News

Travelers navigate Chicagoland with help from interactive kiosks

August 26, 2004

CHICAGO - New kiosks make it easier for travelers to find sights in Chicagoland. The kiosks, running a service called Chicagoland TRIPS, offer access to information on attractions and events in the Chicago region, as well as public transit routes and schedules.

"The goals of TRIPS are to relieve congestion and increase tourism by making it easy to take public transportation and putting detailed information about regional attractions at people's fingertips," said Peter Skosey, Metropolitan Planning Council vice president of external relations.

The TRIPS system links travelers to databases that provide entertainment and event details. Users also have access to the RTA's Itinerary Planning System, which includes schedules and routes for public transit operators Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace. In addition, the kiosks have print capability; allowing users to not only find information on regular attractions, seasonal events, dining and entertainment, but also giving them the option of printing itineraries from these searches.

TRIPS - which stands for Traveler Resource and Itinerary Planning System - is available to the public beginning Aug. 27. The free touchscreen kiosks are located at the Chicago Cultural Center, Midway Airport, Navy Pier, Pace Headquarters, Palmer House Hilton, RTA Customer Service Center, Shedd Aquarium, Union Station and Westfield Northbridge Shopping Mall. The nine locations are part of a six-month pilot phase in which the kiosks' use will be monitored and used to evaluate plans to expand the service.

Metropolitan Planning Council manages the Chicagoland TRIPS kiosk project with funding provided by the RTA. The City of Chicago and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau are project partners.

In launching the TRIPS project, Chicago joins five other U.S. cities with similar projects: New York, Phoenix, Washington, D.C.; Portland, Ore. and Cambridge, Mass.