Effective Saturday, May 9, most Metra lines operating weekend service except the Metra Electric will temporarily change to Sunday schedules for both Saturday and Sunday service. Saturday service on Metra’s SouthWest Service Line will be suspended until further notice. The Metra Electric Line will continue to operate Saturday schedules on Saturdays and Sunday schedules on Sunday.
The changes are being made in response to extremely low ridership across the Metra system due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the statewide stay-at-home order. Metra’s Sunday schedules typically provide train service every two hours. Sunday schedules are available for review on Metra’s website, metrarail.com.
In addition, Metra has decided to further reduce service on its SouthWest Service Line to Manhattan by temporarily eliminating Saturday service. The line does not normally operate on Sundays. SouthWest Service customers may be able to use the Rock Island Line as an alternative.
During its April Board meeting, Metra outlined a preliminary estimate that it will lose about $535.5 million in fares and sales tax revenue in 2020 and 2021 due to this crisis. There are many assumptions built in to that estimate that are certain to change. Metra is expecting about $480 million in federal relief aid.
All trains will have enough cars for customers to be able to practice social distancing, and Metra is prepared to add trains when ridership begins to return to normal.
