Buddhism in the City

Maps and directions

The lecture venues and the accommodations dormitory are all located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Click the maps below to enlarge them.

Airports to the University Center (for accommodations dormitory)

For more detailed directions, see Where are the accommodations?

From Midway Airport, take the CTA Orange Line train to Library/Van Buren stop. Walk 1 block south on State Street to Congress Parkway.

From O'Hare Airport, take the CTA Blue Line train to LaSalle/Congress stop. Walk four blocks east on Congress to State Street.

To Thorne Auditorium from University Center (Friday Night)

Thorne Auditorium is approximately 2 miles (3 km) northeast of University Center at 365 E. Chicago Ave; check out the map.

• Walking: Walk east on Congress to Michigan Ave and turn left (north). Walk about 1.5 miles (2.3 km) north to Chicago Ave and turn right (east). Thorne Auditorium is another 0.3 mile (0.5 km) down Chicago Ave on the right side of the street.
• Train (subway): Walk 1 block south on State St. to the 'Red Line' train stop at Harrison (see the separate CTA train map). Take the 'Red Line' north to the Chicago Ave stop. Walk about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) east on Chicago Ave until you reach Thorne Auditorium on the right side of the street. A one-way train ticket is $2.00.
• Bus: Walk east on Harrison across Michigan Ave. Take the #3 King Dr. Bus northbound. The bus will turn right on Chicago Ave. Get off the bus at the corner of Chicago Ave. and Fairbanks Ct. (the bus turns right again on Fairbanks). Walk 1/2 block (~200 meters) east on Chicago and Thorne Auditorium will be on the right side of the street. A one-way bus ticket is $2.00.
• Taxi: Taxis are readily available at all times. A taxi will cost about $7-$10.
• Driving: Parking is difficult near Thorne Auditorium. There is some metered parking available, but most cars will have to park in pay lots; cost is between $15 and $25. Northwestern University provides a map of nearby public parking locations. For driving directions from places other than the University Center, please see Northwestern University's directions. Follow directions 'to Chicago Campus'.
• Returning to University Center from Northwestern: The lecture will end about 11:00pm. Both the bus and train described above will still be running at that time, just follow the reverse directions.

To Chicago Cultural Center from University Center (Saturday and Sunday)

At the southwest corner of N. Michigan Avenue and E. Randolph Street. There are entrances to the Chicago Cultural Center (CCC) on both Washington St. and Randolph St. The lecture is closest to the Randolph St. entrance. The CCC takes up the entire block between Washington and Randolph along Michigan Avenue.

The closest train (subway) station to the CCC is the 'Brown Line' Station at Randolph St. The 'Red Line' station at Lake St. and the 'Blue Line' station at Washington St. are also nearby. A one-way subway ticket is $2.00.

The CCC is just over 0.5 mile (0.9 km) north of University Center; check out the map.

• Walking: Walk about 0.5 mile (0.9km) north on State St. to Washington and turn right. The entrance to the CCC will be on the left side of the street.
• Train (subway): The train is not recommended for this short trip. If you do take the train, see the information above about the closest station.
• Bus: Take the #145 Wilson/Michigan northbound from the corner of Harrison and State or the #147 Outer Drive Express northbound from the corner of Congress and State. Exit either bus between Washington and Randolph on Michigan Ave (across from Millennium Park). A one-way bus ticket is $2.00.
• Taxi: Taxis are readily available at all times. A taxi will cost about $5-$7.
• Driving: The best option for parking near CCC is the Monroe St. garage. From the corner of Washington St. and Michigan Ave., turn left on Michigan Ave. Take first right onto Monroe St. Stay in the center lanes to go onto lower level. Take right at the light on Columbus St. The entrance to the parking garage is immediately on the right hand side. After descending the ramp, turn right and get a ticket.

Still have questions?

Email us at chicago@diamondway.org and we'll do our best to help you.