Toggle sidebar

Pleasantly Surprised by the Metra...

S

Sheffielder

Senior
Sep 1, 2004
10,075
889
113
So, I was among those of us unpleasantly displaced in the parking debacle. We turned down the North Garage and decided we would try our luck with private parking on Central.

At the last minute last Friday we decided to take the Metra. I don't live far from the Ravenswood station, and...wow - just a 16 minute ride to the Central stop and then a walk to the stadium that was comparable to walking from the Central Purple Line/Golf Course/Hospital Lot. Getting back on Friday night was also a breeze.

I was dead-set against taking the CTA (would need to go brown to red to purple and back)...my historical experience with the Metra is that it runs too infrequently and the timing is never good, but in my case the 16-minute ride (45+ mins by car) more than makes up for a little wait time, and it seems NU has coordinated trains to depart 30 minutes after the game in each direction (and free to gameday ticket holders). Our options this Saturday are to arrive either two hours or 30 minutes before the game...with the added benefit of drinking on the train if we choose.

EDIT/UPDATE: Another "outbound" train has been added to arrive a little over an hour before kickoff.

I'm just mentioning this in case you're like me and mentally disqualified the Metra from consideration - give it a look and see if the stars align for you like they have for us...what went from a real frustration about parking has now yielded unexpected convenience and several hundred in savings that we can now spend on fancy tacos and alcohol taxes.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: winnetkat, hdhntr1, phatcat_rivals223240 and 3 others
I

its_the_sauce

Senior
May 29, 2001
4,799
599
113
Were you charged? A friend took it down from LF Friday. The conductor seeing him in NU apparel said no charge if going to game. He asked to see ticket. My friend said he didn't yet have it (I hadn't transferred it to him). Conductor let him slide.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Purple Pete and rmndcat
S

Sheffielder

Senior
Sep 1, 2004
10,075
889
113
its_the_sauce said:
Were you charged? A friend took it down from LF Friday. The conductor seeing him in NU apparel said no charge if going to game. He asked to see ticket. My friend said he didn't yet have it (I hadn't transferred it to him). Conductor let him slide.
Click to expand...
Wasn't approached (which is always funny to me since they're always in the red)
 
  • Like
Reactions: rmndcat
I

its_the_sauce

Senior
May 29, 2001
4,799
599
113
Sheffielder said:
Wasn't approached (which is always funny to me since they're always in the red)
Click to expand...

Could have just been lazy conductor for my friend as well. I know from personal experience most fares don't get collected during weekday rush hours unless going to/from downtown
 
  • Like
Reactions: rmndcat
DarkSide576

DarkSide576

Junior
Nov 25, 2021
561
283
63
FWIW, my wife and I took the Purple line to and from the game. On the way home, we walked into the Central Street station and were greeted by five or six CTA employees who told us that the ride was free ('on us, the CTA'). It was very unexpected, very unnecessary, but very much appreciated. In addition, the Purple line express ran post game, so it was rather easy for us to get to our hotel off of the Mag Mile. It was a great way to end a great night.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: winnetkat, CoralSpringsCat, phatcat_rivals223240 and 6 others
I

its_the_sauce

Senior
May 29, 2001
4,799
599
113
DarkSide576 said:
FWIW, my wife and I took the Purple line to and from the game. On the way home, we walked into the Central Street station. We were greeted by five or six CTA employees who told us that the ride was free ('on us, the CTA'). It was very unexpected, very unnecessary, but very much appreciated. In addition, the Purple line express ran post game, so it was rather easy for us to get to our hotel off of the Mag Mile. It was a great way to end a great night.
Click to expand...

Running Evanston Express trains post game was very cool thing to do. I'm thinking NU is somehow subsidizing. Nice if they were to keep it up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoralSpringsCat, Eurocat, KikitheCat and 2 others
S

Sheffielder

Senior
Sep 1, 2004
10,075
889
113
DarkSide576 said:
FWIW, my wife and I took the Purple line to and from the game. On the way home, we walked into the Central Street station and were greeted by five or six CTA employees who told us that the ride was free ('on us, the CTA'). It was very unexpected, very unnecessary, but very much appreciated. In addition, the Purple line express ran post game, so it was rather easy for us to get to our hotel off of the Mag Mile. It was a great way to end a great night.
Click to expand...
Didn't think they were running express...that puts the CTA back on my radar...
 
