List of Metra stations
Metrais thecommuter railsystem serving theChicago metropolitan areain theU.S. statesofIllinoisandWisconsin,servicingCook,DuPage,Kane,Lake,McHenry,andWillCounties in northeastern Illinois and the city ofKenoshain southeastern Wisconsin. It is one of three of theRegional Transportation Authority's service boards. With an average weekday ridership of 294,600 in 2015, Metra is thefourth-busiest commuter rail system in the United States,only behindNew York City metropolitan areasystems.[1][2]The Metra system has a total of 243 active stations spread out on 11 rail lines with 487.5 miles (784.6 km) of tracks.[1][3]As of May 2024[update],an infill station,Auburn Park,is currently under construction on theRock Island District.Thenewest Metra stationin theEdgewaterneighborhood of Chicago opened on May 20, 2024.
In 1974, theRegional Transit Authority(RTA) was created to provide stability in the commuter rail system, as most private commuter companies in the area were beginning to fail.[4]In 1984, RTA created the Commuter Rail Service Board to help with planning an organized commuter rail system in the Chicago area.[4]The board was renamedMetrain 1985. Through the creation of the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (NIRC), Metra's operating subsidiary and contracts with freight companies, Metra was able to open a network of commuter rail lines across the region.[4]The system's newest line, theNorth Central Service,opened on August 19, 1996.[5]
Seven of the system's eleven lines are owned or operated by the NIRC.[4]Operation of theBNSF Lineand theUnion Pacific North Line,Union Pacific Northwest Line,and theUnion Pacific West Lineare handled through purchase of service agreements (PSAs) between Metra, theBNSF Railwayand theUnion Pacific Railroad.[4]Under these agreements, the railroad companies provide the service using their own employees and either own or control therights-of-wayin addition to the majority of other facilities necessary, while Metra provides therolling stock.[4]Additionally, Metra funds the portion ofSouth Shore Linewithin Illinois because it shares tracks with theMetra Electric District.[4]Metra also operatesHegewisch station,although no Metra trains serve the station.[4]
Thedevelopment of Chicago's commuter rail networkresulted in aspoke–hub distribution paradigmand Metra's services radiate out from theChicago Loopfrom four terminals:Ogilvie Transportation Center,Union Station,LaSalle Street Station,andMillennium Station.[4]However, all are within a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) radius of each other and easily accessible from one another, either by walking, cycling, driving, or the use of public transport.[6]
Key
[edit]| Station | The official name for the station |
|---|---|
| Lines | The line(s) that stop at the station |
| Rail connections | Any rail connections that can be made from the station |
| Location | The municipality or Chicago neighborhood in which the station is located |
| Fare zone | Identifies which of the four fare zones the station is in. The zones are numbered, with Zone 1 consisting of downtown Chicago.[7] |
| † | A terminal station |
|
Fully-accessible station[8] |
|
Partially-accessible station[a][8] |
Lines
[edit]| Line | Symbol | Stations | Inbound terminus | Outbound terminus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNSF | 26 | Chicago Union Station | Aurora Transportation Center | |
| HC | 7 | Chicago Union Station | Joliet Transportation Center | |
| ME | 49 | Millennium Station | University Park,South Chicago (93rd Street),Blue Island | |
| MD-N | 22 | Chicago Union Station | Fox Lake | |
| MD-W | 22 | Chicago Union Station | Big Timber Road | |
| NCS | 18 | Chicago Union Station | Antioch | |
| RI | 26 | LaSalle Street Station | Joliet Transportation Center | |
| SWS | 13 | Chicago Union Station | Manhattan | |
| UP-N | 28 | Ogilvie Transportation Center | Kenosha | |
| UP-NW | 23 | Ogilvie Transportation Center | Harvard,McHenry | |
| UP-W | 19 | Ogilvie Transportation Center | Elburn |
Stations
[edit]
Future stations
[edit]| Station | Lines | Rail connections | Location | Fare zone | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn Park
|
RI | — | Auburn Gresham, Chicago | 2 | Under construction[10] |
| Johnsburg † | UP-NW | — | Johnsburg | 4 | Proposed[11] |
| Prairie Grove | UP-NW | — | Prairie Grove | 4 | Proposed[11] |
| Ridgefield | UP-NW | — | Ridgefield | 4 | Proposed[11] |
| Kinzie–Fulton Market | MD-NMD-WNCSUP-W |  CTA:GreenPink(atAshland)
|
West Town, Chicago | 2 | Proposed[12] |
| Huntley | Unnamed intercity service | — | Huntley | Proposed[13] | |
| Belvidere | Unnamed intercity service | — | Belvidere | Proposed[13] | |
| Rockford † | Unnamed intercity service | — | Rockford | Proposed[13] |
Former stations
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^At partially accessible stations, customers using mobility devices can access and use trains; however, the stations may not have other accessibility features (such as accessible bathrooms, Braille signage, visual display announcements).
References
[edit]- ^ab"Ridership Reports – System Facts".Metra.RetrievedSeptember 14,2017.
- ^"Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter and End-of-Year 2016"(PDF).American Public Transportation Association.RetrievedSeptember 14,2017.
- ^"Where do Metra trains run".Metra.Archived fromthe originalon January 16, 2016.RetrievedDecember 22,2012.
- ^abcdefghi"Metra History".Metra.RetrievedAugust 15,2015.
- ^Hanna, Janan (August 20, 1996)."Latest Metra Route Opens New World To Suburbs".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedOctober 15,2017.
- ^"Frequently Asked Questions".Metra.RetrievedMarch 8,2015.
- ^"Metra's 2024 Fare changes".Metra.RetrievedJanuary 31,2024.
- ^ab"Metra Accessible Station List"(PDF).Regional Transportation Authority.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
- ^"Metra Fare Schedule"(PDF).Metra.February 26, 2015.RetrievedAugust 25,2015.
- ^Wisniewski, Mary (September 30, 2019)."New Metra station coming to Auburn Gresham neighborhood".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedOctober 18,2019.
- ^abc"Go to 2040: Comprehensive Regional Plan".Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.2010. p. 281.RetrievedOctober 18,2018.
- ^"Kinzie–Fulton Market: New Metra Station"(PDF).Chicago Department of Transportation. October 12, 2021.
- ^abcNeveau, James (July 6, 2023)."Metra to restore rail service between Rockford, Chicago for first time in 40 years".NBC Chicago.RetrievedJuly 6,2023.
- ^abcdefghijkRidership Trends - Annual Report 2017(PDF)(Report). Metra Division of Strategic Capital Planning. February 2018. p. 32.RetrievedDecember 2,2018.
- ^Van Hattem, Matt (July 5, 2006)."Metra: Chicago's commuter railroad".Trains Magazine.Retrieved25 August2015.
- ^"Metra to shut down BNSF's Clyde station".CS Trains.May 17, 2007.RetrievedMarch 8,2015.
- ^ab"Cragin Station".Chicago Rail Junctions.RetrievedMarch 8,2015.
- ^Fabbre, Alicia (April 11, 2018)."New train station opens for commuters in Joliet, ending a six-year wait".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedJuly 21,2018.
- ^"RTA closing 13 rail stations".Chicago Tribune.March 9, 1984. p. 51.RetrievedDecember 4,2018– viaNewspapers.com.
