CHICAGO — Metra, which has a long-range goal of adding dedicated train service between O’Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago, will provide a sampling of what that service could be like during the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
The commuter rail operator will offer shuttle service between its O’Hare Transfer station and Chicago Union Station on an at-least-hourly basis on weekdays between Aug. 12 and Aug. 30. This will be in addition to the regular daily North Central Service that includes stops at O’Hare Transfer, the station adjacent to O’Hare’s rental car/remote parking structure that is connected to the airport terminals by a people mover system. During this period, the O’Hare station will see 22 round trips daily, instead of its usual seven round trips. Trips between O’Hare and Union Station are expected to take about 35 minutes. Schedules are available here.
“This service will be a much faster and far less stressful option than driving or taking a cab or rideshare on the Kennedy, which is even more jammed than usual due to an ongoing construction project,” Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski said. “And with a one-way fare of $3.75, the trains will be significantly less expensive, too.”
Tickets can be purchased via the Ventra smartphone app or from vending machines at Union Station; there are no vending machines at the O’Hare station, so those boarding there must use the app or pay cash on board for their tickets.
Canadian National, the host railroad for some of the route, and CPKC, which dispatches the portion on Metra’s Milwaukee West line, worked with Metra to make the service possible, Metra said in its press release.
Metra has engaged in preliminary planning for O’Hare service on a regular basis with equipment dedicated to the task [see “On the radar: Metra service to O’Hare airport,” Trains.com, Dec. 18, 2023]. Last year, it ran a special train between the airport and Union Station as part of a congressional event, providing a chance to discuss the agency’s infrastructure needs with legislators [see “News photos: Metra operates congressional special,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 10, 2023].
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