The Train: An Overview

Throughout your childhood (and some of your adulthood), you have believed that train are magical things that take you to magical places. On the Hogwarts Express, witches and wizards get to eat delicious and sometimes animated candy, battle dementors, face their arch enemies, and anxiously await their destination- their beloved home away from home Hogwarts. On the Polar Express, lucky little children spend a magical Christmas Eve night drinking endless cups of hot chocolate, singing songs, (according to movie version) unsuccessfully driving trains and meeting ghosts and having a whole journey of self discovery only to arrive at the pinochle of childhood destinations - The North Pole.

I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but real trains aren't like that. Most people don't talk to each other let along sing, there are no refreshments served, no in-movement entertainment, and most people don't experience an epiphany of self discovery while riding the train. Sorry. 

Most people sit quietly and read from their tablets and wait for the journey to be over. Nothing special. But the trains can be a little confusing if you are not used to riding them.

First off, Chicago is home to two different train systems- the Metra and the L.

(Metra)

(The L)

The Metra travels to the suburbs of the city with different lines depending on which direction you are going. This train is held in Union Station along with several other train lines that go all over the country.

The L is run by the Chicago Transit A. It's the famous one that runs above ground (eLavated train). It travels inside the city to the much closer suburbs. The lines of this train are all associated with a different color so you may hear people refer to "the Red Line" or "the Blue Line". Unlike the Metra, the L lines are connected so if you want to get off a line and transfer to another one, you can. You are stuck on the wrong train if you are on Metra.

The key for both of these trains is to make sure you are on the right side. The Metra has one side traveling towards the city and one going away from it. The L is much more confusing. One side could be going towards the Loop and the other side going away from the Loop. Your best bet is to READ THE SIGNS. The L also has a new digital system that tells you when the next train will make it to the station as well as how long it will take to get to the end of the line so if you need to choose a faster line, you can.

Rules of the Train Part 1:

1. Make sure you are on the right train-- READ THE SIGNS or better yet, ask someone with a uniform on or even a regular Joe. Chicagoans are nice. They won't grind your bones for bread.

2. Buy your ticket in advance if possible. On the Metra, the charge goes up if you pay on the train. And there is no worse feeling than realizing you don't have any cash with you to pay your fare.

3. You can always get off. There have been several times I have gotten on the wrong train going the wrong direction. But the great thing about the city is you can just hop off at the next stop and find another form of transportation.

Tip: The latest thing with Chicago's public transportation is this Ventra thing. You get a card that you can charge all of your transportation on- the L, the bus. But I also found out that you can also use your debit card. If you have this little sign  on the back of your card, you can simply swipe it to pay for your ride. It's also cheaper than paying for a regular ticket.

(The sign next to the "Blink")

Next time, we will talk about appropriate behavior on these transportation vehicles and any other tips I can think of.