either through vending machines or the Ventra App before boarding trains.
“Customers attending the festival are asked not to bring backpacks or water bottles on Metra trains throughout the event and to review Lollapalooza’s list of allowed and prohibited items,” Metra said.
CTA
The Chicago Transit Authority will add extra service on the Red and Blue Lines, the agency said. Yellow Line service will also be extended until 1 a.m. each night through Sunday.
“South Shore lines from northwest Indiana will also be offering extra trains,” Martin said. “That’s really convenient because Millennium Station is steps away from the festival.”
CTA day passes start at $5, or $15 for a 3-day pass.
CTA bus service to the festival includes:
From Union Station, take the #126 Jackson, #130 Museum Campus, or #151 Sheridan. From Ogilvie Transportation Center, take the #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee, or #J14 Jeffery Jump.This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
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