CTA Surface System History presented by the Illinois Railway Museum

IRM Logo                 CTA Logo


Driver's Maps/Line Maps/Individual Route Descriptions by Route Name

Surface Routes
Addison Addison/Addison Heights Exp Addison Limited Archer Archer Exp
Archer Expwy Archer-Austin Archer-Franklin Exp Archer-Harlem Archer-Narragansett
Archer-NW Station Armitage Ashland Ashland Express Ashland-Archer
Ashland-Downtown Austin Bell & Howell Belmont Belmont, East
Blue Island-26th Blue Line Shuttle Broadway Broadway-State Bronzeville-Union Station
Brown Line Shuttle California California, North California, South California-Dodge
Canal-Wacker Central Central Extension Central Ltd Central, North
Central-Grant Central-Laramie Extension Central-Ridge Central-Sherman Cermak
Cermak, West Chicago Cicero Cicero, North Cicero, North-Skokie Blvd
Cicero, South Clarendon-Michigan Express Clark Clark-Wentworth Clybourn
Convention Special Cottage Grove Covers/Cover Letters Culture Bus Cumberland-East River
Cumberland Exp Damen Damen, North Damen, South Devon
Devon, West Devon-Cicero Devon-Northwest Exp Devon-Sheridan Diversey
Diversey (Logan) Division Dodge Douglas Douglas Ext
Drexel-Hyde Park Elston Elston Supplementary Elston-Clybourn Emerson-Dempster
Evanston Circulator Evanston RT Emerg Bus Serv Foster Foster, West Foster-Canfield
Foster-Central Foster-East River Foster-Lawrence Foster-Northwest Hwy Fullerton
Fullerton, East Fullerton, West Garage Routes Garfield Garfield Express
Garfield Limited Garfield Park Ext Garfield-55th Grand Grant Park Treasures
Halsted Halsted, South Halsted-Archer Halsted-Downtown Halsted-95th
Harlem Harlem, North Harrison Harrison-Adams Higgins
Hyde Park Hyde Park Exp Illinois Center-NW Exp Illinois Center-Union Exp Indiana
Indiana-Hyde Park International Towers Inner Drive-Michigan Exp Irving Park Irving Park Exp
Irving Park, West Irving Park,West Exp Jackson Jackson Exp Jackson Park Exp
Jackson-Independence Jackson Supplementary Jeffery Jeffery Exp Jeffery Jump
Jeffery Manor Exp Jeffery Manor Ltd Kedzie Kedzie, North Kedzie, South
Kedzie-California Kedzie-Homan Kimball Kimball-Homan King Drive
King Drive Ltd L Shuttle Weekends Lake Lake Shore Exp, South Laramie
LaSalle Lawrence Lawrence, East Lawrence, West 'L'ephant
Lincoln Lincoln-Larrabee Lincoln-Wabash Lincoln-Wells Loop Shopping District 10¢
Lunch Loop Shuttle Lunt Lunt-Touhy Madison Madison-Fifth
Magnificent Mile Exp Main-Emerson Main-Oakton Marine-Michigan Marine-Michigan Exp
Marine-Michigan Soldier Field Shuttle Marquette McCormick McCormick Place-NW Station Merchandise Mart-Soldier Field 10¢
