Pleasantly Surprised by the Metra...

[Sheffielder]

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.

 

[its_the_sauce]

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.

 

[Sheffielder]

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.

Wasn't approached (which is always funny to me since they're always in the red)

 

[its_the_sauce]

Wasn't approached (which is always funny to me since they're always in the red)

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

 

[DarkSide576]

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.

 

[its_the_sauce]

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.

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.

 

[Sheffielder]

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.

Didn't think they were running express...that puts the CTA back on my radar...

 

[Deeringfish]

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.

where did you stay? That sounds great

 

[DarkSide576]

where did you stay? That sounds great

Sofitel. Purple line express to Fullerton. Transfer to Red line to Clark/Division. Walked a few blocks in the beautiful weather, through the Division Street Bars and the Viagra Triangle (Gibsons, Carmines, etc.) and to the hotel.

 

[stpaulcat]

Drinks on the train on the way to the game, a railgate?

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

Thanks for the Metra tip. I live in Wisconsin so I might (someday) catch it in Kenosha

 

[Sheffielder]

Thanks for the Metra tip. I live in Wisconsin so I might (someday) catch it in Kenosha

One of my fellow season ticket holder friends is driving down from Milwaukee to Kenosha to catch the 9:08 a.m. train, arriving at 10:17.

 

[winnetkat]

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.

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.

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

One of my fellow season ticket holder friends is driving down from Milwaukee to Kenosha to catch the 9:08 a.m. train, arriving at 10:17.

Thanks. This week I am parking at a friend's house in Ev

 

[Eurocat]

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

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

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

Only goes to Waukegan but the train waiting at the station is interesting.

I like suburban MKE north

 

[Eurocat]

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!