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. While the location is convenient, there are limited flights and they can be expensive. Booking early with flexible dates is essential.
- 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.
- 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.
Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD) or Chicago Midway (MDW)
Most students fly into Chicago-O’Hare Airport (ORD) or Chicago Midway (MDW) and take an UBER or the South Shore Train from downtown Chicago to the South Bend airport. See the quick reference guide below for transportation options from Chicago-O’Hare Airport (ORD) or Chicago Midway (MDW) to South Bend / Notre Dame.
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.
Summer Transportation from O'Hare to Notre Dame
ISSA sponsors limited transportation for new international students traveling from Chicago-O'Hare Airport (ORD) to campus:
- Graduate & professional students - usually Friday before August 20 Orientation
- Undergraduates - Wednesday before ISO
Other Transportation Options
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.
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 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.
If you arrive at the South Bend International Airport, you can take a 15-minute taxi to campus for $15-30.
Download the Quick Reference Travel Guide