  • Like
Reactions: rmndcat
D

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
22,055
1,902
63
DarkSide576 said:
FWIW, my wife and I took the Purple line to and from the game. On the way home, we walked into the Central Street station and were greeted by five or six CTA employees who told us that the ride was free ('on us, the CTA'). It was very unexpected, very unnecessary, but very much appreciated. In addition, the Purple line express ran post game, so it was rather easy for us to get to our hotel off of the Mag Mile. It was a great way to end a great night.
Click to expand...
where did you stay? That sounds great
 
W

winnetkat

Freshman
May 29, 2001
30
52
18
its_the_sauce said:
Running Evanston Express trains post game was very cool thing to do. I'm thinking NU is somehow subsidizing. Nice if they were to keep it up.
Click to expand...
They might be. In the press releases while they were dueling with 2 blocks of Evanstonians, Northwestern went out of their way about how this was going to be the most public transit-friendly (vs. car park-oriented) stadium ever.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eurocat and CoralSpringsCat
P

phatcat_rivals223240

All-Conference
Nov 5, 2001
19,195
1,302
113
Eurocat said:
www.transitchicago.com

Transit is the way to get to the new Ryan Field

Northwestern football fans will finally be able to enjoy the new Ryan Field when the Wildcats take on Penn State at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, and the secret to a stress-free game experience is taking public transportation.
www.transitchicago.com www.transitchicago.com
Click to expand...
Only goes to Waukegan but the train waiting at the station is interesting.

I live suburban MKE north
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: rmndcat
E

Eurocat

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
18,277
1,189
113
My only complaint is there should be two extra trains as making it from the stadium to the station is a breeze if you are young and stong of lung and fleet of foot but not so easy if you are a senior, using a walker, etc. Plus some younger fans might want to go back to a tailgate for a postgame hi-five and a quickie and would miss the 30 train. Maybe a train 30 past and 60 or 90 after the last whistle would be best. Same with the el-trains, one or two more. But good for the CTA for doing this together with our Athletic Department, props!
 
J

JustGary

Senior
Oct 7, 2025
342
480
63
Eurocat said:
My only complaint is there should be two extra trains as making it from the stadium to the station is a breeze if you are young and stong of lung and fleet of foot but not so easy if you are a senior, using a walker, etc. Plus some younger fans might want to go back to a tailgate for a postgame hi-five and a quickie and would miss the 30 train. Maybe a train 30 past and 60 or 90 after the last whistle would be best. Same with the el-trains, one or two more. But good for the CTA for doing this together with our Athletic Department, props!
Click to expand...
The athletic department should invest in those open air trams that can be used to shuttle people between the CTA stops and the stadium for older and partially disabled fans. It wouldn’t be a great expense and better than large bus shuttles.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Purple Pete, KikitheCat, Eurocat and 1 other person
S

Sheffielder

Senior
Sep 1, 2004
10,075
889
113
Eurocat said:
My only complaint is there should be two extra trains as making it from the stadium to the station is a breeze if you are young and stong of lung and fleet of foot but not so easy if you are a senior, using a walker, etc. Plus some younger fans might want to go back to a tailgate for a postgame hi-five and a quickie and would miss the 30 train. Maybe a train 30 past and 60 or 90 after the last whistle would be best. Same with the el-trains, one or two more. But good for the CTA for doing this together with our Athletic Department, props!
Click to expand...
Not to split hairs but the Metra is still also running on its regular schedule so anyone is welcome to skip the 30 minute post-game train and catch the one after that.

Unfortunately my friend found out the hard way that the outbound train right after the game ends at Waukegan instead of Kenosha (even though the entire route up to Kenosha is literally highlighted on the schedule). Lesson learned and she'll drive down to Waukegan next time, but kind of a sh*t deal there to find out the hard way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NUinIAFan
E

Eurocat

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
18,277
1,189
113
Sheffielder said:
Not to split hairs but the Metra is still also running on its regular schedule so anyone is welcome to skip the 30 minute post-game train and catch the one after that.
Click to expand...
Ah, okay, was not aware of that, yes, you can do that. Do they have trains to downtown too (I mean the special one's for fans as previously described?)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Wildcat Report

Latest

  1. 01 Wildcat Report WR Drew Wagner has been the perfect weapon for Chip Kelly's offense
  2. 02 Wildcat Report 'It was great': Visiting recruits impressed by new Ryan Field
  3. 03 Edgy Tim Football DL Pohlman checked out Northwestern
  4. 04 On3 Football Doing the Most with Less: Teams winning with small roster payrolls
  5. 05 Wildcat Report Notebook: Braun and his No. 25 Wildcats prep to face Fitz and Michigan State
Top Bottom