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Metra

Metra orders battery-powered trains, gets funding for new bilevel passenger cars

As Metra's board authorized the purchase of eight battery-powered Stadler train sets, the FTA announced the railroad will get $100M to purchase 50 bi-level rail cars.

February 22, 2024

Millennium Station’s Randolph/Michigan elevator has been broken for months, with no word on fixing it

We decoded Metra's confusing directions for how to access Millennium Station by elevator while the Randolph/Michigan lift is indefinitely out of commission.

February 13, 2024

First day of new Metra fares sees long lines at downtown terminal ticket machines

While Metra's new fare system and ticket machines have some predictable learning curves, hopefully more customers will soon get accustomed to to using them.

February 3, 2024

Access Pilot Program kicks off tomorrow, expanding Metra’s reduced fares to include low-income riders who aren’t elderly or disabled

The initiative starts will run through July 31, 2025, thanks to the combined efforts of the Regional Transportation Authority, Metra, and Cook County.

February 1, 2024

What does Metra’s permanent “bikes on all trains” policy, starting Thursday, mean for you?

The commuter railroad will also add more space for bicycle parking by installing bike racks on 50 train cars, for starters.

January 31, 2024

Metra closed BSNF Line ticket windows today, remaining ticket windows will shut down on February 1

A Metra spokesperson said there were several factors that made them decide to make the ticket counters go the way of the dodo bird.

January 8, 2024

Metra Bike Car 1.5: Rolling in with space for bikes of all shapes and sizes

After months of pressure from "the bike guys" at board meetings, and only one month after the initial announcement, Metra unveiled its new Bike Car prototype.

December 21, 2023

Kam Buckner: South Shore and MED runs stop at the same stations, so why don’t we let South Shore trains pick up MED riders?

Hopefully Buckner and other cool heads at the railroads and local transportation agencies will prevail to find a solution.

December 20, 2023

Metra approves 2024 budget, creating new fare structure

Second time was the charm for the Metra fare revamp, as the railroad’s board unanimously approved the new fare policy.

November 13, 2023