Free disability transportation in Chicago comes from several programs that work together: an RTA Ride Free Permit covers CTA buses and trains, Metra, and Pace at no cost for income-eligible riders; ADA paratransit provides door-to-door service for $3.25; subsidized taxi and rideshare programs fill in same-day trips; and Illinois Medicaid pays for rides to medical appointments. Most of these programs run through the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) or Pace, and most share a common application pipeline once you know where to start.
Free Rides on CTA, Metra, and Pace
The RTA Ride Free Permit gives unlimited free travel on CTA buses and trains, Metra commuter rail, and Pace suburban buses.1RTA Chicago. Free and Reduced Fare Programs Qualifying is a two-step process.
First, enroll in the Illinois Department on Aging’s Benefit Access Program (BAP). BAP is open to people with disabilities (and older adults) whose annual household income is at or below $33,562 for one person, $44,533 for two, or $55,500 for three.2Illinois Department on Aging. Ride Free Transit Benefit Apply online through the Department on Aging or call the Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 (TTY 1-888-206-1327).
Once BAP eligibility is confirmed, complete the Ride Free application online at Fares.RTAChicago.org, by mailing a paper form, or in person at one of four Chicago sites: City Hall (121 N. LaSalle St., Room 100), the Southwest Center (6117 S. Kedzie Ave.), the Southeast Center at Atlas (1767 E. 79th St.), or the Northeast Levy Senior Center (2019 W. Lawrence Ave.).1RTA Chicago. Free and Reduced Fare Programs Phone help is available at (312) 913-3110. BAP must be renewed every two years; the RTA mails a renewal notice about two months before the permit expires.
Reduced Fares If You’re Over the Income Limit
If your income is too high for BAP but you have a disability, the RTA Reduced Fare Permit still cuts your fare substantially. CTA bus rides drop to $1.10 and rail rides to $1.25, with up to two free transfers within two hours. The permit works on CTA, Metra, and Pace.3CTA. Reduced Fare Programs
Proof of disability depends on your situation. Social Security disability recipients submit a current-year SSA printout containing the word “disabled.” Applicants who don’t receive Social Security have a doctor complete the proof-of-disability form in the RTA application and attach a letter of diagnosis. Medicare cardholders submit a copy of a valid Medicare card and verification of current eligibility. Applications go through Fares.RTAChicago.org or by mail. Unlike the Ride Free permit, the Reduced Fare permit does not auto-renew: you re-apply when it expires.1RTA Chicago. Free and Reduced Fare Programs
Door-to-Door Service Through ADA Paratransit
Pace runs ADA paratransit across the six-county RTA region (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will) for riders whose disabilities prevent them from using fixed-route buses or trains for some or all of their trips. Service hours match the fixed-route service in the area, and the service zone extends three-quarters of a mile from any CTA or Pace bus route or rail station.4Pace. ADA Paratransit Customer Guide
How to Get Certified
Certification runs through the RTA’s ADA Paratransit Certification Program. Call (312) 663-4357, answer screening questions, and attend an in-person interview that may include a physical assessment. If you need a ride to the interview, Pace provides it free. Certification lasts four years and renews through a 30-minute phone interview.5Access Living. Disability Transit Resources for the Chicagoland Area
Booking and Fares
Reserve a ride at least one day in advance. Reservation lines are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for trips within Chicago, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and holidays) for suburban trips. Pickup is guaranteed within a one-hour window of your requested time. The fare is $3.25, payable by cash, a Pace ADA one-ride ticket, or Ventra. A personal care attendant rides free if certified by the RTA, and up to two children under six ride free with a fare-paying passenger. Pace guarantees a ride home on the day of service and reimburses the fare for any pickup delayed 90 minutes or more. Visitors from outside the six-county region can use paratransit for up to 21 days per year by contacting Pace at least seven days ahead.4Pace. ADA Paratransit Customer Guide
Free Pace Fixed-Route Buses as a Paratransit Rider
If you’re ADA paratransit-certified, you ride Pace fixed-route buses for free. Tap your ADA paratransit card on the Ventra reader when boarding.6Pace. Fares This benefit started February 19, 2024, and applies only to Pace fixed-route service. It does not extend to Pace On Demand, TAP, RAP, or CTA and Metra, though ADA-certified riders qualify for reduced fares on those systems.7Pace. Paratransit
Same-Day Taxi and Rideshare: TAP and RAP
Paratransit requires a day’s notice. For same-day trips, ADA-certified riders can use the Taxi Access Program (TAP) or the Rideshare Access Program (RAP). You enroll in one or the other, not both.
