Aside from the time you abruptly jerked forward and within 2 seconds had me sprawled out on the floor in a car packed with impeccably dressed morning commuters, Brown Line, I'd say I'm a big fan. Having used the Red, Brown, Blue, Purple, Green and Pink lines at one time or another (I'll get to you eventually, Yellow and Orange!), I think this is by far the cleanest, safest and most reliable of the El lines by a long shot. And because it's elevated vs underground, it has awesome views and no disgusting sewer stench at any of its stops (I'm looking at you, Red and Blue lines!). I disagree with previous reviewers who say that the cars don't ever get too crowded, though. You WILL get the "sardine effect" during rush hour times, particularly if you're boarding at Clark/Lake or Merchandise Mart around 5pm. However, I'd much rather be pressed up against an attractive, athletic, suit-clad man leaving Clark/Lake and heading toward Lincoln Park, than a pantless homeless man who's holding a half-eaten bagel he picked out of the garbage can and screaming Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (again, I'm looking at you, Red and Blue lines). I'd go so far as to say that I'm going to pick my future apartment(s) based on proximity to a Brown Line stop - I couldn't imagine my daily commute without it! read more

I'm not from Chicago & I'll start with that: I'm from a very small town. But I don't usually attract attention and I think I was born to blend into crowds. Somehow that's lost on the train lines in Chicago. On the green line, I feel too young & too female & white. On the blue line I feel too tall & "normal" - while the red line makes me feel like a weirdo to the north side. And the good ol' purple line is a mixed bag so everyone but the dressed-up professionals sticks out. I only rode the pink line once but I was stared at and so was my book: "Habibi" by Craig Thompson. Now let me start on this brown line business. It's full of sad and self-absorbed yuppies who not only want to blend in but they expect you to blend in, too. For crissakes, it's the only line with what is it, like 8-10 single seats in every car? At least the red line was updated with some cyberpunk style. Things that evidently aren't okay on/because of the brown line: -Riding with a bass amp on your lap -Reading the Communist Manifesto -Going a convenient way around the Loop outside rush hour -Getting within a foot of anybody -Rush hour as a general concept -Getting from, say, Rogers Park to North Center in under an hour -Customers after 1:00 a.m. (Ahh but there are still five stars, Caitlin, why is that?) -The way the cars have to stop when the train crosses Rockwell -The accent in the recorded voice: "Attention customers. An inbound train, tooooward th' Loop, will be erriving shortly." -Tourists & DePaul parents saying "Paul-een-a" and that I can laugh at them -That nap I took from Damen to Fullerton last spring (a short nap) -The time I walked to Kimball when I was lost and the intercom when a kid (the only other person there) was poorly supervised: "Customer service is req- Customer service is required at the kiosk. Customer ser- Customer- Cust- Customer service is req-" -And I'm sorry but as someone who takes the red line downtown regularly, the view of the river on a Loop-bound train is just too much not to mention. If anybody sees Live Leaves by Unwound floating around in a Laurie's Planet of Sound bag, that's mine. read more

I am a fan of the Diversey L stop! It is clean, it is easy to get to, and I like that it is above ground. Sure, you never can truly tell when the trains are gonna come, but at least there's enough room on the platform plus it's near a Qdoba so you have easy access to a chips and queso dinner immediately after work if you are in the mood for chips and queso after work, which, who isn't amirite? read more

I'm not going to sugar coat it. I had a shitty experience here last weekend -- for lack of better words. I rarely carry cash and solely rely on my debit card. As I was unaware previously, if you plan on taking the CTA, make sure to carry cash. The station had a machine that accepted debit cards but it had an out of order sign on it. When I asked the lady working where I could pay with my plastic, she didn't even bother to look at me and just pointed at the machine that I ALREADY SAW!!!! Look, I get it. It's public transit and I'm sure that you're used to dealing with the scum of the earth, but I am not part of this clientele. I read all applicable signs and refrain from asking dumb ass questions that have already been answered for me or posted in plain sight, so don't act like I'm wasting your time. (Are you or are you not getting paid to help me? Hmmm..) This lady was just inexcusably rude and probably doesn't belong working with the public. I was fortunate enough to be able to scrap together enough train fare from the bottom of my purse without having to beg strangers for change. My experience with the brown line itself was quick and painless unlike trying to get a CTA employee to acknowledge my existence. read more

I like the Brown line, because I don't have to go underground. Really, that makes it for me. Also I can read without getting nauseated, or stare into peoples apartments/office buildings/dentist appointments while touring the Loop. Seriously, today I rode past a window where a guy was having what looked like a less than pleasant (to say the least) dental appointment, with a total of THREE (yikes) people poking and prodding his wide-open mouth. Oh yeah, it's that good. read more

