Meeting Logistics

Meeting Registration

Advanced registration is required for this meeting, so that Microsoft can process their visitor processing procedure.

Meeting Location

The meeting will take place at the Microsoft’s downtown Chicago facility at 77 West Wacker Drive, Suite 2300, Chicago IL 60601.

Logistics From O’Hare

• from Airport to Downtown, the best should be BLUE-LINE train. Washington Station should be 7 min from Microsoft location. train is going each 5-10 minutes as far as I know!
• Maybe that another station is nearer to the hotel.
• Microsoft - hotel - distance seems to be 20 min.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport is served directly by train, taxi, shared-ride van, shuttle, and bus. The Airport Transit System provides a quick, convenient, and free service for transfers to / from the terminals. It can also be used to reach the long-term parking facility. CTA Train Services I checked and you would have to change trains, take a bus and then walk, so not a good option.

The Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line provides a 24-hour service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago. Trains run every eight minutes from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm weekdays and every ten minutes from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The CTA station is located on the lowest level of the main parking garage and is accessible by pedestrian tunnels from Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

Taxi and Shared-ride Van Services Taxi is $35-40 one-way.

Taxis at Chicago O’Hare International Airport are available at all terminals from the lower level curbfront. Metered rates apply to all destinations. Chicago O’Hare International Airport shared-ride vans are also available at all terminals from the lower level curbfront.

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Bus and Shuttle Service

Located on the ground floor of the elevated parking garage, the bus / shuttle center is the primary pickup point for hotel courtesy and Pace buses as well as shuttles for car rental agencies and parking. The center is accessible by tunnels from Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

Continental Airport Express shuttles leave Chicago O’Hare International Airport every five to ten minutes. Tickets may be purchased at the kiosk outside of the International Terminal and at the lower levels of Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at the counters across from the baggage claim. Continental Airport Express also offers shuttles to northern suburban locations.

Continental Airport Express was recommended on several Web sites. From their Web site:

Traveling From O’Hare: Shuttles depart from O’Hare airport every 10-15 minutes for downtown service to Chicago hotels, downtown businesses, near north residential locations, and suburban locations. Our loading zones for boarding the Airport Express van are at Door 1E, Door 2D, and Door 3E across from baggage claim on the Baggage Claim level. At the international terminal we are located just outside Door 1E, which is just outside of baggage claim and Customs. The last Airport Express van leaves O’Hare at 11:30 pm seven nights a week. Airport Express Ticket Counters for purchasing tickets are located at Door 1E, Door 2D, and Door 3F lower level across from baggage claim on the Baggage Claim level. RESERVATIONS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DOWNTOWN CHICAGO. We also service many of the Chicago suburbs from O’Hare. Please look at our city listings to see if we service your destination city. Please note: suburban city transfers require a reservation. Their fares from ORD are: Single one way $27, Single round trip $49, Pair fare one way (2 together) $19, Pair fare round trip $35, Group one way (3 or more) $14, group round trip $27

Meeting Cost

$60 per person to cover the cost of the snacks, drinks, and lunch on Tuesday.  This is payable by credit card or check made out to the MPI Forum.

Hotel Room Block

A block of rooms is reserved at the Westin hotel, 909 N. Michigan Avenue. The nightly rate is the government rate of $189/night. To reserve a hotel room at this hotel, please indicate on the meeting registration form which nights you would like to stay at the hotel, and ORNL’s conference folks will make the reservation in one block.

Because of the scarcity of hotel rooms in Chicago at this meeting’s time, room reservations must be made by April 7th, so please register for the meeting by that time. After that date we can’t guarantee hotel rooms.