It is important to have a plan for getting to the Notre Dame area before arriving in the U.S. as there are limited public transportation options to get from larger metropolis to Notre Dame.
South Bend International Airport (SBN)
The closest airport to Notre Dame is the South Bend International Airport, a 15 minute drive from campus. We generally recommend students make an effort to fly into SBN, as public transportation options from Chicago to South Bend are very limited. While the location is convenient, advance planning is important as there are more limited flight options; booking early with flexible dates is essential.
- If the flight to South Bend is less than $500 MORE than flights to Chicago, it can be worth the extra money to land in South Bend, instead of navigating limited public transportation to campus.
- It can sometimes be less expensive to book one flight to Chicago or Detroit (or another city that flies into SBN), and then book a separate flight from Chicago or Detroit to South Bend.
- Plan on a 15-20 minute taxi from SBN to campus area, which will cost $20-30.
Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD) or Chicago Midway (MDW)
If you cannot get a flight to South Bend, we highly recommend flying into Chicago, as there are no consistent transportation options from Indianapolis, IN, or Detroit, MI, to South Bend.
- There is a time change between Chicago (CST) and South Bend (EST), so add an hour to your expected arrival time. Chicago O'Hare is on Central Time; Notre Dame is on Eastern Time.
To facilitate the arrival of new students each fall, ISSA offers limited shuttle transportation from O’Hare Airport to the Notre Dame area in August every year. Dates are published by April.
Transportation from ORD & SBN to Notre Dame
Airport Shuttles
For Fall 2026 arrivals, ISSA will provide airport shuttles from both O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and South Bend International Airport (SBN) for incoming students, including:
- Three shuttles from ORD for new graduate students on August 13 and 14
- Four shuttles from ORD for new undergraduate students on August 19
- Eleven shuttles from SBN for new undergraduate students from August 19–21
Priority will be given to international and domestic students arriving without family members.
Please register by Wednesday, July 15. Registration forms are accessible only through Notre Dame accounts. If the links do not open properly, please try a different browser.
Graduate Student Shuttles from ORD Undergraduate Student Shuttles from ORD Undergraduate Student Shuttles from SBN
Other Transportation Options
If you arrive at Chicago O’Hare and rent a car, it will take two hours to drive to Notre Dame. This will be the most expensive option, and a U.S. or international driver's license will likely be required.
If you arrive at Chicago O’Hare and don’t have a car, there are a few options, but they are less convenient.
- You can arrange an UBER/LYFT from Chicago to South Bend; depending on the time, this option will be around $200-300. We recommend connecting with another new student to share the cost.
- You can take the Chicago Metro to either the South Shore Line or Amtrak trains. From your arrival in South Bend, you would need to take a 20-minute taxi to campus. This option will be about $60 and may be inconvenient if you have more than two suitcases.
If you stay in downtown Chicago, you can also take the South Shore Line or Amtrak train to South Bend. You will then need to take a taxi to campus.
Download the Quick Reference Travel Guide