TAP operates in Chicago. You pay $3.25 per trip, and Pace subsidizes up to $30 of the remaining fare.8RTA Chicago. Accessible Transit A TAP card is swiped in the taxi’s reader at the end of the ride.9City of Chicago. Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Taxicab Service Anything over the $30 subsidy is on you.
RAP uses Uber or UZURV (an adaptive transportation network company). The co-pay is also $3.25, with Pace subsidizing up to $26.75; fares above $30 total are the rider’s responsibility.10Uber. Your Guide to the Pace RAP Program You pick Uber or UZURV at enrollment. Riders without smartphones can request Uber trips by calling 833-873-8237 between 4 a.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern. Enrollment requires active ADA paratransit certification with at least three months remaining and no simultaneous TAP enrollment. Apply at pacebus.com/rap or email rap@pacebus.com.11Pace. Rideshare Access Program
Both programs are capped at 30 subsidized rides per month, with an option to apply for an increase to 40 rides effective July 1, 2026.8RTA Chicago. Accessible Transit
Wheelchair-Accessible Taxi Dispatch
Chicago has a centralized dispatch for wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) taxicabs run by Curb Mobility. Call 1-888-WAV-CABS (1-888-928-2227) around the clock or use the Curb mobile app, which has an “Accessible Preferred” setting you can keep on as a default.12Curb Mobility. Chicago WAV If you’re using a TAP card for a WAV cab, book by phone rather than through the app, because the card has to be physically swiped in the vehicle.9City of Chicago. Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Taxicab Service
Free Rides to Medical Appointments Through Medicaid
Illinois Medicaid covers free non-emergency medical transportation for eligible recipients: doctor visits, therapy, dialysis, hospital trips, and pharmacy stops. How you book depends on your coverage type.
- If you’re in a managed care plan, call the number on the back of your membership card. Each plan uses its own broker. Blue Cross Community Health Plans uses Modivcare at 1-877-831-3148, which also has a mobile app for booking, tracking, and canceling rides; standard trips need about three days’ notice. Molina Healthcare members call (844) 644-6354 at least 72 hours ahead.13Blue Cross Community Health Plans. Transportation14Molina Healthcare. Transportation Services
- If you’re in fee-for-service Medicaid, visit www.netspap.com or call Transdev at 877-725-0569 for a list of transportation providers to contact directly.15Illinois HFS. Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
Not sure which type you have? Call 1-855-828-4995 with your Medicaid recipient ID. For other questions, email HFS.Transportation@illinois.gov.15Illinois HFS. Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
Dial-a-Ride in the Suburbs
Pace partners with local municipalities to run Dial-a-Ride programs. In Cook County alone there are 13 of them, each with its own eligibility rules, fares, service boundaries, and reservation lead times set by the local partner.16Pace. Dial-a-Ride Services Cook County Some are open to the general public (Crestwood charges nothing), while others serve only seniors and people with disabilities. Fares for disability-eligible riders range from free to $3.00. Reservation windows range from 30 minutes to one or more business days. A full directory is at pacebus.com/dar.
Free Travel Training to Learn the System
If you want to use fixed-route transit but aren’t sure how, the RTA offers free one-on-one travel training for people with disabilities and older adults. A professional trainer explains accessibility features like ramps, lifts, and signage, plans specific routes with you, and physically rides along while you learn. Trainers who work with riders who are blind or have low vision hold Orientation and Mobility certification. Group presentations are also available and can be tailored to a specific audience. Call (312) 913-3120 or email TravelTraining@RTAChicago.org to request training.5Access Living. Disability Transit Resources for the Chicagoland Area
Which CTA Stations Are Actually Accessible
Not every CTA rail station has elevators. As of early 2025, roughly 104 of the CTA’s 146 rail stations (about 70%) were ADA accessible.17CTA. CTA Celebrates Start of Accessibility Improvement Work at Austin Green Line The CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program is working to make every station accessible by 2038, with six newly accessible stations scheduled to open in 2025.18CTA. All Stations Accessibility Program Check your station before you plan a trip.