Gotta show love for my Chicago brown and purple line. Clean efficient always on time and super cheap. Never had to wait cause a car was full and it's always reliable in my experience. As far as trains go. Sure there are a few times when you wait an extra couple minute but slow down and take a peak over the bridge from the Diversey platform and take in Lincoln Park my friend. read more

OK this isnt a taxi cab and at $2 it shouldnt be. maybe you have to wait 15 minutes...not a big deal. Just start riding the red line on a frequent basis and you will throw your body at this train like it was your savior. Its actually clean, safe, and has an amazing view of the city. When i have out-of-town guests i tell them to ride this train as a tourist attraction. The fact i have never seen a pile of puke on this train earns it the 5 stars! read more

I'm disappointed in everyone's happy comments. Okay, it's cleaner than other lines, and the people are nice-looking. But how important are people's looks? I hardly ever am on time taking this train. It used to be better, but lately, it moves at walking pace, and stops constantly!!! On the weekends, I'd rather spend money on a cab than 1 hour on this train! I really go crazy sitting on this train that does not move. read more

Hey, it's public transportation so you have to put up with certain things but I've been on all the lines in Chicago and trains in DC, NYC, Atlanta and LA. The brown line measures up nicely. Mostly cool people who are courteous, polite, and will even vacate their seat for a pregnant woman or a person on crutches. It's usually clean and has decent air conditioning in the summer. I much prefer it to driving to and from the loop. read more

hm. 2.5 well, i took the brown line yesterday night. i remember why i dislike it. it's SLOW AS ALL GET OUT!! the only good part was when we ZOOMED (seriously, i have never gone that fast on a brown line before) from paulina to irving park bc the addison station is closed. but it is what it is... read more

If you are keen on using city public transportation (I've only been able to compare to hometown SF's Muni and BART, DC's metro, and LA's West LA blue bus), you must try Chicago's El. I've read that the Brown Line is the one to ride around the loop (I believe it is the one featured in movies like While You Were Sleeping and shows like ER) and it's truly a tourist attraction in and of itself. Get a window seat, and you can practically see inside the buildings as your ride along the loop. The CTA/El is safe and reliable. Don't forget to get a day fun pass ($5.75) at local grocery stores if you plan to ride around the city because each trip is $2.75 otherwise. read more

I used to take the Brown Line into the Loop everyday from Wellington and I miss it oh so much. Clean, not overly-crowded (unless it's rush hour of course) and best of all-such a great ride through the city and plenty to look at. Now I have to take the Red Line everyday, and when I get into the Loop I stare up fondly at my former train line and dream of the day I get to ride it again...*sigh*. read more

This is about as nice as the Brown Line stops get. It is clean and doesn't feel like it is going to fall apart, dropping you to your death on the street below. One thing that would make it better was if you could enter on both sides of the street. read more

The Brown Line is one of the better CTA train lines in the Chicago area. It's cleaner and less crowded than most of the other lines. The Brown Line also goes through some of the best neighborhoods in Chicago, such as Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Lincoln Square. read more

Of all of the L train lines, this is most likely the best. Being the best of the lines though is not impressive enough for me. They all suck, royally. They are way up in the air, and you look like you are going to run into the giant buildings as you pass them by. Plus sometimes it rocks and rocking in midair next to giant skyscrapers is not my idea of a picnic in the sun. Trains suck, that's all there is to it, but none suck quite as much as these crazy things do. read more

The positives of the Brown Line for me are that the trains have newer cars and it stops close to my home. On the negative side, it can be pretty slow-pokey, especially during rush hour as it gets close to/south of Belmont, lots of beep beep beep we are being delayed waiting for signals ahead... read more

This is the best train line in the city. Clean, hardly any bums or scary people, and gets me to where I'm going. It doesn't run 24 hours either which is another reason I love the brown line!!! read more

The morning attendant at the Diversey Brown Line stop is always smiling and greets everybody - a nice way to start the work day!

I love the brown line! It is seriously the prettiest ride in Chicago. It's so peaceful sitting on the train and looking at the view from Fullerton into downtown. It runs far more efficiently then the red line(at present time) and has fewer stops. read more

The brown line is probably about as good as it gets when it comes to 'L' It's usually the cleanest and has the best views. The purple line is pretty nice too. read more

This station really looks scary and it is easy to see the grafitti on the walls and weird wavy aluminium siteing. the official CTA site says this station will be closed for 12 months which started on June 25th. I can't wait to see the improvements. read more

brown line, you are good for two things: 1. providing transport for handsome gents worthy of missed connection musings. 2. getting me to where i need to go. eventually. at your own g-d pace. read more

When I first moved to Chicago, I lived right next to the Brown Line. I took the Southport stop downtown everyday. I found the cars to be clean, full of good looking people, and overall a much more business atmosphere. The station (which has now been remodeled) was quaint and old and had neat little flowers embossed in the steel railings. I still take it, I'll walk to Merchandise Mart from work if the weather is good and ride it up to Fullerton, I like sitting in the rear car, doing my crossword. Never had a bad experience on the Brown Line, the CTA should use this as a model for the other lines. read more

