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 243 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 168,600 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. The estimated busiest day for Metra ridership occurred on November 4, 2016—the day of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series victory rally, with a record 460,000+ passengers.
The Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center, on the site of the former Chicago and North Western Terminal, is a commuter rail terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois. For the last century, this site has served as the primary terminal for the Chicago and North Western Railway and its successors Union Pacific and Metra. Intercity services had disappeared by the 1970s, but commuter services on the three ex-CNW mainlines, Metra's UP District lines, continue to terminate here. The tracks are elevated above street level. The old CNW terminal building was replaced in the mid 1980s with a modern skyscraper, the 500 West Madison Street building. The modern building occupies two square city blocks, bounded by Randolph Street and Madison Street to the north and south and by Canal Street and Clinton Street to the east and west. It is the second busiest rail station in Chicago, after nearby Union Station, the sixth-busiest railway station in North America, and the third-busiest station that exclusively serves commuter traffic.
The Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad, also known as the North Shore Line, was an interurban railroad that operated passenger and freight service over an 88.9-mile (143.1 km) route between the Chicago Loop and downtown Milwaukee, as well as an 8.6-mile (13.8 km) branch line between the villages of Lake Bluff and Mundelein, Illinois. The North Shore Line also provided streetcar, city bus and motor coach services along its interurban route.
Ravenswood is a railroad station on the North Side of Chicago serving Metra's Union Pacific North Line. It is located at 4800 North Ravenswood Avenue, just south of West Lawrence Avenue. A previous Ravenswood station was located at Wilson Avenue, but was replaced with the station at the current location, opposite the Chicago and North Western Railway's Ravenswood Accounting Office & Carload Tracing Bureau, which were housed in a building at 4801 North Ravenswood Avenue. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Ravenswood is in zone 2. As of 2018, Ravenswood is the third busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 2,630 weekday boardings. Ravenswood station is near the eastern edge of the Chicago neighborhood also known as Ravenswood and the western edge of Uptown.
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.
Bartlett is a commuter railroad station in Bartlett, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. The station is 30.1 miles (48.4 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the eastern terminus of the line. It is served by Metra's Milwaukee District West Line, with service to Union Station in downtown Chicago, and northwest to Elgin. As of 2018, Bartlett is the 53rd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 988 weekday boardings. Travel time to Union Station ranges from 51 minutes to 1 hour and 11 minutes, with faster times on peak trains.
Western is an elevated rapid transit station on the Chicago "L"'s Blue Line, where it is located on the O'Hare branch. The station, opened in 1895, is located within the Bucktown neighborhood in the larger Logan Square community area. It has two side platforms at track level with a station house at street level.
West Chicago is a station on Metra's Union Pacific West Line, located in West Chicago, Illinois. The station is 29.7 miles (47.8 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center, the eastern terminus of the West Line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Chicago is in zone 4. As of 2018, West Chicago is the 88th busiest of the 236 non-downtown stations in the Metra system, with an average of 586 weekday boardings. Unless otherwise announced, inbound trains use the north (side) platform and outbound trains use the south (island) platform.
O'Hare Transfer is a commuter railroad station along Metra's North Central Service that serves Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The station is 18.6 miles (29.9 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the southern terminus of the line. As of 2018, O'Hare Transfer is the 183rd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 113 weekday boardings. The station is located at the dead end of Zemke Boulevard east of Mannheim Road (US 12/US 45) outside the northeast corner of the airport's Multi-Modal Facility.
Prairie Crossing is a pair of Metra stations located in Libertyville, Illinois. They are serviced by the North Central Service and the Milwaukee District North Line. The station is 43.4 miles (69.8 km) away from Chicago Union Station via the North Central Service, and 39.8 miles (64.1 km) via the Milwaukee District North Line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, both Prairie Crossing platforms are in zone 4.
Winthrop Harbor is a station on Metra's Union Pacific North Line located in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. It is located on 7th Street, one block east of Ravine Drive. Winthrop Harbor is 44.5 miles (71.6 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center, the inbound terminus of the Union Pacific North Line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Winthrop Harbor is in zone 4. As of 2018, Winthrop Harbor is the 206th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 59 weekday boardings.
The Jefferson Park Transit Center is an intermodal passenger transport hub in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It serves as a station for rail and also as a bus terminal. Jefferson Park Transit Center's railroad station is on Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line, with the station located at 4963 North Milwaukee Avenue. Jefferson Park is 9.1 miles (14.6 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago, the inbound terminus of the Union Pacific Northwest Line. Under Metra's zone-based fare system, Jefferson Park is in zone 2. As of 2018, Jefferson Park is the 97th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 510 weekday boardings.
Grayland is a Metra commuter railroad station in the Old Irving Park neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, along the Milwaukee District North Line. It is located at 3729 North Kilbourn Avenue, is 8.2 miles (13.2 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the southern terminus of the line, and serves commuters between Union Station and Fox Lake, Illinois. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Grayland is in zone 2. As of 2018, Grayland is the 132nd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 357 weekday boardings.
Morton Grove is a commuter railroad station on Metra's Milwaukee District North Line in Morton Grove, Illinois. The station is located at 8501 Lehigh Ave., is 14.6 miles (23.5 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the southern terminus of the line, and serves commuters between Union Station and Fox Lake, Illinois. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Morton Grove is in zone 2. As of 2018, Morton Grove is the 54th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 967 weekday boardings. Parking is available in front of the station, as well as along the side of sections Lehigh Avenue and Elm Street from Lehigh to the dead end at St. Paul Woods, part of the Cook County Forest Preserve. As of July 15, 2024, Morton Grove is served by all 54 trains on weekdays, by all 20 trains on Saturdays, and by all 18 trains on Sundays and holidays.
Calvary was a commuter railroad station on the Chicago and North Western Railway's Milwaukee Division, today's Union Pacific North Line. The station was located at Mulford Street and Chicago Avenue, in Evanston, Illinois.
Rose Hill was a commuter railroad station on the Chicago and North Western Railway's Milwaukee Division, now the Union Pacific North Line. The station was located at Rosehill Drive and Ravenswood Avenue, in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. Rose Hill opened in 1855 or 1856, and was in service for more than 100 years before closing in 1958 as part of a service revision on the North Western's commuter lines.
DeKalb station is a former railway station in Downtown DeKalb, Illinois. It served passenger trains of the Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW) along its main line between Chicago and Omaha. The station was designed by Charles Sumner Frost and Alfred Hoyt Granger in 1891 and closed for passenger service in 1971. The building still stands and is used by the Union Pacific Railroad for offices.
Kenmore was a commuter railroad station on the Chicago and North Western Railway's Milwaukee Division, now the Union Pacific North Line. The station was located on Ravenswood Avenue between Granville and Thome Avenues, in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. Kenmore opened in 1887 or 1888, and closed on December 1, 1958, as part of an effort by the Chicago and North Western to close twenty two stations within the city of Chicago and the close-in suburbs.
Ravenswood–Wilson was a commuter railroad station on the Chicago and North Western Railway's Milwaukee Division, now the Union Pacific North Line. The station was located at Wilson and Ravenswood Avenues, in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood.
