About Us

• About Us Premier commuter rail system serving northeast Illinois. Metra makes traveling to and from downtown Chicago easy! Seniors ride free program.
  
  There are a lot of interesting, educational and just plain fun things to do in Northeast Illinois and Metra can get you where you want to go. The 495-mile Metra system serves 230 stations in the counties of Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, McHenry and Kane.
  On Metra you can reach Chicago's beautiful lakefront, museums, zoos, sporting events, shops and restaurants, concerts, special events, schools and colleges as well as quaint, historic suburbs and small towns. In some cases, Metra can take you practically to the front door - in other cases, your destination is easily in reach via Pace buses, and/or CTA buses and trains.
  
  Over the past 25+ years, Metra has invested more than $5 billion in improvements to the system, including new and/or rehabilitated rolling stock, renovated track and structures, modernized signal and communication systems, upgraded electrical systems and support facilities, and new stations and parking. In 2006, Metra completed expansion of its North Central Service as well as extensions of its UP West Line to Elburn and its SouthWest Service to Manhattan, with the projects finished on schedule and $50 million under budget. Core capacity improvements are currently planned for Metra's UP West and UP Northwest lines. Also on the drawing boards is Metra's new SouthEast Service and its suburb-to-suburb STAR line, plus major rolling stock acquisitions and bridge and yard renewal projects.
  
  In its history, Metra has accomplished much; in its future, there is much for Metra to do. Metra remains committed to working with all of its stakeholders in order to ensure funding for Metra to meet the transportation needs of the region now and as it moves further into the 21st century.