Metra has partnered with CTA and Pace to make every mile of your commute as easy and affordable as possible. If you buy a Metra Monthly Pass with the Ventra app, you can pay an additional $30 for the Regional Connect Pass and get unlimited monthly rides on CTA and Pace.
Metra remains committed to providing cost-effective, safe, and efficient transportation to all Chicagoland communities. The Regional Connect Pass makes public transportation even more cost-effective and convenient, so you can travel quickly and comfortably for even less money. So, whether you’re traveling for work or for play, you can save big at every stop, all month long.
The Regional Connect Pass can be purchased only in the Ventra app, which is available for free in the App Store or Google Play. To buy it in the app, you must first have a Ventra card. See instructions below.
Get your Regional Connect Pass today!
Using the Ventra App to Buy the Regional Connect Pass
If you don’t have a Ventra card yet, buy one online, from any Ventra vending machine at a CTA rail station or from more than 1,300 Ventra retail locations. The cost of a new card is $5, but this is refunded to you as Ventra transit value when you register your card within 90 days of purchase. (You can apply this value toward the purchase of a pass, rides on CTA or Pace or even toward the purchase of a Metra mobile ticket in the Ventra App.)
- Next, register your new Ventra card in your Ventra account, or create a Ventra account in the Ventra App and register the card. If you're new to Ventra, after you download the app, open it and click on "Set Up Your First Card" at the top of the home screen and then "Create New Account."
- Once you've created an account in the app, register your card by clicking on "Set Up Your First Card" again and following the instructions to register your card. You'll be prompted to enter the number of the card, its expiration date and CVV. You'll also create a nickname for the card.
Once you have a Ventra card registered with your Ventra account, you’re ready to buy a Regional Connect Pass. First, buy a Monthly Pass. Click here for instructions about buying Metra tickets in the app.
Once you've completed that purchase, the new Monthly Pass will appear on in the "Tickets" section (select the Metra ticket icon in the bottom right corner of the home screen).
At the bottom of the Tickets page will be a prompt for you to "Add a Regional Connect Pass." Click on the link and you’ll be asked to select the Ventra card you want to use for that pass.
Next, select “Checkout.”
- You’ll be asked for the select your payment method. The options will include any credit or debit cards (including pre-tax transit benefits debit cards) or Ventra transit value affiliated with your Ventra account. You can also choose to split the payment between two cards.
Once you’ve paid, your Ventra card will be loaded with the pass. Use it to pay your fare anytime when boarding CTA buses or trains or Pace buses.
