Boarded @ Union Station, Chicago, not scary, but busy. Once we headed out of the urban scene into…read morethe wide open spaces of Midwest cornfields the rhythm of the train took hold. A few brews from the lower level Cafe, this time manned by Tom, a 41 year veteran of the rails & soon to retire; Good Luck Tom! Dinner is shared with strangers, but only for a few minutes, in the dining car. I had their steak (I know, who would think!) my fellow dining mates fish or steak. We all agreed our meals were a surprise in taste. I had the pleasure of meeting a true fan of train travel; Steve from Australia on a 20 day journey across North America. Did I mention this is his 2nd time in the states riding the rails? Buzz & Betty rounded out our dining foursome; they shared that after traveling to 101 countries over the course of nearly 60 years, air travel just isn't what it use to be; they are ready to take it slow and enjoy the ride!! I am humbled in their presence. I captured Breathtaking photos chugging across the plains of golden fields of wheat at sunset, churning thunderhead clouds giving birth to an evening storm, weathered outbuildings marking the presence of a failed homestead of years gone-by, and the amazing Raton Pass @ 7835 ft, the highest point on the Southwest Chief's route, where boulders are strewn about from the blasting of the tunnel which you are forewarned before plunging into total darkness lasting 50 seconds, really cool! My train journey ended at Albuquerque but first I enjoyed breakfast with two college kids returning home for a weekend. Before digging in their meal they removed their baseball caps and gave thanks for the food they were about to eat; and that is why I love this slow way of travel. Then Steve showed up, he taught us the passion of recording train's arrivals & departures! An OCD's Nirvana in timetables! I gave it a try; it is addicting! On a housekeeping note the bathrooms were very small but clean, I do believe my fellow travelers were also doing their part in keeping them so. The fares are fair. The rail beds were steady resulting in little pitching to-and-fro movement some people find intolerant.

I am glad we now have the Borealis to add some flexibility to trips between Chicago and the Twin…read moreCities. I have taken the Empire Builder before and it was always nerve wracking to try to make the early morning departure, that is, if it was on time. Sadly, the Borealis is much like the Empire Builder in that you can't count on it being on time, despite having fewer stops. That makes connecting to another train a lot more difficult. So we ended up missing the BNSF train we had hoped to take and only just barely caught the next one an hour later. It was nice to have wifi on the Borealis though it was a bit weak for some purposes. Cafe car food on both trains is the same, adequate, but nothing special. The few times I have been able to use the dining car on the Empire Builder were better experiences, restaurant quality and good service. Another difference between the trains is the lower level seats on the Empire Builder- these are a bit more roomy and comfortable. I will likely take these trains again, but with realistic expectations. If you have a whole family heading to the Chicago suburbs, it is probably more economical and less hassle to drive. A single person or a couple heading to downtown Chicago for the weekend would be better off taking Amtrak, especially if you have someone who can pick you up at Union Station.

This train station is by far the most crowded on the BNSF. Good thing there are a lot of express…read moretrains to and from Chicago with little to no stops in between. The parking lots are meh, it can really get clustered during rush hour. Also, being as crowded as this place is, I really wish they would cover where you wait, for those rainy and snowy days.

Riding Metra to downtown Chicago has many advantages over driving:…read more1. Spaces for Day Parking $2 until 2359 hrs. 2. Buy parking pass via ATM. 3. Rte 59 station has bathrooms, ATM, bus card machine, soda, snacks, coffee shop, dry cleaner, and a live person behind bulletproof glass. 4. Bathrooms are relatively clean and have toilet paper - and are free to use. 2018 cost for a round trip ticket to Union Station is $16. Damn, that's high - but still less than parking downtown. But the best part about riding the train is the gentle rocking motion that puts me right to sleep. Don't worry about missing your stop. All you have to do is ask the conductor to wake you and they usually do.

Neat clean shelter from the elements. While the stations are not manned any longer, the timetable…read moreposters are current and it is climate controlled. The shelter is only open limited hours, 4:30 am to 1:30 pm.

A train station with clear free parking signs and clearly stated on their website - Permit spaces…read moreare FREE after 11:00 a.m. on weekdays, as well as Saturday, Sunday, and Village holidays. Love it!! This station has so much parking available and isn't in a downtown suburb so it is always so easy to get to and park at. There are so many parking lots that it is overwhelming to Map at first but once you are there it is super easy! My only negative with this station or just metra is my train came 8 minutes early and it didn't stay at the station until the scheduled time. Wtf?

