A new project in Chicago, called the O’Hare Flyer, is planned to be the first airport express train in the U.S. The goal is a 15-minute trip from downtown near the Old Post Office straight to Terminal 2. The schedule promises a departure every 15 minutes.

The team looked at existing rail space and found a way to use it without building an entirely new system from scratch.

Battery Electric Express Train

The O’Hare Flyer will be the first battery electric express train in the U.S.; Photo: O’Hare Flyer

The train itself is battery-electric, meaning it runs quiet and clean. It recharges at both the downtown station and Terminal 2. Instead of tearing up the city for a new path, the plan uses freight train tracks owned by CSX, Canadian National, and Union Pacific. The team already has a signed agreement with CSX.

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“This is an important first for Chicago and for the country. O’Hare Flyer will build on Chicago’s heritage as America’s rail capital and center of innovation,” O’Hare Flyer Founder and Chief Engineering Officer Mark Walbrun explained. “By combining three existing but underused freight rights-of-way into a dedicated express rail service, we will create the best airport transportation experience in America – and one of the best in the world.”

Private Funds and Local Jobs

The project aims to launch within the next five years. Right now, it’s supported by Chicago-based engineering, architecture, and consulting firms.

“O’Hare Flyer will connect our world class downtown with our world class airport in fifteen minutes,” O’Hare Flyer Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dave Lundy shared. “This is a first-of-its-kind express train in the U.S. and will give Chicago a safe, reliable, world-class rider experience on a fast, whisper-quiet battery-electric train.”

The team says the construction will bring local jobs, and they are working on an agreement with local building trades to get it built by union workers.