Metra raises rates, simplifies ticketing beginning Thursday
CHICAGO (CBS) – Fares for Metra trains will increase starting Thursday, and there will also be changes with passes and ticketing.
Here's what Meta commuters need to know.
The promotional rates, including the $100 monthly pass, many got used to during the COVID-19 pandemic will go away, but the new fares will still be lower than customers have seen in the past. A Metra spokesperson said the changes will make it easier for commuters.
Feb. 1 means other big changes for the commuter train system that will reduce its 10 zones to four.
A monthly pass in Zone 2 will run $75. In Zone 3, the price will be $110, and in Zone 4, $135.
Metra said the ticket prices are lower than or equal to what they were before the pandemic. The agency projects ridership to be about half what it was before 2020.
Metra is also getting rid of the 10-ride pass and will replace it with a day pass that works in increments of five days.
There will also be no more ticketing windows as those will close. Customers will need to purchase tickets at vending machines or through the Ventra app.
Metra's board also approved a $1.1 billion operating budget for 2024, including what it called "significant investments" in rail cars, bridges, and stations.
On Thursday, Metra reported a systemwide outage on the Ventra app as the fares were set to occur. Riders can show their phones to prove their screen is frozen to board trains while the issue is resolved by Cubic, the company that runs the app, a spokesperson said.
Riders can check Metra's website for updates.
