Express Routes

The I-90 Express is a series of routes that offer a convenient and affordable alternative to highway travel by private automobile.

Commuters can utilize the I-90 express route options available to bypass traffic on the "Flex Lane" of I-90. Bus service is available both to and from park-n-ride locations in Elgin and Hoffman Estates, the Schaumburg Northwest Transportation Center and the Rosemont Transit Center (with connections to the CTA Blue Line, O'Hare Airport and several Pace bus routes).

Riders can enjoy traveling from the suburbs to the city - and from the city to the suburbs - for jobs, medical appointments, shopping and entertainment.

A ride to and from O'Hare for less than $3? Not in a taxi or TNC... but that's how much you'd pay by riding Pace's I-90 Express.

Map of I-90 Express Routes

Image of the I-90 Route map including Park and Rides & connecting routes

Bus routes operating in the I-90 corridor:

Route 600 (Rosemont – Schaumburg Express)
Route 603 (Elgin Transportation Center – Rosemont Express)
Route 605 (I-90/Randall Rd. Station – Rosemont Express)
Route 606 (Rosemont - Schaumburg Limited)
Route 607 (I-90/Randall Rd. Station – Schaumburg Express)

Park and ride locations along I-90 available to you:

Who would use I-90 Express?

For those traveling inbound (eastbound) along I-90
If you commute from Elgin or the northwest suburbs, I-90 Express routes provide fast, reliable service to Schaumburg, Rosemont, and Chicago via connections to the CTA Blue Line.

For those traveling outbound (westbound) along I-90 (toward Elgin)
If you're traveling from Chicago or the Rosemont area, I-90 Express routes also provide convenient service to the northwest suburbs including Schaumburg and Elgin.

Level Up Your Commute is a custom interactive web game that allows you, the participant to engage while navigating along the Pace I-90 express route. Players navigate I-90 traffic, dodging cars and switching lanes to reach Rosemont. Entering the Express Lane transforms your car into a Pace I-90 Express bus, unlocking the fastest route to victory and revealing that riding Pace lets you win in real life, too.

Level up your commute by playing Pace's I-90 flex lane game!

Pace operates many express routes on Chicagoland expressways which can bypass traffic either on the shoulder or in designated "Flex Lanes" like the I-90 Express route.

The I-90 Flex Lanes are part of the Illinois Tollway’s Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) SmartRoad system. Pace buses can use these lanes, located along inside/left-hand side shoulders of the road when congestion slows traffic. When buses can travel in this Flex Lane, it helps to provide more reliable transit service for Pace's customers. The Flex Lanes can also be used by first responders for emergency purposes like any other expressway shoulder. Pace bus operations in this corridor are closely coordinated with the Tollway’s traffic operations center.

The I-90 Express route is a convenient and efficient alternative to traditional highway travel. Commuters in Elgin can utilize the I-90 express route options available, such as the Elgin-based park-n-ride locations (Barrington Road, IL-25 & Randall Road) and corresponding I-90 express routes.

Other express routes on Chicagoland expressways that can bypass traffic on the shoulder

Similarl to the I-90 Flex Lanes operated on the Illinois Tollway's Jane Adams Memorial Tollway, the Pace Bus-on-Shoulder services are operated along IDOT-maintained expressways. The Stevenson Expressway (I-55) features inside/left-hand side shoulders wide enough for buses to safely operate. IDOT has also implemented outside/right-hand side Bus-on-Shoulder lanes along the Edens Expressway (I-94). Both allow Pace buses to bypass congestion and offer a competitive alternative to the personal automobile. Certain restrictions apply for Pace buses using the shoulders of I-55 and I-94:

The bus can use the shoulder only when general traffic slows to less than 35 mph
The bus cannot travel faster than 35 mph while on the shoulder and cannot travel more than 15 mph faster than general traffic
If the shoulder has obstructions, such as a stalled car or snow, the bus does not use the shoulder

The term "Express"

Many Pace routes use the term "express" in their name, and not all of them use a shoulder or Flex Lane of an expressway. That term "express" generally refers to bus routes that have limited stops and use an expressway for much or all of their routing. A route's fare classification does not correlate to whether it is termed an "express" route or not. Express routes connect passengers to a variety of convenient access points for both drivers and transit users, which include Pace transit centers, stations, park-n-ride lots and CTA facilities.