It aint Grand Central but its a totally a-okay commuter rail station…read more The 7:13 express train Lisle (via Belmont and Downers Grove) to Chicago Union Station is a good thing. Ticket sales can be slow (often just staffed by one chatty Cathy)

Work on the speed of selling tickets thats important to commuters maybe better training is needed…read moreor better equipment

Nice clean station that has a barber, coffee shop and nice benches to wait for your train…read more The train into Chicago Union Station is also very clean and efficient. I'd take it again!

Station was very clean. 5 big vending machines for your snack needs. Many announcements about the…read moretrain leaving so there was no surprises. A person was making their simple coffee shop. That was also very clean and the worker was friendly.

It's one of the more no-frills suburban Metra stations along the line, with no agents, small…read morebathrooms, a water fountain, and vending machines for tickets. There's a modest indoor waiting area that stays warm on the inbound platform (north side of the tracks on Crescent Blvd.), and covered outdoor waiting areas on both sides of the tracks. It's also accessible from the Illinois Prairie bike & pedestrian path, with a bicycle repair station nearby in the public park (Prairie Path Park) to the south. There's plenty of parking up and down the line, and there's a Pace bus stop for the 715 north and south busses. This station features a pedestrian tunnel under the tracks, so you can cross over even with trains approaching. There's an automated PA system and LED sign boards indicating arrival times for trains, and delays. Sadly, the Union Pacific West (UP-W) line is one of the lines more-prone to delays during peak hours (at least compared to other lines I've ridden) due to the never-ending Third Main Line project, some track work near Geneva, or on the eastbound past Oak Park (I don't know if it's track work or regular congestion). In fairness, it seems like every Metra line is getting bogged down the closer you get to the city. Metra staff or contractors seems to clean up fairly regularly, as I rarely see much garbage or dirt in / around the station. Garbage cans seem to be empties regularly enough, that they never seem overfilled. There is plenty of lighting around the station and parking lots, there are a few cameras around the station, and it seems like the area is patrolled by local police frequently enough. You're walking distance to the Main Street shopping area, so there's lots to do in the area between departures. If I'm in the area, I'm not really here for the station, but the station does its job well enough and is a fine gateway to/from the Glen Ellyn Main Street shopping area.

Pretty sub par metra station compared to other Western Suburbs. I like that the bathroom is…read moreaccessible. Never had the coffee but I hear they are nice people.

This suburban Metra station was just remodeled and they have done an excellent job with the…read morelanscaping and beutificaiton. The only thing that could improve is equipping the shelters with AC to cool off commuters.

Inside area to wait that is also heated or cooled depending on the season. Train maps and live wait…read moretimes are available. No bathrooms so plan accordingly.

The staff here is absolutely amazing! Very friendly and helpful, made my morning!…read more The platform is covered and there's a covered tunnel to walk across to the other platform so you are good in the rain or snow. It is also clean and well maintained. Not to mention the bonus of there being a 7-eleven right next to it so you can have your coffee even if you are rushing.

It's a nice train station on Main Street in Lombard. Lombard is in Zone D of the Metra system. It's…read moreabout 20 miles from Ogilvie. The station is on the Union Pacific/West line between glen Ellyn and Villa Park. You can walk to the 7-11 to get cold water and ice cream in the summer. Midwest summers can be hot!

Be sure not to park in permit lot by station 5-9am weekends. Park in upper lot on other side of…read morepine trees. The station is open for warmth. No restroom. No ticket machine. You must download Ventra app or buy with cash only on board (no cards). We were surprised to find a tiny coffee kiosk in the station & got hot & iced coffee. They also have tea. Ride from Winfield to OTC downtown Chicago is about an hour. Conductors today were quite friendly & helpful. There is a restroom (yucky) on train.

Where did the snack man go??? I commuted out of the Winfield Metra Station on Monday and the snack…read morestand was gated up and closed! I sincerely hope the village didn't boot this man out of his snack stand. He was the highlight of my mornings, along with his banana bread. I'll have to investigate this developing crisis but if his business is gone then so am I.