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Use trains for longer trips and buses for corridors the rail network does not directly serve, especially along the lakefront and east-west streets. Downtown, walking often reveals more than a short transfer: bridges, elevated tracks and building entrances explain how the city works. The river interrupts some routes, and addresses that look close on a map may sit on different levels. Group attractions by district before choosing transportation. Museum Campus, Hyde Park, Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville each deserve their own cluster rather than repeated returns downtown. Pay with the currently accepted transit method and verify service notices before departure, particularly during construction or major events. Taxis and rideshares are useful late at night or with luggage, but congestion can erase their advantage. In winter cold, summer heat or strong lake wind, shorten exposed walks and build an indoor transfer into the route.