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 2022, the system had a ridership of 23,726,400, or about 154,200 per weekday as of the third 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 2022, the system had a ridership of 1,406,400, or about 5,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.
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.
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.
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.
Blue Island–Vermont Street is a Metra station in Blue Island, Illinois, servicing the Rock Island District and Metra Electric District Lines. On the Rock Island, it is 16.4 miles (26.4 km) from LaSalle Street Station. For the Metra Electric, it is the southern terminus of the Blue Island Branch, and is 18.9 miles (30.4 km) from Millennium Station.
91st Street–Beverly Hills is one of five Metra stations within the Beverly Hills neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, along the Beverly Branch of the Rock Island District Line. It is located at 9105 South Prospect Square near 91st Street, 11.3 miles (18.2 km) from LaSalle Street Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 91st Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, 91st Street–Beverly Hills is the 128th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 368 weekday boardings.
111th Street (Pullman) is a commuter rail station on Metra Electric's main branch in the Pullman neighborhood on the far south side of Chicago, Illinois. It is located at 111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, and is 14.0 miles (22.5 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 111th Street (Pullman) is in zone 2. As of 2018, the station is the 219th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 31 weekday boardings.
West Pullman is a commuter rail station along the Blue Island Branch of the Metra Electric line in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is located over Halsted Street halfway between 120th and 122nd Streets, and is 16.7 miles (26.9 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Pullman is in zone 2. As of 2018, West Pullman is the 232nd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 13 weekday boardings.
State Street is the first station along the Blue Island Branch of the Metra Electric line in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The station is officially located at State Street, South of 120th Place, and is 15.6 miles (25.1 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, State Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, State Street is the 214th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 41 weekday boardings.
Riverdale is one of two commuter rail stations on the Metra Electric main branch in Riverdale, Illinois, a village just southwest of the adjacent Riverdale neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The station is located at 137th Street and Illinois Street, and is 17.3 miles (27.8 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Rivedale is in zone 2. As of 2018, Riverdale is the 172nd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 146 weekday boardings.
103rd Street (Rosemoor) is a commuter rail station along Metra Electric's main line in the Rosemoor neighborhood of Chicago. It is located at 103rd Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, and is 13.1 miles (21.1 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 103rd Street (Rosemoor) is in zone 2. As of 2018, the station is the 217th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 36 weekday boardings.
75th Street (Grand Crossing) is an electrified commuter rail station along the Metra Electric Main Line in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is located at and over both 75th Street and South Chicago Avenue, and is 9.3 miles (15.0 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Grand Crossing is in zone 2. As of 2018, the station is the 231st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 14 weekday boardings.
South Shore station is an electrified commuter rail station along the South Chicago Branch of the Metra Electric Line, in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. Metra gives the official located at 71st Street near Yates Boulevard and South Shore Drive, however the station is actually located on nearby Exchange Avenue, and is 10.28 miles (16.54 km) away from the northern terminus at Randolph Street Station. In Metra's fare-based system, South Shore Station is in zone 2. As of 2018, South Shore is the 180th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 121 weekday boardings.
Bryn Mawr is a station on the Hyde Park/South Chicago branch of the Metra Electric Line. It is located at 71st Street and Jeffery Boulevard, which is 9.66 miles (15.55 km) away from the northern terminus at Randolph Street Station. In Metra's fare-based system, Bryn Mawr Station is in zone 2. As of 2018, Bryn Mawr is the 201st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 73 weekday boardings. The station is named for the former name of the neighborhood at the time the line was built, when it was part of Hyde Park Township.
79th Street (Chatham) is an electrified commuter rail station along the Metra Electric Main Line in the Chatham neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is located at and over 79th Street, and is 9.9 miles (15.9 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 79th Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, the station is the 212th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 50 weekday boardings.
Racine Avenue is a commuter rail station along the Blue Island Branch of the Metra Electric line in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The station is officially located at Racine Avenue, South of 120th Street, and is 17.0 miles (27.4 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Racine Avenue is in zone 2. As of 2018, Racine Avenue is the 221st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 28 weekday boardings.
91st Street (Chesterfield) is an electrified commuter rail station along the Metra Electric Main Line in the Burnside neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is located at 91st and Dauphin Streets and is 11.4 miles (18.3 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 91st Street (Chesterfield) is in zone 2. As of 2018, the station is the 226th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 23 weekday boardings.
87th Street (Woodruff) is an electrified commuter rail station along the Metra Electric Main Line in the Chatham neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The station is located at 87th Street and Dauphin Avenue (although unofficially includes South Ingleside Avenue) and is 10.9 miles (17.5 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 87th Street-Woodruff 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 83rd Street (Avalon Park) station.
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.