Diverse could use an upgrade, but the station has lots of character. one of my biggest complaints about it is that there isn't much cover in the event it's raining. read more

Great views and nice customers. No spitting on the train like on the Red Line. I enjoy riding it all the way out to Kimball. I did have to wait an hour once transferring at Belmont with no explanations. However coming from New York, I'm used to random subway delays. CTA transit staff is generally very kind and helpful. They offer help without you even asking. They don't avoid eye contact and then run away when you approach like in NYC. read more

I love the entire brown line! It's being re-vamped right now so I haven't really been on it lately, BUT it was my public transportation for the 4 years I was in high school. It's close to my house, I can get down town pretty easily, it stops at Belmont and Fullerton so picking up the red line is easy. I can also use it to pick up the purple line to go to evanston. It works like a charm. It's a lot less crowded than the red line also. read more

Having just penned a one-star review of a local business, I feel the need to balance the negativity with something more positive. It is too easy to rant and forget that praise is just as important. Contemplating all the possibilities for kudos, I settled on the CTA. Yes, that's right, the CTA. I was reading in RedEye this morning about the challenges that CTA continues to face, in this case about the State of Illinois not paying its bills. You know, all things considered the CTA does a pretty great job with what they have to work with. I do enjoy my morning rides on the #134 and #156 buses, as well as my afternoon and evening rides on the Brown Line. One of the great things about Chicago is living without a car, and the CTA makes that possible. So "thank you" CTA! read more

I love the brown line! It gets me to work on the North side and to party in Downtown, Less filled with bums than other lines and the pee smell is at a minimum. Nice View on the way in as well. read more

I (sorta thought I) left my bag on a brown-line car here. The lady working downstairs was extremely helpful, as was the lady I then talked to on 888-yourCTA. Thanks, ladies! read more

Oh, yes, we loved the brown line. 2 year olds who could switch seats, elementary aged boys who got to ride past the Walter Payton academy and talk football, and a not too crowded experience for the grownups. And don't know if it was just 2011 or what, but less in the way of smells you don't get to experience elsewhere in nature on the brown line, too! Woo-hoo! read more

Wow...switching problems? Really? It took me over two hours to get into the loop today...should have been a 20 minute trip! ARGH....

When you're good, you're good. But when you're bad - UGH! It should NOT, under any circumstances, take me an hour to get home from work. First I wait about 15 mins (during rush hour) for a train. Then I get on said train and realize why it's so late - slowest conductor ever. But I did score a seat a couple stops later, so was able to deal with it. However, I had plans and was in a bit of a hurry. When we get to Belmont I'm told I have to get off the train because it's running "express" to Western. Oh, now you want to go fast? Then the next train I get on stops not once, but twice, due to experiencing "equipment problems." Well that's what the machine operated voice told me. So thank you Brown Line for trying to improve your services with your fancy new stations, all the while making me late for my plans. This is why we are shortly parting ways as I move closer to a different, and hopefully faster (it's the CTA so who knows), train line. read more

i take the brown line Kimball to work. i get on at Belmont and get of at montrose because Irving park is closed. i also take the loop to go to my brothers who lives downtown, he is at Washington and wells and he apartment is almost across the street to its easy to get to. i think the brown line and all other l lines should have better signs telling you how to get there expacally if it and underground train. and the one negative to the brown line is it does not run all night like the red and blue. and the nice thing is no matter where you get on the loop brown if it passed your stop you just stay on and it will get there the next time around read more

Usually decent. Last night, when I was coming back from Yelp Fest, the guy closed the door on me. As it hit me, squooshing me on both sides in a joyfully painful manner, I managed to get out by sqwirming wildly. My girlfriend was still stuck on the train. So I had the privlidge of waiting 15 minutes for her at the Damen stop. When she got back, Mr train man gave us a 1-800 number to complain. Of course the number leads you to an automated labrynth of joy where you will be lost for days (or perhaps weeks) without any human contact. Luckily I gnawed off three fingers and a thumb in order to keep sane. Perminant middle finger for you guys. read more

ok take this only if you like to sit on a train and take a ride for that is what this one does stoped taking this one a year ago late for work almost every time i did . is one of the slowest trains in the city . can not see why people still use it . take a bus to red or blue your better off. have read some of the other reviews and they are all wrong some say are nice to take and easy if only right near one of the very few train stops of the brown line . clean maybe thos on north side but in loop paint and other things are found right on the stations at almost all the times unless they are redone every 2 weeks or so . brown line has fallen twice this year no one dies but still scares some to put them in the hospital . brown line this year has had 10 or more bad times when a train has come off the tracks . or gone head to head with a train . if you say they are safe you dont ride them enough to know how bad they are . read more