Metra adds trains to Milwaukee District and NCS lines
Metra will add 28 trains to the Milwaukee District and North Central Service lines effective Monday, Dec. 12.
Here's what the latest shift means for riders.
• On the Milwaukee District North, Metra is rolling out 14 more trains, for a total of 52. Midday service will be increased, another rush-hour train is in the mix, and late-evening options will improve.
• On the Milwaukee District West, 12 more trains are coming, also bringing the total to 52. Midday service will be upgraded to hourly, and rush-hour trips will be added, with additional late-evening options.
• On the North Central Service, Metra is adding one train in each direction, for a total of 14. Trains that currently begin and end at Buffalo Grove will be extended to Antioch.
• On the Heritage Corridor, Metra is tweaking the schedule to allow for outbound trains 915 and 919 to depart later.
Passengers are advised to check the new schedules to see if their current trains are affected or if new ones are a better fit.
For details, go to metra.com/alternate-schedules.
Since March, the commuter railroad has incrementally increased service it cut when COVID-19 struck and ridership tanked, starting with its busy BNSF and Union Pacific routes.
Metra Executive Director Jim Derwinski said the agency would continue to adjust schedules in response to trends and commuter feedback.
Ridership is about 37% of 2019 levels, according to Regional Transportation Authority data for October.
Ridership on the BNSF, Metra's most popular route, was 454,052 in October. In comparison, ridership was 193,915 on the Milwaukee North, 170,916 on the Milwaukee West, 32,707 on the North Central Service, and 18,327 on the Heritage Corridor.