Michigan Exp Michigan, South Michigan-State-Wacker Michigan-119th Midway Park 'n' Ride
Milwaukee Milwaukee, North Misc Routes Monroe Parking/Special/10¢ Montrose
Montrose Beach Montrose-Lawrence Morgan-Racine Mt. Sinai Hospital Museum Campus
Museum of Science & Industry Narragansett Narragansett Exp Narragansett-North Narragansett-Ridgeland
North North Exp North Ltd North-Narragansett North-Narragansett-Irving Park
Northeastern Illinois University Northwest Hwy NW-Franklin NW-Madison NW-Union Stations-Museums
NW-Union Stations-Soldier Field NW-Wacker Exp Ogden Ogden / Ogden Extension Ogden-Downtown
Ogden-Randolph Ogilvie-Streeterville Exp O'Hare O'Hare Exp Ohio-Depots / Ohio-Union Station
Orleans Outer Drive Exp Pershing Peterson Planetarium Shuttle
Pulaski Pulaski, South Pulaski-Stevenson Exp Pullman Pullman Shuttle
Pullman-Altgeld Pullman-111th-115th Ridge-Grant Riverdale Roosevelt
Roscoe Santa Fe School Charters Sedgwick Sedgwick-Armitage
Sedgwick-Ogden Sheridan Sheridan Exp Sheridan-LaSalle Exp Shopping District
Shoppers Loop/Shopping Loop Shuttle Skokie Soldier Field Special Event Shuttle Soldier Field Exp South Chicago
South Chicago Exp South Chicago-Ewing South Deering South Park South Park Ltd
Southport South Shore South Shore Exp (Rt. 1A) South Shore Exp (Rt. 26) South Shore Night Bus
Stadium Exp State/State, South State Ltd Stateliner Stevenson Exp
Stockton-LaSalle Exp Stony Island Stony Island Exp Streeterville Streeterville-Taylor
SW Skokie Taylor-Sedgwick-Sheffield Touhy U of C Hospitals Exp U of C-Hyde Park
U of C-Kenwood U of C-Midway Union-Streeterville Exp Union-Wacker Exp United Center Exp
Van Buren Vincennes Vincennes-111th Vincennes-112th Vincennes-119th
Wacker Exp Wacker-Depots Wacker-NW Station Wacker-Orleans Wacker-Wells 10¢
Wallace-Racine Washington Washington Exp Water Tower Exp Wentworth
Westchester Western Western, North Western, South Wilson Ave Beach
Wilson-LaSalle Wilson-LaSalle Exp Wilson-Michigan Wilson-Michigan Exp Wilson-Michigan Outer Drive Exp
Windsor Park Wrigley Field Exp Yates-Colfax Yates-95th 14th
16th-18th 25th Avenue 26th 26th-31st 31st
31st, East 31st, West 31st-35th 35th 35th, West-Pershing
43rd 43rd-Root 47th 47th, West 51st
51st-55th 55th 55th-Austin 55th-Narragansett 59th-61st
63rd 63rd Ltd 63rd, West 63rd-65th 65th West
67th-69th 67th-69th-Kedzie, South 67th-69th-71st 67th-69th-79th 69th-UPS Exp
71st 71st-Yates 74th-75th 79th 79th, East
79th, West 83rd 83rd-95th 87th 93rd-95th
93rd, East-95th 95th 95th,West 103rd, East 103rd, West
103rd-106th 103rd, East-106th 111th, East 111th-115th 115th
119th-Michigan 119th-Vincennes

