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 163,100 per weekday as of the second 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.
The Union Pacific North Line (UP-N) is a Metra line in the Chicago metropolitan area. It runs between Ogilvie Transportation Center and Kenosha, Wisconsin; however, most trains terminate in Waukegan, Illinois. Although Metra owns the rolling stock, the trains are operated and dispatched by the Union Pacific Railroad. This line was previously operated by the Chicago & North Western Railway before its merger with the Union Pacific Railroad, and was called the Chicago and North Western Milwaukee Division and then the Chicago & North Western/North Line before the C&NW was absorbed by Union Pacific in April 1995. It is the only Metra line that travels outside Illinois.
The Union Pacific West Line (UP-W) is a Metra commuter rail line operated by Union Pacific Railroad in Chicago, Illinois and its western suburbs. Metra does not refer to its lines by particular colors, but the timetable accents for the Union Pacific West line are "Kate Shelley Rose" pink, honoring an Iowa woman who saved a Chicago & North Western Railway train from disaster in 1881. Green and yellow were already selected for the Union Pacific North Line and Union Pacific Northwest Line, respectively, so pink was chosen for this line. Therefore, the UP-W is the only Metra line that uses a color to honor a person instead of a fallen flag railroad. Until the late 1940s the line had a branch to Freeport, Illinois. It diverged from the main line at West Chicago and had stations at Elgin, Marengo, Belvidere, Rockford, Freeport, and other communities. The line was once known as the Chicago & Northwestern/West Line until UP took over the C&NW in 1995. All Metra trains on this line terminated at Geneva until 2006, when the line was extended to its present terminus in Elburn. The line runs as part of the Union Pacific Railroad's Geneva Subdivision.
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 BNSF Line is a Metra commuter rail line operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its western suburbs, running from Chicago Union Station to Aurora, Illinois through the Chicago Subdivision. In 2010, the BNSF Line continued to have the highest weekday ridership of the 11 Metra lines. While Metra does not refer to its lines by particular colors, the BNSF line's color on Metra timetables is "Cascade Green," in honor of the Burlington Northern Railroad.
The North Central Service (NCS) is a Metra commuter rail line running from Union Station in downtown Chicago through northwestern and far northern suburbs to Antioch, Illinois. In December 2022, the public timetable shows seven weekday departures from Chicago. This line does not run at all on weekends or holidays. While Metra does not explicitly refer to any of its eleven routes by colors, the NCS' timetable accents are lavender, a shade of purple. It is one of two Metra lines that do not have a specific color for a fallen flag railroad that used to operate on the route.
The Milwaukee District North Line (MD-N) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois and its northern suburbs, running from Union Station to Fox Lake. Although Metra does not refer to any of its lines by color, the timetable accents for the Milwaukee District North line are pale "Hiawatha Orange" in honor of the Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha passenger trains.
The Milwaukee District West Line (MD-W) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. Metra does not refer to any of its lines by a particular color, but the timetable accents for the Milwaukee District West line are dark "Arrow Yellow," honoring the Milwaukee Road's Arrow passenger train. Trains are dispatched from the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway's American headquarters in Minneapolis.
The Heritage Corridor (HC) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its southwestern suburbs, terminating in Joliet, Illinois. 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 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.
Gresham is a station on the Rock Island District Metra line, which runs between Joliet, Illinois and LaSalle Street Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois. It is in zone 2 according to Metra fee schedules based on its 9.8 miles (15.8 km) distance from downtown Chicago. As of 2018, Gresham is the 142nd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 313 weekday boardings. It is in the community area of Auburn Gresham, on the south side of Chicago. The Rock Island service splits just south of here; trains short-turning at Blue Island as well as evening service to and from Joliet diverge onto the slower Suburban Branch, while most trains to and from points south of Blue Island remain on the main line.
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.
Lockport station is a station on Metra's Heritage Corridor in Lockport, Illinois. The station is 32.9 miles (52.9 km) away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Lockport is in zone 4. As of 2018, Lockport is the 136th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 344 weekday boardings. As of February 15, 2024, Lockport is served by three inbound trains in the morning and three outbound trains in the evening on weekdays only.
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.
103rd Street–Washington Heights station is a commuter railroad station on Metra's Rock Island District line in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, 12.0 miles (19.3 km) from LaSalle Street Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 103rd Street–Washington Heights is in zone 2. As of 2018, 103rd Street–Washington Heights is the 187th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 101 weekday boardings.
Prairie Street is one of four Metra railroad stations in Blue Island, Illinois along the Beverly Branch of the Rock Island District Line, and one of five total within the town of Blue Island. It is 15.8 miles (25.4 km) from LaSalle Street Station, the northern terminus of the line, and is both located on and named after Prairie Street. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Prairie Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, Prairie Street is the 220th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 30 weekday boardings.
Tinley Park – 80th Avenue is one of two commuter railroad stations along Metra's Rock Island District Line in Tinley Park, Illinois. The station is officially located on 18001 South 80th Avenue, lies 25.1 miles (40.4 km) away from LaSalle Street Station, the northern terminus of the line. Parking is available on both sides of the tracks. On the north side, where the station house resides, it is available in the east or west parking lots. On the south side, it is available in the Timber Road parking lot.
99th 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. The station is located at 9901 South Walden Parkway near 99th Street, 12.3 miles (19.8 km) from LaSalle Street Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 99th Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, 99th Street–Beverly Hills is the 81st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 645 weekday boardings.
New Lenox is a commuter train station along Metra's Rock Island District line in New Lenox, a southern suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The station is officially located on 300 North Church Street, and lies 34.0 miles (54.7 km) away from LaSalle Street Station, the northern terminus of the line, however parking is available between Church Street and far northeast of Haven Avenue. It is also the penultimate station along the RID line before reaching the end of the line at Joliet Transportation Center. In Metra's fare-based system, New Lenox station is in zone 4. As of 2018, New Lenox is the 49th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,046 weekday boardings.
Joliet Gateway Center is a multimodal mass transit center in downtown Joliet, Illinois. It opened in 2018, replacing the nearby Joliet Union Station as the commuter and passenger train station serving Joliet.
