Unless you're driving, the easiest way to get to the Dells is to ask a brother to pick you up in Madison. Please be aware that some brothers prefer not to drive after dark. With that in mind, read carefully the following other options, then at the bottom of this page is more information regarding possible brother pick ups
The easiest way to get to the Dells from Chicago is to rent a car. If you fly into ORD you will find the car rentals at the Multi-Modal Facility (MMF) at 10255 W. Zemke Boulevard. You can reach the MMF from any terminal by taking the Airport Transit System (ATS) train. You can reserve a rental car here: ORD Car Rentals.
If you come in on the train or have some reason to be in downtown Chicago, there are direct trains and busses to Wisconsin Dells. You can check them here: Chicago > Dells trains and busses
Chicago has two airports and neither has direct transportation to Wisconsin Dells. There are Coach USA busses from Chicago O'Hare airport ORD to Dutch Mill Park and Ride in Madison. The new pick-up location for Coach USA at ORD is the Multi-Modal Facility (MMF) at 10255 W. Zemke Boulevard. As mentioned above, you can reach the MMF from any terminal by taking the Airport Transit System (ATS) train. Once at the MMF, you will find the Coach USA bus at Bus Bays #5, #6, or #7 on the street level. You can check the schedule and reserve a seat here: Coach USA.
If you fly into Chicago Midway airport MDW and rent a car, the car rental agencies are located in a dedicated facility on the lower level of the parking garage. To get there from the baggage claim area, you should exit the terminal and cross the street. The car rental area is directly accessible from the lower level of the parking garage, which is connected to the airport. Look for signs pointing to "Rental Cars." You car reserve a car here: MDW Car Rentals
From Dutch Mill Park and Ride you can get to the Dells on a Greyhound bus at 10:25 a.m. or Flixbusses at 12:50 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. You can buy your tickets here: Dutch Mill > Dells Bus. The bus will let you off at McDonalds in Lake Delton. You can call a taxi, rideshare, or brother for a ride to wherever you are staying.
Amtrak has a train from Chicago Union Station directly to Wisconsin Dells. It's called the Empire Builder and you can book tickets here: Amtrak. It departs Chicago at 3:05 p.m. and arrives in the Dells at 6:42 p.m. From there you can call a taxi, rideshare, or brother for a ride to wherever you are staying.
Getting from ORD to Chicago Union Station
There's no direct train from ORD to Union Station, but the most convenient and affordable way to get there is by taking the CTA Blue Line.
CTA Blue Line: The Blue Line station is located directly inside O'Hare Airport. You can follow the signs for "CTA Trains to City" to find it. This train goes downtown and stops at the Clinton station, which is just a short walk (about 3 blocks) from Chicago Union Station. The total travel time is about 50 minutes. The simplest way to buy a ticket is at the CTA station in O'Hare. These vending machines accept cash and credit/debit cards. You can buy a single-ride ticket or a Ventra card.
Taxi/Rideshare: A taxi or rideshare service like Uber or Lyft will take you directly from the airport to the station, but this is a much more expensive option. Travel time can vary significantly, from about 25 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic.
Arriving in Madison (MSN)
The easiest way to get to the Dells is to rent a car. The car rental counters and vehicle pick-up area at MSN are located directly across from the baggage claim area on the ground floor of the terminal. After you claim your luggage, simply exit the baggage claim doors and cross the roadway. You'll see the rental car counters and the fleet of rental cars immediately in front of you. You can reserve a car here: MSN Car Rentals.
You can also take a taxi/Uber/Lyft to the Flixbus stop at Madison campus and take a Flixbus to the Dells. They leave at 1:15 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. You can buy your ticket here: Flixbus or you can use the app. Taxi or rideshare from the airport to the bus stop takes about 15-20 minutes depending on the traffic. You can also take a direct bus from the airport to the Flixbus stop area. That might take an hour. Information for that is here: Madison Metro Transit. There is no direct bus from MSN to Dutch Mill Park and Ride so taxi or rideshare would be better.
There is a Greyhound bus that leaves Dutch Mill Park and Ride at 10:25 a.m. and arrives in the Dells about an hour later. You can buy your ticket here: Greyhound Bus or use the app. Getting to the Dutch Mill Park and Ride from the airport by taxi or rideshare takes about 20-25 minutes.
The ride to the Dells takes about an hour, depending on traffic.
An Uber or Lyft from the Madison airport to Lake Delton costs from $100 to $170. Double check with your Uber of Lyft app.
Arriving in Milwaukee (MKE)
The easiest way to get to the Dells is to rent a car. The car rental counters and vehicles at MKE are located in a dedicated parking garage directly across from the terminal. To get there from the baggage claim area exit the baggage claim area on the ground level and cross the street to enter the main parking garage. The car rental counters for all major companies are located on the second level of this garage. The rental vehicles are also parked on various levels of the same garage. You can reserve a car here: MKE Car Rentals.
There are 2 direct bus service from MKE to Wisconsin Dells. You can see them here: MKE > Dells Bus. The will drop you off at McDonalds in Lake Delton.
To take other busses or trains from Milwaukee to Wisconsin Dells you first have to go to Milwaukee Intermodal Station. The train station is there and you can catch a bus from there (see below).
The easiest way to get from MKE to the Milwaukee Intermodal Station is by using the public bus system or a taxi/rideshare service.
Public Bus (Milwaukee County Transit System):
This is the most cost-effective option. Take Route 80 of the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) from the airport. The bus stop is located outside baggage claim on the lower level. The bus will take you directly to the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, which is the final stop on this route. The trip takes about 30-40 minutes. The most common method is to pay directly on the bus with cash. You'll need to have the exact fare ready, as bus drivers cannot make change. The standard adult fare is currently $2.00. You can use the official Ride MCTS app to buy and store bus fares on your smartphone. This is a convenient option that avoids needing cash. After purchasing a ticket in the app, you simply activate it when you board and show your phone to the bus driver.
Amtrak has a train from Milwaukee directly to Wisconsin Dells. It's called the Empire Builder and you can book tickets here: Amtrak. It departs Milwaukee at 4:45 p.m. and arrives in the Dells at 6:42 p.m. There is another train but there are conflicting schedules online so please verify with Amtrak. Trains arrive in the downtown Dells. From there you can call a taxi, rideshare, or brother for a ride to wherever you are staying.
There is a Coach USA Megabus from Milwaukee Intermodal Station to Wisconsin Dells at 10:15 a.m. and arrives at McDonalds in Lake Delton at 1:05 p,m. and costs $37. You can book here: Coach USA Megabus. From McDonalds you can call a taxi, rideshare, or brother for a ride to wherever you are staying.
For those who have arrived in Madison (generally via direct flights into Madison or bus from the Chicago airport), and are planning for the final leg of their trip into Wisconsin Dells, the possibilities above address car rental, bus, and Uber or Lyft options. There is also the possibility of a brother picking you up. If you're interested please email registrations@familyofgodreunion.com and request the current list of brothers who are volunteering to provide ride pick-up in Madison. This list will include their phone numbers, and it will be up to you to directly contact these brothers to see whether any are still available and able to give you the ride. A donation to them for gas would be great.