Rapid Transit Routes
Blue Line Brown Line Congress-Douglas-O'Hare Douglas Evanston
Evanston Exp Garfield Green Line Howard-Dan Ryan Kenwood
Lake Lake-Englewood-Jackson Park Logan Square Loop Shuttle Midway
North-South Orange Line Purple Line Ravenswood Red Line
Skokie Swift Stock Yards West-Northwest West-South Yellow Line
Bus Substitution




Simplified Maps for Each Route by Garage

In the early 50s, CTA issued these to drivers working out of each garage.

  • Archer 05/1950
  • Archer 11/1952
  • Beverly 05/1950
  • Beverly 11/1952

  • Blue Island 11/1952
  • Cottage Grove 11/1952
  • Devon 11/1952
  • Kedzie 11/1952

  • Lawndale 05/1950
  • Lawndale 11/1952
  • Lawrence 11/1952
  • Limits 11/1952

  • North Ave 05/1950
  • North Ave 11/1952
  • North Park 11/1952

  • 69th 11/1952
  • 77th 05/1950
  • 77th 11/1952



  • Complete System Route Index Books

    Pre-1922 files are from land value-type books. 1922 and after were issued by CSL and CTA. All files are searchable .pdf so the file size can be large (noted next to each date).

  • 05/1905 (15 Mb)
  • 06/1906 (9 Mb)
  • 06/30/1906 (10 Mb)
  • 1908 (3 Mb)
  • 12/10/1908 (2 Mb)

  • 07/15/1912 (6 Mb)
  • 1915 (6 Mb)
  • 01/31/1915 (5 Mb)
  • 02/15/1922 (9 Mb)
  • 09/14/1924 (15 Mb)

  • 11/12/1933 (11 Mb)
  • 03/01/1934 (19 Mb)
  • 11/12/1934 (11 Mb)
  • 01/01/1935 (23 Mb)
  • 08/20/1936 (13 Mb)

  • 10/11/1937 (4.5 Mb)
  • 11/18/1946 (27 Mb)
  • 03/18/1948 (31 Mb)
  • 02/07/1949 (22 Mb)
  • 04/14/1950 (21 Mb)

  • 07/23/1951 (22 Mb)
  • 03/17/1952 (26 Mb)
  • 02/02/1953 (7 Mb)
  • 01/15/1954 (10 Mb)
  • 02/20/1955 (10 Mb)

  • 10/15/1957 (25 Mb)
  • 09/29/1959 (11 Mb)
  • 02/12/1962 (12 Mb)
  • 10/15/1963 (9 Mb)
  • 12/10/1964 (12 Mb)

  • 10/16/1967 (13 Mb)
  • 04/22/1970 (32 Mb)
  • 04/1973 (11 Mb)
  • 07/1974 (32 Mb)



  • PACE Complete System Route Index Books


  • 03/1988 (8.8 Mb)
  • 02/1989 (8.5 Mb)



  • Route Number Histories

    This very interesting list was compiled by Andre Kristopans.

  • Chicago Route Number History



  • Route Histories (Streetcar)

    These have been graciously provided by historian Andre Kristopans.

  • Calumet Electric Street Ry Company
  • Chicago City Ry
  • Chicago Consolidated Traction Comany
  • North Chicago Street RR

  • South Chicago City Ry
  • Southern Street Ry
  • West Chicago RR



  • Route Histories (Motor/Trolley Bus)

    These have been graciously provided by historian Andre Kristopans. Unless otherwise indicated, the below bus route histories have been updated as of 05/2019.

  • Route #1 - Bronzeville-Union Station (Previously CMC #1-Drexel Blve-Hyde Park Blvd, #1-Drexel-Hyde Park, #1-Indiana-Hyde Park)
  • Route #2 - Hyde Park (Previously CMC #2-Hyde Park Blvd-South Parkway)
  • Route #2 - Hyde Park Express (Previously CMC #1X-Outer Drive Express, #2X-Hyde Park Express)
  • Route #3 - King Drive (Previously CMC #3-South Park) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #3X - King Drive Express (Previously CMC #3-South Park Ltd, #3X-South Park Express)

  • Route #X3 - King Drive Express (Previously #3L-King Drive Ltd) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #4 - Cottage Grove (Updated 03/2023)
  • Route #X4 - Cottage Grove Express
  • Route #5 - Jeffery Local (Previously CMC #4-Jeffery Blvd, #5-Jeffery)
  • Route #5 - South Shore

  • Route #6 - Garfield (Previously CMC #6-Garfield Blvd)
  • Route #6 - Jackson Park Express (Previously CMC #4-Jeffery Ltd, #5X-Jeffery Express, #6-Jeffery Express) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #6B - Yates-Colfax (Previously #5B-Yates-Colfax)
  • Route #6X - Garfield Express (Previously CMC #6-Garfield Ltd)
  • Route #7 - Harrison

