As Chicagoland continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and more of the region’s residents return to work, Metra added service on the BNSF and two other lines Monday.
“We are beginning to see an uptick in ridership and, as promised, we are listening to our customers and the region’s employers to bring back service in ways that meet their needs,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “As the recovery proceeds, we will continue to adapt and improve our service.”
On the BNSF Line to Aurora, two inbound and two outbound trains will be added and the schedules of two trains will be adjusted:
• Inbound Train 9510 will be added to accommodate workers who begin their shifts prior to 6 a.m. The train will depart from Aurora at 4:25 a.m., make most stops to Chicago and arrive in Chicago at 5:35 a.m.
• A new express Train 9512 will depart from Aurora at 7:40 a.m., make all stops to Downers Grove and express to Chicago, arriving at 8:45 a.m.
• For reverse commuters, a new Train 9535 will depart from Chicago at 5:50 a.m., make most stops to Aurora and arrive at 7:10 a.m.
• Outbound service is also being expanded in the early afternoon to better accommodate early rush hour travelers. Train 9539 will depart from Chicago at 3:05 p.m., operate express to Brookfield and make all stops to Downers Grove.
• The schedule of inbound Train 9406 will be adjusted to better reflect operating conditions. It will depart from Fairview Avenue 10 minutes later at 7:30 a.m. Stops at stations from Westmont to Congress Park will be 5 to 10 minutes later than the current schedule; however, the train’s 8:15 a.m. arrival time in Chicago is unchanged.
• There will be a minor adjustment to the schedule of Train 9408: it will depart from Halsted Street at 6 p.m. instead of 6:08 p.m.
As the Chicago region rebounds from the pandemic, Metra will continue to monitor ridership on all its lines and revise its schedules to accommodate increased passenger volumes as well as rider feedback about service needs.
