page_title: Metra
section_title: Routes
hierarchical_section_title: Metra / Operations / Routes
caption_attribution_description: English: Bilevel electric train at University of Chicago/59th Street Station.
context_page_description: Metra is a commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs. The system operates 242 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. 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.
  Using Chicago's rail infrastructure, much of which dates to the 1850s, the Illinois General Assembly established the parent Regional Transportation Authority to consolidate all public transit operations in the Chicago area, including commuter rail. The RTA's creation was a result of the anticipated failure of commuter service operated and owned by various private railroad companies in the 1970s. In 1984, RTA formed a commuter rail division to focus on rail operations, which branded itself as Metra in 1985. Freight rail companies still operate four of Metra's routes under purchase-of-service agreements.
context_section_description: Metra operates 11 lines, most of which date from the mid-19th century. Four lines are operated under contract. The BNSF Line service is operated by BNSF Railway. The three lines out of the Ogilvie Transportation Center (formerly North Western Station) are operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The other seven lines are operated by the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Rail Corporation (NIRC), Metra's operating subsidiary. Inbound trains on every line at all times run through to their Chicago terminus, however, many outbound trains do not run through to their respective lines' terminus (for example, most trains on the Union Pacific/Northwest Line do not run through to Harvard; instead, terminating at Crystal Lake).
  █ BNSF Railway
  The BNSF Railway Line is Metra's busiest route. This 37.5-mile (60.4 km) route runs from Union Station to Aurora, Illinois. It had an average of 63,000 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
  █ Heritage Corridor
  Metra’s least patronized line, the Heritage Corridor is a 37.2-mile (59.9 km) route, running from Union Station to Joliet, Illinois during rush hours only, in peak direction. It had an average of 2,600 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
  █ Metra Electric District
  The shortest Metra Line, the Metra Electric District is a 31.5-mile (50.7 km) route from Millennium Station to University Park, with branch lines serving Blue Island and South Chicago. The line had an average of 28,100 passenger weekday trips in 2018-2019.
  █ Milwaukee District / North Line:
  The Milwaukee District / North Line is a 49.5-mile (79.7 km) route from Union Station to Fox Lake, Illinois. The line had an average of 22,100 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
  █ Milwaukee District / West Line
  The Milwaukee District / West Line is a 39.8-mile (64.1 km) route from Union Station to Big Timber Road in Elgin, Illinois; on weekends and holidays, service terminates in downtown Elgin. The line had an average of 20,600 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
  █ North Central Service
  The North Central Service is a 52.8-mile (85.0 km) route from Union Station to Antioch, Illinois. It had an average of 5,600 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019. It does not run at all on weekends and holidays. It is the only line in the Metra system that does not have a specific color for a fallen flag railroad that operated on this line.
  █ Rock Island District
  The Rock Island District is a 46.6-mile (75.0 km) route to southwest and southern suburbs. The line has 26 stations on two branches from LaSalle Street Station to Joliet. It had an average of 26,900 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
  █ SouthWest Service
  The SouthWest Service is a 40.8-mile (65.7 km) route from Union Station to Manhattan, Illinois, with most trains ending in Orland Park. It had an average of 9,600 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019. It does not run at all on Sundays and holidays.
  █ Union Pacific / North Line:
  The only Metra Line to go outside of Illinois, the Union Pacific / North Line is a 51.6-mile (83.0 km) route from Ogilvie Transportation Center to Kenosha, Wisconsin, with most trains ending in Waukegan, Illinois. The line had an average of 34,600 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
  █ Union Pacific / Northwest Line
  The longest Metra route, the Union Pacific / Northwest Line is a 70.5-mile (113.5 km) route from Ogilvie Transportation Center to Harvard, Illinois, with most trains ending in Crystal Lake. During weekdays except for holidays, service also includes a 7.59-mile (12.21 km) branch line from Pingree Road to McHenry. The line had an average of 40,100 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
  █ Union Pacific / West Line
  The Union Pacific / West Line is a 43.6-mile (70.2 km) route running from Ogilvie Transportation Center to Elburn, Illinois. The line had an average of 27,900 weekday passenger trips in 2018-2019.
caption: Metra Electric Highliners at 59th Street station.
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