  • Route #7A - Harrison-Adams
  • Route #7AS - Harrison-Adams Depot Shuttle
  • Route #8 - Halsted
  • Route #8A - South Halsted (Previously #42B-South Halsted) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #9 - Ashland

  • Route #X9 - Ashland Express
  • Route #10 - Lunch Loop
  • Route #10 - Museum of Science & Industry
  • Route #11 - Lincoln-Wabash (Previously Lincoln-Downtown)
  • Route #11 - Lincoln (Previously #10-Lincoln-Larrabee, #11-Lincoln, #11-Lincoln-Sedgwick)

  • Route #12 - Roosevelt
  • Route #13 - Elston (Previously #55-Elston)
  • Route #13 - SW Skokie
  • Route #14 - 14th Street
  • Route #J14 - Jeffery Jump (Previously #14-South Lake Shore Express, #14-Jeffery Express)

  • Route #15 - Canal-Wacker
  • Route #15 - Shoppers Loop
  • Route #15 - Jeffrey Local
  • Route #16 - Lake
  • Route #17 - Westchester (Previously Westchester-Forest Park)

  • Route #17A (Route number never official) - Garfield Park Extension
  • Route #18 - 16th-18th Street
  • Route #19 - Devon-NW Express
  • Route #20 - Madison
  • Route #X20 - Madison-Washington Express

  • Route #20A - Madison-Fifth
  • Route #21 - Cermak
  • Route #X21 - Cermak Express
  • Route #22 - Clark
  • Route #22 - Clark-Wentworth

  • Route #23 - Morgan-Racine
  • Route #23 - Washington Express
  • Route #24 - Windsor Park
  • Route #24 - Wentworth (Previously #22A-Wentworth) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #25 - Hegewisch

  • Route #25 - Central-Roosevelt-Laramie
  • Route #25 - West Cermak (Previously #21B-Douglas Park Extension)
  • Route #26 - 26th
  • Route #26 - South Shore Express
  • Route #27 - South Deering

  • Route #27A - Torrence
  • Route #28 - Stony Island (Previously #28-Stony Island, #28-StonyY Island Express, #X28-Stony Island Express)
  • Route #29 - State (Previously #36A-State) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #30 - South Chicago (Previously #25-South Chicago-Ewing, #30-South Chicago-Ewing, #30-South Chicago Express)
  • Route #30X - South Chicago Express (Previously #25X-South Chicago Express)

  • Route #31 - 31st (Previously #31-26th-31st) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #32 - West 31st (Previously #31A-West 31st)
  • Route #32 - West 31st
  • Route #33 - Austin (Previously CMC #33-Austin)
  • Route #33 - Magnificent Mile Express

  • Route #34 - Riverdale-111th (Previously #34-Riverdale)
  • Route #34 - South Michigan - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #35 - 31st-35th (Previously 35th)
  • Route #35W - West 35th-Pershing
  • Route #36 - Broadway

  • Route #36 - Broadway-State
  • Route #36A - Devon
  • Route #36AX - State Limited
  • Route #37 - Sedgwick (Previously Taylor-Sedgwick-Sheffield, Sedgwick-Ogden)
  • Route #37 - Taylor-Sedgwick-Sheffield Depot Shuttle

  • Route #38 - Indiana
  • Route #38 - Michigan Express
  • Route #38 - Ogden-Taylor
  • Route #39 - Pershing - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #39A - West Pershing

  • Route #40 - Planetarium (Previously CMC #40-Planetarium Shuttle)
  • Route #40 - O'Hare (Previously O'Hare Express)
  • Route #40 - Chinatown-Pilsen Shuttle
  • Route #41 - Elston-Clybourn (Previously Clybourn)
  • Route #41 - Clybourn Depot Shuttle

  • Route #42 - Halsted-Archer (Previously Halsted-Downtown)
  • Route #43 - 43rd (Previously 43rd-Root)
  • Route #43X - Stock Yards Ltd
  • Route #44 - Wallace-Racine
  • Route #45 - Ashland-Downtown

