There are 8 ways to get from Palo Alto to Chicago by plane, bus (Greyhound), subway, train, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
best- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)plane SJC - MDW
6h 25m$140–614Fly San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
cheapest- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)plane SFO - ORD
6h 47m$91–363Bus
- Take the bus from E Bayshore Rd & Donohoe St to Salesforce Transit Center- Bay 37bus Epx
- Take the bus from San Francisco Bus Station to Sparks Transit Centerbus
- Take the bus from Sparks Transit Center to Denver Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Denver Union Station to Chicago Bus Stationbus
2d 4h$412–637BART, train
- Take the subway from Millbrae to Richmondsubway Red-N
- Take the train from Richmond to Chicago Union Stationtrain California Zephyr
2d 7h$1,318–2,123Drive 2,150.9 mi
- Drive from Palo Alto to Chicagocar 2,150.9 mi
33h 31m$381–549Fly San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)plane SFO - MDW
6h 29m$146–433Fly Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)plane SJC - ORD
6h 48m$105–424Train to Oakland International Airport, fly to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Take the train from Santa Clara Amtrak to Oakland Coliseum/Airport Amtraktrain
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)plane OAK - MDW
8h 3m$159–599
Palo Alto to Chicago by bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Palo Alto to Chicago is to fly which costs $140 - $440 and takes 6h 29m.
The fastest way to get from Palo Alto to Chicago is to fly which takes 6h 25m and costs $140 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from Palo Alto to Chicago station. However, there are services departing from E Bayshore Rd & Donohoe St and arriving at Chicago Bus Station via San Francisco Bus Station, Sparks Transit Center and Denver Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 4h.
No, there is no direct train from Palo Alto to Chicago station. However, there are services departing from California Avenue Caltrain Northbound and arriving at Chicago Union Station via Millbrae and Richmond. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 7h.
The distance between Palo Alto and Chicago is 1872 miles. The road distance is 2163.5 miles.
The best way to get from Palo Alto to Chicago without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 4h and costs $410 - $650.
It takes approximately 6h 25m to get from Palo Alto to Chicago, including transfers.
Palo Alto to Chicago bus services, operated by SamTrans, depart from E Bayshore Rd & Donohoe St station.
Palo Alto to Chicago train services, operated by BART, depart from Millbrae station.
The best way to get from Palo Alto to Chicago is to fly which takes 6h 25m and costs $140 - $650. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $410 - $650 and takes 2 days 4h.
What companies run services between Palo Alto, CA, USA and Chicago, IL, USA?
Southwest Airlines flies from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from E Bayshore Rd & Donohoe St to Chicago Bus Station via Salesforce Transit Center- Bay 37, San Francisco Bus Station, Sparks Transit Center, and Denver Union Station in around 2d 4h.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 13m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–470
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–470
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–490
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–340
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–340
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–410
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–410
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 38m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- $95–420
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–340
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 39m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–440
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 54m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–410
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 21m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $95–420
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- BART
Subway from Millbrae to Richmond
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 14m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $12–16
- Website
- BART
- Adult Single Ride
- $12–16
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Richmond to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2d 4h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $1,300–2,100
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Santa Clara Amtrak to Oakland Coliseum/Airport Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $20–35
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- 1-800-660-4287
- [email protected]
- Website
- SamTrans Homepage
Bus from E Bayshore Rd & Donohoe St to Salesforce Transit Center- Bay 37
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $3
- Website
- SamTrans Homepage
- Schedules at
- SamTrans Schedules
- Single Fare
- $3
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from San Francisco Bus Station to Sparks Transit Center
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $40–65
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Sparks Transit Center to Denver Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $190–290
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Denver Union Station to Chicago Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $180–280
- Website
- Greyhound
Want to know more about travelling around United States
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Booking & Getting There
Palo Alto to Chicago bus services, operated by SamTrans, arrive at Salesforce Transit Center- Bay 37 station.
Chicago is 2h ahead of Palo Alto. It is currently 10:55 PM in Palo Alto and 12:55 AM in Chicago.
Palo Alto to Chicago train services, operated by BART, arrive at Richmond station.
Yes, the driving distance between Palo Alto to Chicago is 2163 miles. It takes approximately 33h 31m to drive from Palo Alto to Chicago.
There are 1304+ hotels available in Chicago.











