Metra is the primary commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and other railroads. The system operates 242 stations on 11 rail lines. It is the fourth busiest commuter rail system in the United States by ridership and the largest and busiest commuter rail system outside the New York City metropolitan area. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 31,894,900, or about 152,400 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023. The estimated busiest day for Metra ridership occurred on November 4, 2016—the day of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series victory rally.
The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, Indiana, United States. The name refers to both the physical line and the service operated over that route. The line was built in 1901–1908 by predecessors of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad, which continues to operate freight service. Passenger operation was assumed by the NICTD in 1989. The South Shore Line is one of the last surviving interurban trains in the United States. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,406,900, or about 5,000 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
The Rock Island District (RI) is a Metra commuter rail line from Chicago, Illinois, southwest to Joliet. Metra does not refer to its lines by color, but the timetable accents for the Rock Island District line are "Rocket Red" in honor of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad's Rocket passenger trains.
The Metra Electric District is an electrified commuter rail line owned and operated by Metra which connects Millennium Station, in downtown Chicago, with the city's southern suburbs. As of 2018, it is the fifth busiest of Metra's 11 lines, after the BNSF, UP-NW, UP-N, and UP-W Lines with nearly 7.7 million annual riders. While Metra does not explicitly refer to any of its lines by color, the timetable accents for the Metra Electric District are printed in bright "Panama orange" to reflect the line's origins with the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) and its Panama Limited passenger train. Apart from the spots where its tracks run parallel to other main lines, it is the only Metra line running entirely on dedicated passenger tracks, with no freight trains operating anywhere on the actual route itself. The line is the only one in the Metra system with more than one station in Downtown Chicago, the only line with no stations in fare zone 4, and also has the highest number of stations (49) of any Metra line.
Evanston Davis Street is a commuter railroad station in downtown Evanston, Illinois. It is served by Metra's Union Pacific North Line with trains going south to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago and as far north as Kenosha, Wisconsin. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Davis Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, Evanston Davis Street is the 12th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,876 weekday boardings. The station is next to the Davis station of the Chicago Transit Authority's Purple Line, where CTA and Pace buses terminate. Between the two stations is 909 Davis Street, a six-story building with a kiss-and-ride loop for car drop-off.
Wilmette is the name of a commuter railroad station in Wilmette, Illinois that is served by Metra's Union Pacific North Line. Trains go south to Ogilvie Transportation Center and as far north as Kenosha, Wisconsin. Travel time to Ogilvie is 31 minutes on local trains, and as little as 27 minutes on morning inbound trains and 22 minutes on one afternoon inbound train. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Wilmette is in zone 2. As of 2018, Wilmette was the 18th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,653 weekday boardings.
Museum Campus/11th Street is a commuter rail station in downtown Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island and South Chicago; and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana.
McCormick Place station is a commuter rail station in Chicago underneath McCormick Place, Chicago's main convention center, that serves the Metra Electric Line north to the Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago; and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana.
55th–56th–57th Street is a commuter rail station in Hyde Park, Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago; and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana. The South Shore Line calls the station 57th Street. It is the closest station to the Museum of Science and Industry, and also serves the residential neighborhood adjoining the University of Chicago. As of 2018, the station is the 39th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,133 weekday boardings.
63rd Street station is a commuter rail station within the city of Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and the Chicago neighborhood of South Chicago and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana. Most South Shore Line trains do not stop at this station, except for one inbound train during the AM rush and two outbound trains during the PM rush on weekdays. As of 2018, the station is the 169th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 167 weekday boardings.
Kensington/115th Street is a commuter rail station on the far south side of Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park and Blue Island. The station is located at 115th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue in the Pullman & West Pullman, Chicago neighborhoods. It is the last station for Blue Island Branch trains before those split off of the main line for Blue Island. As of 2018, the station is the 37th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,136 weekday boardings. The South Shore Line diverges to Indiana immediately south of this station. It had previously stopped at this station prior to February 15, 2012, with the reconfiguration of the junction to minimize congestion.
Hegewisch is a commuter rail station in the city of Chicago, Illinois in the Hegewisch neighborhood, that serves the South Shore Line north to Millennium Station and east to the cities of Hammond, East Chicago, Gary, Michigan City, and South Bend, Indiana. The Hegewisch station has high-level platforms, as part of NICTD's continuing effort to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
51st–53rd Street is a commuter rail station within the City of Chicago serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago. As of 2018, the station is the 78th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 671 weekday boardings. The station location, one of the oldest in the United States, has been in continuous use by commuters since 1856.
Homewood station is an Amtrak intercity and Metra commuter train station in Homewood, Illinois. It is also the location of the Homewood Railroad Park Museum.
27th Street station is a commuter rail station in the Douglas neighborhood of Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago. As of 2018, 27th Street is Metra's least-used station, with an average of 12 weekday boardings. 27th Street is a flag stop; trains will not stop unless a passenger is waiting on the platform or a passenger notifies a conductor.
47th Street (Kenwood) is a commuter rail station within the city of Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, Illinois, and the neighborhood of South Chicago. As of 2018, the station is the 191st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 94 weekday boardings. This station is a flag stop picking up passengers only when visible to train conductor and discharging passengers only when conductors are notified. Passengers can only exit the train from the first car. The first station at this location was originally built by the Illinois Central Railroad (ICRR).
South Chicago station is a Metra Electric Line station on East 93rd St and South Baltimore Avenue in Chicago's South Chicago neighborhood. The station provides transport services to Chicago's South Chicago, South Deering, and East Side neighborhoods. The station is located 13.0 miles (20.9 km) southeast of Millennium Station, the line's northern terminus at Randolph/South Water Street in downtown Chicago. As of 2018, South Chicago is the 101st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 472 weekday boardings.
Zion is a small commuter railroad station on Metra's Union Pacific North Line located in Zion, Illinois. It is located on 2501 South Eden Road, near the intersection with Shiloh Boulevard. It is 42.1 miles (67.8 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center—the inbound terminus of the Union Pacific North Line, and also serves commuters who travel north to Kenosha, Wisconsin. Parking is available on both sides of the tracks, and one of the parking lots is along South Eden Road at Shiloh Boulevard. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Zion is in zone 4. As of 2018, Zion is the 185th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 110 weekday boardings.
83rd Street station is an electrified commuter rail station along the South Chicago Branch of the Metra Electric Line on the South Side of the city of Chicago. The station is located on 83rd Street at Commercial Avenue near Russell Square Park, and is 11.97 miles (19.26 km) away from the northern terminus, Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 83rd Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, 83rd Street is the 200th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 74 weekday boardings.
83rd Street (Avalon Park) is an electrified commuter rail station along the Metra Electric Main Line in Chicago, Illinois. The station is located over 83rd Street near Ellis Avenue and is 10.4 miles (16.7 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. Despite the name of the station, it is actually located in Chatham, not the Avalon Park neighborhood for which it is named; however, it is only a short distance from Avalon Park. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 83rd Street-Avalon Park station is in zone 2. As of 2018, the station is the 209th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 56 weekday boardings. The station's rank is tied with the neighboring 87th Street (Woodruff) station.
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