  • Route #46 - Southport
  • Route #47 - 47th
  • Route #47A - West 47th
  • Route #48 - South Damen (Previously #50A-South Damen)
  • Route #48A - South Damen

  • Route #49 - Western
  • Route #X49 - Western Express
  • Route #49A - South Western
  • Route #49B - North Western
  • Route #50 - Damen (Previously North Damen)

  • Route #50A - North Damen
  • Route #51 - 51st (Previously 51st-55th)
  • Route #51A - East 51st-55th
  • Route #52 - Kedzie (Previously Kedzie-California) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #52A - South Kedzie

  • Route #53 - Pulaski
  • Route #53A - South Pulaski (Previously #53L-South Pulaski Limited)
  • Route #53B - North Pulaski
  • Route #54 - Cicero
  • Route #X54 - Cicero Express

  • Route #54A - North Cicero-Skokie Blvd (Previously #54A-North Cicero, #14-Devon-Cicero)
  • Route #54B - South Cicero (Previously #64-South Cicero) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #55 - Garfield (Previously 55th, Garfield-55th)
  • Route #X55 - Garfield Express
  • Route #55A - North Elston

  • Route #55A - 55th-Austin (Previously #62A-Archer-Austin)
  • Route #55N - 55th-Narragansett (Previously #62N-Archer-Narragansett)
  • Route #56 - Milwaukee
  • Route #56A - North Milwaukee
  • Route #56X - Milwaukee Limited

  • Route #57 - Laramie (Previously CMC #37 Laramie)
  • Route #58 - Ogden-Randolph (Previously Ogden-Downtown)
  • Route #59 - 59th-61st
  • Route #59A - West 59th
  • Route #60 - Blue Island-26th

  • Route #61 - Archer-Franklin Express
  • Route #62 - Archer
  • Route #62A - West Archer
  • Route #62E - Archer Express (Previously #62X-Archer Express)
  • Route #62H - Archer-Harlem

  • Route #63 - 63rd - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #63A - West 63rd (Previously 63rd-65th)
  • Route #63W - West 63rd
  • Route #63X - 63rd Ltd
  • Route #64 - Foster-Lawrence

  • Route #64 - Foster-Canfield
  • Route #65 - Grand
  • Route #66 - Chicago
  • Route #67 - 67th-69th-71st - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #68 - Northwest Highway

  • Route #69 - Cumberland Express (Previously #40IT-International Towers, #64X-Cumberland Express)
  • Route #69 - Foster-East River
  • Route #69 - Cumberland-East River
  • Route #70 - West Division
  • Route #70 - Division

  • Route #70A - West Division
  • Route #71 - 71st-South Shore (Previously 71st, 71st-Yates)
  • Route #71A - East 71st
  • Route #72 - North
  • Route #72A - West North

  • Route #72X - North Limited
  • Route #73 - Armitage
  • Route #73A - East Armitage
  • Route #74 - Fullerton
  • Route #74B - West Fullerton

  • Route #74L - East Fullerton (Previously 74A-East Fullerton, #74L-'L'ephant Special)
  • Route #75 - 74th-75th
  • Route #76 - Diversey
  • Route #76A - West Diversey
  • Route #77 - Belmont

  • Route #77A - West Belmont (Previously CMC #46-Belmont-Laramie
  • Route #77A - East Belmont (Previously #77B-East Belmont)
  • Route #78 - Montrose
  • Route #78A - West Montrose
  • Route #79 - 79th - Updated 01/2022

  • Route #79A - West 79th
  • Route #80 - Irving Park
  • Route #80A - West Irving Park
  • Route #80W - West Irving Park & West Irving Park Express (Previously #80A-West Irving Park, #80A-West Irving Park Ltd, #80A-West Irving Park Express)
  • Route #X80 - Irving Park Express

  • Route #81 - Lawrence - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #81A - Montrose-Lawrence (Previously East Lawrence)
  • Route #81W - West Lawrence
  • Route #82 - Kimball
  • Route #82 - Kimball-Homan

