Metra is a commuter railroad in the Chicago metropolitan area. The railroad operates 242 stations on 11 different 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. There were 83.4 million passenger rides in 2014, up 1.3% from the previous year. The estimated busiest day for Metra ridership occurred on November 4, 2016—the day of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series victory rally.
Chicago Union Station is a major railroad station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, Illinois, replacing an earlier station built in 1881. It is the only remaining intercity rail terminal in Chicago, and is the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between West Adams Street and West Jackson Boulevard, just outside the Chicago Loop. Including approach and storage tracks, it covers about nine and a half city blocks — mostly underground, buried beneath streets and skyscrapers. The station serves as Amtrak's flagship station in the Midwest, and is also the downtown terminus for six Metra commuter lines.
The Union Pacific / Northwest Line (UP-NW) is a commuter rail line provided by Metra and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in Chicago, Illinois and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not refer to any of its lines by colors, the timetable accents for the Union Pacific/Northwest line are bright "Viking Yellow," honoring the Chicago & North Western Railway's Viking passenger train.
The Milwaukee District / North Line (MD-N) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its northern suburbs. Metra does not refer to any of its lines by color, but the timetable accents for the Milwaukee District / North line are pale "Hiawatha Orange," honoring the Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha passenger trains. The line utilizes the Canadian Pacific Railway's C&M Subdivision. From Rondout to Fox Lake, the line is single tracked.
The Heritage Corridor (HC) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its suburbs. While Metra does not refer to its lines by colors, the Heritage Corridor appears on Metra timetables as "Alton Maroon," after the Alton Railroad, which ran trains on this route. The name Heritage Corridor refers to the Illinois and Michigan Canal Heritage Corridor. Established in 1984, it runs parallel to the line.
The Southwest Service (SWS) is a Metra commuter rail line, running southwest from Union Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Manhattan, Illinois. Metra does not refer to its lines by color, but the timetable accents for the SouthWest Service line are "Banner Blue," for the Wabash Railroad's Banner Blue passenger train. The trackage is owned by Metra north of a junction with the Belt Railway of Chicago at Loomis Boulevard, and is leased from Norfolk Southern Railway south of the junction.
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 2014, it is the second busiest of Metra's 11 lines, after the BNSF, with nearly 9.5 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. It is the only Metra line running entirely on dedicated passenger tracks, with no freight trains operating anywhere along the route. Its suburban operations line is the shortest on Metra's system, only running to fare zone G. If all the branches were combined, they would reach to zone J. It is also the only line with two downtown stations. During rush hours some trains do not reach Van Buren Street or Millennium Station.
Glenview is a Metra commuter rail and Amtrak intercity rail station in Glenview, Illinois, United States, north of Chicago. The facility opened in March 1995 as a replacement for a since-demolished 1950s era station. The new station, designed by Legat Architects of Waukegan, cost approximately $3 million and was funded from a number of sources, including Metra, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Amtrak and the village of Glenview.
Joliet Union Station is a former commuter and long-distance railroad station in Joliet, Illinois serving both Amtrak long-distance and Metra commuter trains. It was replaced by the new Joliet Transportation Center in 2018, a train station that was constructed adjacent to the Union Station's location. Train service to Joliet Union Station permanently ceased in September 2014. The station is 37.0 miles (59.5 km) from Chicago Union Station on the Heritage Corridor, and 40.1 miles (64.5 km) from Chicago LaSalle St. Station on the Rock Island District.
Clybourn is a railroad station in Chicago serving Metra's Union Pacific/North Line and Union Pacific/Northwest Line. It is located at 2001 North Ashland Avenue and is the first station north of Ogilvie Transportation Center. Clybourn is located at Clybourn Junction, where the Union Pacific/North Line and Union Pacific/Northwest Line separate. Clybourn Junction was named for its location near Clybourn Place, the home of the Clybourn family, early settlers in the Chicago area. Clybourn is situated between the Bucktown and DePaul neighborhoods, several miles north of downtown Chicago. In Metra's zone-based fare schedule, Clybourn is in zone A.
Naperville is a train station in Naperville, Illinois, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. Amtrak trains stopping at the Naperville station include the California Zephyr, Illinois Zephyr, Carl Sandburg and Southwest Chief. It is also one of two stations in Naperville that serves Metra's BNSF Railway commuter line, and an abundance of Pace bus routes. Naperville station was originally built in 1910 by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. On April 26, 1946, the station was the site of a collision between the CB&Q's Exposition Flyer and Advance Flyer.
McHenry is a station on Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest Line, located in McHenry, Illinois. The station is the terminus of the McHenry Branch of the Northwest Line; inbound trains operate as far as Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago. The station is also the only station on the McHenry Branch after it splits off at Pingree Road. It is the fifth furthest Metra Station from Chicago after Harvard, Antioch, Woodstock, and Kenosha, at 50.47 miles. Most Northwest Line trains operate along the Harvard branch to Harvard or Crystal Lake rather than the McHenry Branch, and the station is only served by three inbound and three outbound trains a day on weekdays and is closed on weekends. The station only has one track and one platform due to the low number of trains that serve the station. Two storage tracks are used to store two trains during overnight hours as well as weekends. The station is located at grade level. There is one grade crossing of a road at the station, which is placed under a Federal Railroad Administration horn quiet zone.
Woodstock is a commuter railroad station on Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest Line located in Woodstock, Illinois. The station is located on the Harvard branch of the Northwest Line and is the last stop before Harvard; inbound trains run as far as Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago. The station is located in the 'K' fare zone. Woodstock is 51.7 miles (83.2 km) from Chicago via Metra. The station consists of two grade-level side platforms which serve two tracks; there is a crossover located just north of the station.
Palatine Station is a commuter railroad station on Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest line in the Village of Palatine, Illinois. It is officially located at 137 West Wood Street, however there are parking lots for the station scattered within its vicinity, such as those on Smith Street, Colfax Street, Brockway Street, Slade Street, Railroad Avenue, and Palatine Road. Palatine is the outermost station on the UP-NW line to have three tracks, serviced by two platforms - inbound trains serviced by the north platform nearest the station with outbound and center track express trains serviced by the south platform. The station is 26.8 miles (43.1 km) from Ogilvie Transportation Center. Due to the UP Northwest Line's schedule, it is common to see an outbound train and an inbound train arriving in Palatine simultaneously; in fact, with respect to time, Palatine is the halfway point between Ogilvie and Harvard. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Palatine is located in zone F.
Stewart Ridge is a commuter rail station along the Blue Island Branch of the Metra Electric line in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The official address, according to Metra is Stewart Ridge, South of 120th Place. The actual location is between Stewart Avenue and Harvard Avenue, halfway between 120th Street and 122nd Street, which is 16.06 miles (25.85 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Stewart Ridge is in zone D.
Arlington Heights is one of two Metra commuter railroad stations along Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest line in the Village of Arlington Heights, Illinois. The station is located at 45 West Northwest Highway, between Vail and Dunton Avenues, and lies 22.9 miles (36.9 km) from the Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago and 40.3 miles (64.9 km) from Harvard. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Arlington Heights is in zone E.
Jones/Bronzeville, also known as 35th Street, is a station on Metra's Rock Island District line and a proposed station for the planned SouthEast Service. It is located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. It was named in honor of Lovana Jones who was an Illinois State Representative in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
The Harvard Subdivision is a 102-mile (164 km) railway line which runs from Chicago, Illinois to Evansville, Wisconsin. It is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. It hosts both freight traffic and Metra's Union Pacific / Northwest Line commuter rail service.
