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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Elmhurst
Half a day or one night if you are visiting family or want the Elmhurst Art Museum; otherwise skip — Chicago is 30 min by train and has more to offer.
Elmhurst is a quiet, leafy suburb 30 minutes west of Chicago on the Metra Union Pacific West line. Its main draw is the Elmhurst Art Museum, housed in a Mies van der Rohe–designed building. The town has a compact downtown with a few bars and restaurants, but most travellers will find Chicago a better use of their time.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, snow)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 excl. bed · Mid $80–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Pint of beer at Fitz's Pub | $5–7 |
| Burgers and sandwiches | $10–15 |
| Metra one-way to Chicago | $4.25 (check) |
| Taxi from O'Hare to Elmhurst | $30–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ORD · O'Hare International Airport
- About 20 min by car; no direct train — take the Blue Line to downtown Chicago and transfer to the Metra Union Pacific West line.
- MDW · Chicago Midway International Airport
- About 30 min by car; take the Orange Line to downtown Chicago and transfer to the Metra Union Pacific West line.
Typical fares
- Metra Elmhurst → Chicago (Ogilvie)
- about $4.25 one way, 30 min (check)
- Taxi O'Hare → Elmhurst
- $30–40
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Metra Union Pacific West line connects Elmhurst to Chicago (Ogilvie Transportation Center) in about 30 min. Pace buses run local routes. A car is useful for reaching Sky Zone Elmhurst or the chain hotels.
See and do
Known for
- Elmhurst Art Museum
- Fitz's Pub
- Sky Zone Elmhurst
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Metra Union Pacific West line from Elmhurst station to Ogilvie Transportation Center, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| Oak Park | Metra Union Pacific West line to Oak Park, about 10 min | About 30 min |
| Naperville | Metra Union Pacific West line to Naperville, about 20 min | About 45 min |
| Lisle | Metra Union Pacific West line to Lisle, about 15 min | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Downtown Elmhurst
- A few hotels and motels near the train station; walkable to the museum and bars.
- Along I-290 / North Ave
- Chain hotels with parking; you will need a car or rideshare to reach the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HelloHEH-loh |
| Thank you | Thank youthank yoo |
| How much is it? | How much is it?how MUCH iz it |
| Where is the train station? | Where is the train station?wair iz the trayn STAY-shun |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Metra trains run less frequently on weekends and late evenings; check the schedule.
- Downtown Elmhurst is small — most restaurants and bars close by 22:00 on weeknights.
- Sky Zone Elmhurst requires a waiver and socks with grip; check hours online before going.
Elmhurst is a safe suburb. The main risks are winter cold and icy pavements. Lock your car and do not leave valuables visible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Elmhurst yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Elmhurst Art Museum
- Fitz's Pub
- Sky Zone Elmhurst
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Elmhurst official website: www.elmhurst.org/
- Wikivoyage: Elmhurst, revision 3492417 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3492417
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Elmhurst
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
The nearest consulates are in Chicago. Check the US State Department website for your country's embassy in Washington, DC.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/elmhurst). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.