  • Route #82A - Kedazie-Homan
  • Route #83 - 83rd
  • Route #84 - Peterson
  • Route #85 - Central (Previously CMC #38-Central)
  • Route #85A - North Central

  • Route #85A - Foster-Central
  • Route #85A - North Central
  • Route #85X - Central Limited
  • Route #86 - Narragansett-Ridgeland (Previously CMC #45-Austin-Narragansett, CSL #86-Narragansett, #86-Narragansett-North, #86-Irving Park-Narragansett-North, #86-North-Narragansett-Irving Park, #86-North-Narragansett, #86-Narragansett)
  • Route #87 - West 87th (Previously CSL #87-West 87th)

  • Route #87 - 87th
  • Route #88 - Higgins
  • Route #89 - Northwest Highway
  • Route #89 - Jeffery-100th
  • Route #89 - Yates-95th

  • Route #89 - McCormick (Previously #17A North Kedzie, #82B-Bell & Howell)
  • Route #89 - Northeastern Illinois U-Bus
  • Route #89 - North Kedzie
  • Route #90 - Foster
  • Route #90 - Harlem

  • Route #90N - North Harlem
  • Route #91 - Austin
  • Route #92 - Foster (Previously #92-Foster-Northwest Highway) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #92A - West Foster
  • Route #92W - West Foster

  • Route #93 - North California-Dodge (Previously #93-North California)
  • Route #94 - California (Previously #94-South California) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #94A - North California
  • Route #95 - 95th
  • Route #95 - 95th (Previously #95-93rd-95th, #95-83rd-93rd-95th, #95E-93rd-95th) - Updated 01/2022

  • Route #95W - 95th
  • Route #96 - Lunt (Previously #96-Lunt, #96-Lunt-Touhy)
  • Route #97 - Skokie
  • Route #98 - Roscoe
  • Route #98 - Ogden (Previously #58A-Ogden)

  • Route #X98 - Avon Express
  • Route #99 - Stevenson Express (Previously #62X-Archer Express via Expressway)
  • Route #99M - Midway Express (Previously #99-Midway Park 'N' Ride)
  • Route #X99 - Chicago Manufacturing Campus Express
  • Route #100 - Jeffery Manor Express (Previously #100-Jeffrey Manor Ltd) - Updated 01/2022

  • Route #103 - 103rd-106th
  • Route #103 - West 103rd (Previously #103A-West 103rd) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #103A - West 103rd
  • Route #104 - Pullman-Altgeld (Previously #4A-Pullman, #104-Pullman)
  • Route #106 - 106th

  • Route #106 - East 103rd (Previously #106-East 103rd-106th) - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #108 - Halsted-95th
  • Route #110 - Marquette (Previously CMC #10-Loomis Ltd, CMC #10-Marquette Ltd, #110X-Marquette Express)
  • Route #111 - 111th-115th (Previously #111-111th)
  • Route #111 - Pullman-115th (Previously #111-Pullman-111th-115th)

  • Route #111 - Pullman-111th-115th
  • Route #111A - West 111th
  • Route #111A - Pullman Shuttle - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #111AX - Vincennes Express
  • Route #112 - Vincennes-111th (Preiously #111A-Vincennes-111th) - Updated 01/2022

  • Route #115 - 115th
  • Route #115 - Pullman-115th - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #119 - Vincennes-119th (Sometimes identified as 119th-Vincennes) (Previously #119-119TH)
  • Route #119 - Michigan-119th - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #120 - Ogilvie-Streeterville Express (Previously NW-Wacker Express, Ogilvie-Wacker Express)

  • Route #121 - Union-Streetville Express (Previously Union-Wacker Express)
  • Route #122 - Illinois-Ogilvie Express (Previously Illinois Center-NW Express)
  • Route #123 - Illinois Center-Union Express
  • Route #124 - Navy Pier (Previously Navy Pier Express)
  • Route #125 - Water Tower Express

