New fares, new zones, machines selling tickets: Here’s what Metra’s major changes mean

Thursday marks an epic shift in how Metra does business.

The commuter railroad will slim its 10-zone system to four and shake up fares in the process. It also will end in-person ticket sales and expand the reduced fare program.

Fewer zones will make life easier for riders, said Metra leaders who pledged fares will stay the same or cost less than pre-COVID-19 prices.

What’s not so simple are the nuanced changes for each ticket type.

Let’s dig into the details starting with the new zones.

Metra has folded all four downtown stations into Zone 1. Zone 2 comprises stops in or near Chicago, such as Evanston. Zone 3 takes in the next ring of suburbs including Arlington Heights and Lombard. Zone 4 contains farther towns including Naperville and Geneva.

What does that mean for monthly passes, used by about 35% of 2023 riders?

Metra will retire its popular $100 Super Saver monthly pass, introduced to boost ridership amid COVID-19 lows, on Thursday.

Going forward, a monthly pass between downtown and Zone 2 will be $75, then increase to $110 for Zone 3 and $135 for Zone 4. In comparison, before the pandemic, a monthly pass to Lombard was $181.25.

Monthly passes are 20 times the cost of a one-way ticket that starts at $3.75.

Here are five more things to know:

• Metra ticket agents will stop selling fares at stations starting Thursday across the system.

Riders instead can use the Ventra app or buy from vending machines located at downtown stations and multiple suburban stations. Conductors also will sell one-way tickets and Saturday/Sunday passes on trains with no fees attached initially. In the future, no surcharges apply for riders boarding from stations without machines.

Ticket agents at manned stations will transition to a “customer response team” that will assist riders with questions, CEO Jim Derwinski said in a Jan. 17 update.

The BNSF Line stopped in-person sales on Jan. 8 and the response has been “so far, so good,” Derwinski said.

• A one-way ticket from Zone 2 to Zone 1 will cost $3.75. From Zone 3 to Zone 1, it’s $5.50. From Zone 4 to downtown, you’ll pay $6.75.

In an effort to encourage nontraditional commuting, one-way tickets to anywhere but downtown will be $3.75.

Metra also will offer a Day Pass for unlimited rides at twice the cost of a one-way.

Important tip: One-way tickets from vending machines must be used within three hours or they expire. Similarly, a Day Pass expires at 3 a.m. the next day. But if bought on Ventra, they’re good for 14 days.

• Say goodbye to 10-Ride tickets. On Thursday, Metra will begin offering a Day Pass 5-Pack only available on Ventra. The new product comprises five daily passes, which can be used any day. The price is 9.5 times a one-way fare.

It expires 90 days after purchase, and can be shared by up to five people riding together.

• Curious about vending machine locations? Here’s a list as of last week, though more are coming:

BNSF: LaGrange Road, Western Springs, Hinsdale, Downers Grove/Main Street, Belmont, Lisle, Naperville, Route 59, Aurora.

UP North: Wilmette, Highland Park, Waukegan.

UP Northwest: Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Barrington, Cary, Crystal Lake.

UP West: Elmhurst, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, College Avenue, Wheaton.

Milwaukee North: Glenview, Libertyville, Grayslake, Fox Lake.

Milwaukee West: Roselle, Schaumburg, Hanover Park, Bartlett, Elgin.

• Metra will continue to offer reduced fares for groups including seniors and students.

And in cooperation with the Regional Transportation Authority, low-income residents of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties can apply for reduced fares through the Access Pilot Program. Access will run through July 2025. To learn more, go to fares.rtachicago.org.

BNSF regulars seemed nonplussed by the changes when asked on Jan. 8. “I buy all my tickets on my phone anyway,” rider Andrea Ares said.

But RTA board member Bill Coulson warned eliminating the 10-ride pass is a mistake and nixing ticket agents will inconvenience infrequent travelers and elderly riders. He voted against Metra’s budget in December.

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