Venue, Travel and Accommodations

Venue and Lodging

TIPP 2011 will be held at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Chicago, Illinois (USA).The Sheraton is the premier convention and business hotel located in the heart of downtown Chicago. A block of rooms has been reserved at the government rate (only active from June 7th, 2011).

To make a room reservation at the group discount rate, please click here. Group rate will be available until May 13, 2011, and is subject to availability. You can also try the online HotelsCombined.com to look for alternative hotel accommodations. This is the world's largest hotel price comparison website and they are offering support in finding last minute accommodations. An exclusive 10% rebate is given to hotels booked via their website for all TIPP 2011 attendees. Start your search for Chicago Hotels and visit their conference support page for instructions on how to claim the rebate.

Since the meeting is held right in the center of downtown Chicago, participants are strongly discouraged to rent a car. Please use public transportation to reach the conference site. Once at the conference site, everything you would need is within walking distance.

The Chicago metropolitan area is served by two major airports, national rail stations and other forms of public transportation.

Airports

O'Hare International Airport handles more passengers than any other airport in the world. For visitors needing information or directions, airport information booths are located on the lower levels of the domestic terminals and on the upper and lower levels of the International Terminal. A foreign currency exchange is located on the lower level of the International Terminal. O'Hare is located about 25 miles from downtown Chicago.

Midway Airport is located at 5700 Cicero Avenue, 20 minutes (13 miles) from downtown Chicago. The one-building airport is divided into three terminals, A, B and C. The main lobby at the airport’s center entrance is where the information booth and all vehicle pick-up services are available. Transportation from both airports to downtown Chicago is available by taxi, limo, and/or public transport (see items below for more details)

Train Stations

Amtrak is a national rail train service serving Chicago and most of the continental United States. Trains arrive and depart primarily from the two major Chicago train stations, Union Station and Northwestern Station.

Metra Rail Trains, the Metropolitan Railroad operates 12 surface train lines serving the six-county area which hub into downtown Chicago from the outlying Chicago suburbs.

Local Public Transportation

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) offers fast, direct train service from both airports to downtown via the Blue Line, and convenient bus and train lines to major attractions, simple fare cards, easy-to-use maps and brochures, and custom trip planning for groups.

Taxicabs: Cabs can be hailed anytime in the Loop and other central neighborhoods as well as all airports; otherwise call Yellow (tel 312/829-4222), for example. The fare is about $40 each way between O’Hare and The Sheraton and about $30 from Midway. (See fare estimator for more details.)

How to reach the Sheraton from the Airports

From O'Hare: if you're coming on a domestic flight you will arrive at Terminal 1, 2 or 3, depending on your carrier. Once you are in the terminal building, follow signs to "CTA Trains" or "Trains to City." These will lead you to the train station. You can walk from the baggage claim to the train in under ten minutes from any of these three terminals. If you're arriving on an international flight, you will arrive at Terminal 5. Follow the signs to the Airport Transit System (ATS). Ride the next train to Terminal 2 and exit the train at the station. Then, follow signs to "CTA Trains" or "Trains to City." At the train station, take the "Blue Line" to downtown Chicago. Exit at the Lake/Clark station. When exiting, walk east towards Michigan Avenue (crucial test of your sense of orientation). When you reach Michigan Avenue, turn left, going north. When you reach the Chicago River turn right onto East Wacker Drive (it's more convenient not to cross the river at Michigan Avenue) and continue for one block. Cross the Chicago River at the Columbus Drive Bridge and the Sheraton is right on the other side of the river. Walking distance from the subway station is 0.8 miles.

From Midway: the Midway train station is situated just east of the airport terminal building and is connected to the airport via an enclosed walkway. Follow the signs to "CTA Trains" or "Trains to City" from the airport. An orange line painted on the ground will guide you there. At the train station, take the "Orange Line" to downtown Chicago. Exit at the Randolph station. When exiting, walk one block east towards Michigan Avenue (crucial test of your sense of orientation). When you reach Michigan Avenue, turn left, going north. When you reach the Chicago River turn right onto East Wacker Drive (it's more convenient not to cross the river at Michigan Avenue) and continue for one block. Cross the Chicago River at the Columbus Drive Bridge and the Sheraton is right on the other side of the river. Walking distance from the subway station is 0.6 miles.

You can find more detailed information how to reach downtown Chicago from the airports from the CTA website

Of course you can always take a taxi from the airport to the conference venue. City taxis are available outside the terminal building. Typical taxi fare from the airport to the Sheraton is $40-50.

Driving to the Conference

Driving Directions to the Sheraton (pdf)

Parking: The Hotel offers valet parking (in and out privileges) for up to 400 cars on a first-come, first-served basis. Overnight valet parking rate is $49. As an alternative to valet parking, there are several self-parking garages located near the hotel which include: Ogden Plaza, River East (North Pier) Central, Cityfront Mid-Rise and Cityfront High-Rise. The Ogden Plaza self –parking (connected to the hotel via an enclosed skywalk). Participants are strongly discouraged to bring or rent a car!