  • Route #126 - Jackson (Previously CMC #26-Jackson)
  • Route #126A - VanBuren (Previously #6-VanBuren)
  • Route #126X - Jackson Express (Previously CMC #26-Jackson Ltd)
  • Route #127 - Jackson-Independence (Previously CMC #27-Jackson-Independence)
  • Route #127 - NW-Madison (Previously NW-Madison, McCormick Place-NW Station)

  • Route #127 - Madison-Roosevelt Circulator
  • Route #128 - Orleans (Previously CMC #28-Wacker-Wells, #128-Wacker-Orleans)
  • Route #129 - NW-Franklin (Previously #62-Archer-RR Depot)
  • Route #129 - West Loop-South Loop
  • Route #130 - Museum Campus (Previously Grant Park Treasures)

  • Route #131 - Washington (Previously CMC #31-Washington)
  • Route #131X - Washington (Previously CMC #31-Washington Ltd, #131X-Washington Express, #131-Washington Express)
  • Route #132 - Goose Island Express
  • Route #134 - Diversey (Previously CMC #34-Diversey-Logan)
  • Route #134 - Stockton-LaSalle Express

  • Route #135 - Clarendon-LaSalle Express (Previously CMC #56-Wilson-LaSalle Express, #156X-Wilson-LaSalle Express, #135-Wilson-LaSalle Express)
  • Route #136 - Douglas (Previously CMC #36-Douglas)
  • Route #136 - Sheridan-LaSalle Express (Previously CMC #56-LaSalle-Sheridan Express, #156X-LaSalle-Sheridan Express)
  • Route #142 - Shopping District (Prevously Depot Motor Bus, CMC #42-Union Station-Madison St Shopping District, #42-Union and Northwestern Stations-Shopping District)
  • Route #143 - Stockton-Michigan Express

  • Route #144 - Marine-Michigan Express
  • Route #145 - Wilson-Michigan Express (Previously CMC #53-Clarendon-Wilson Ltd, #153X-Wilson-Michigan Express)
  • Route #146 - Sheridan Express (Previously CMC #51-Sheridan Ltd, #151X-Sheridan Express)
  • Route #146 - Inner Drive-Michigan Express (Previously Marine-Michigan Express and Marine-Michigan Local)
  • Route #147 - Outer Drive Express (Previously CMC #51-Outer Drive Express, #151X-Outer Drive Express)

  • Route #148 - Monroe Parking (Previously CMC #48-Monroe Parking)
  • Route #148 - Wilson-Michigan Outer Drive Express (Previously CMC #53-Wilson-Outer Drive Ltd, #153X-Wilson-Outer DriveExpress)
  • Route #148 - Clarendon-Michigan Express
  • Route #149 - Stateliner (Previously CMC #49-Grant Park Lots, #149-Michigan-State-Wacker)
  • Route #151 - Sheridan (Previously Chicago Motor Bus #51-Sheridan, CMC #51-Sheridan)

  • Route #152 - Addison (Previously CMC #52-Addison)
  • Route #152X - Addison Ltd (Previously CMC #52-Addison Ltd)
  • Route #152X - Addison Express (Previously CMC #52-Addison Heights Ltd, #152X-Addison Heights Express)
  • Route #153 - Wilson-Michigan (Previously Chicago Motor Bus #53-Clarendon-Wilson, CMC #53-Clarendon-Wilson)
  • Route #154 - Lunt (Previously CMC #54-Lunt)

  • Route #155 - Devon (Previously CMC #55-Howard-Ashland)
  • Route #155A - Devon-Pratt
  • Route #155A - West Devon
  • Route #156 - LaSalle (Previously CMC #56-Wilson-LaSalle, #156-Wilson-LaSalle)
  • Route #157 - Streeterville-Taylor (Previously CMC #57-Ohio-Depots, #157-Ohio-Depots, #157-Ohio-Union Station, #157-Streeterville) - Updated 01/2022

