Buy Tickets
Most Metra tickets can be purchased from vending machines at downtown stations and at the busiest outlying stations. (Click here to see if a vending machine is available at your station.). All Metra tickets can also be purchased on your Apple or Android smartphone with the free Ventra app, available in the App Store or Google Play.
Where no vending machine exists, passengers may board the train and purchase a One-Way Ticket with cash from the conductor. However, if a machine is available at the station where you boarded and you elect to purchase the ticket on the train, the conductor will charge an additional $5.
For more information on how to purchase the various types of Metra tickets, please see the table below:
| Ventra App | Ticket Vending Machine | Onboard the Train | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Pass | Yes | Yes | No |
| One-Way Ticket | Yes | Yes | Yes* |
| Day Pass | Yes | Yes | No |
| Day Pass 5-Pack | Yes | No | No |
| Sat/Sun/Holiday Day Pass | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend Pass | Yes | No | No |
| Regional Connect Pass** | Yes | No | No |
*You will be charged an additional $5 surcharge for purchasing onboard the train if a vending machine was available at your station of origin.
**The Regional Connect Pass for unlimited rides on the CTA and Pace is available only to Monthly Pass buyers and only in the Ventra app. To buy it in the app, you must first have a Ventra card. Click here for details.