  • Route #158 - Wacker Northwestern Station (Previously CMC #58-Wacker-Depots, #158-Wacker-Depots)
  • Route #158A - Wacker Express
  • Route #162 - Pulaski-Stevenson Express
  • Route #164 - Narragansett Express
  • Route #165 - West 65th

  • Route #168 - UIC-Pilsen Express
  • Route #169 - 69th-UPS Hodgkins
  • Route #170 - University of Chicago-Midway
  • Route #171 - University of Chicago-Hyde Park - Updated 01/2022
  • Route #172 - University of Chicago-Kenwood

  • Route #173 - University of Chicago-Lakeview Express
  • Route #174 - University of Chicago-Garfield Stations
  • Route #192 - University of Chicago Hospitals Express
  • Route #200 - Main Shuttle
  • Route #201 - Central-Ridge (Previously Central-Noyes, Central-Sherman)

  • Route #202 - Main-Emerson
  • Route #203 - Oakton-Main
  • Route #203 - Ridge-Grant
  • Route #204 - Dodge
  • Route #205 - Chicago-Golf
  • Route #206 - Evanston Circulator


  • CMC Route #7 - Midway Plaisance
  • CMC Route #9 - Normal
  • CMC Route #10 - Loomis
  • CMC Route #11 - Marquette

  • CMC Route #12 - South Chicago
  • CMC Route #30 - Sacramento
  • CMC Route #32 - Franklin-Garfield Square
  • CMC Route #39 - Oakley

  • CMC Route #40 - Northwestern Station-Randolph St Shopping District
  • CMC Route #41 - Union Station-Monroe St Shopping District (Previously Union Station-Jackson St Shopping District)
  • CMC Route #43 - Northwestern Station-Madison St Shopping District (Previously Depot Motor Bus)
  • CMC Route #56 - Sheridan-Stockton


  • Rapid Transit - Blue Line - Updated 01/2022
  • Rapid Transit - Brown Line - Updated 01/2022
  • Rapid Transit - Green Line - Updated 01/2022
  • Rapid Transit - Orange Line - Updated 01/2022

  • Rapid Transit - Pink Line - Updated 01/2022
  • Rapid Transit - Purple Line - Updated 01/2022
  • Rapid Transit - Red Line - Updated 01/2022
  • Rapid Transit - Yellow Line

  • Rapid Transit - Detailed History of All Lines and Historical Car Rosters



  • Former Surface System Routes


  • Listing of former routes and their histories



  • Chicago Motor Coach Route Descriptions - Created by CTA in late 1952 based off final CMC schedules


  • CMC Route Descriptions Part 1 of 3 (8.1 Mb)
  • CMC Route Descriptions Part 2 of 3 (12.4 Mb)
  • CMC Route Descriptions Part 3 of 3 (19.0 Mb)



  • Streetcar Route Histories 1945-1958


  • Click here for the Chicago Streetcar History by route 1945-1958



  • Historic Listings of Routes Assigned to Specific Garages


  • Listing of Streetcar Routes Assigned to Specific Garages
  • Listing of Bus Routes Assigned to Specific Garages



  • Chronology of Service Changes in the CTA Era - Company Issued


  • As of 02/15/1955 (49.1 Mb)
  • As of 12/05/1956 (57.3 Mb)
  • As of 02/25/1960 (68.5 Mb)
  • As of 01/05/1961 (89.2 Mb)
  • As of 01/03/1962 (63.7 Mb)



  • Downtown Routings


  • Routings of lines that go thorugh downtown - 09/14/1964 (High res - 107 Mb)
  • Routings of lines that go thorugh downtown - 09/14/1964 (Medium res - 33.6 Mb)
  • Routings of lines that go thorugh downtown - 09/14/1964 (Low res - 6.3 Mb)



  • Back to Home Page