Moving from Boston. Looking for Russian/Jewish community in North Suburbs (Chicago: apartment, home)

[dastraus]

I think the commute from Buffalo Grove is too far.

How dependable are the METRA schedules? Do trains usually show up within a minute or two of schedule?

[dastraus]

I think the commute from Buffalo Grove is too far.

How dependable are the METRA schedules? Do trains usually show up within a minute or two of schedule?

[ToriaT]

Metra schedules are pretty accurate for the most part. There are bad times in very cold weather when the switches freeze and you could be late, or there can be accidents where a pedestrian gets hit and the train is delayed. It does not happen often but it does happen.

[reppin_the_847]

With your commute to the Loop, you're going to want solid METRA access into the city. Buffalo Grove is a bit lacking in this department. I like all the suggestions that folks have been giving you so far, however. If your budget allows, consider Highland Park (it is right on Lake Michigan) & Wilmette. Wilmette is one of the closest North Shore suburbs to the Loop. The next best options I believe are Deerfield (including Riverwoods, IL) & Northbrook. Definitely consider Buffalo Grove, but also consider Glenview as well (Glenview has very good METRA access to the city).

[4122]

I agree Buffalo grove to the loop is too long of a commute. I recommend looking at Northbrook and Glenview. They're both close to the 294 which is very convenient for getting to the loop.

[holl1ngsworth]

It's not a distance issue in Buffalo Grove, as the Metra station is only 32 miles from the Loop... and Buffalo Grove is very much a 'middle distance' suburb. The issue is with service frequency. The schedule is really thin on the NCS line and there is a serious lack of express trains:

North Central Service (NCS) PDF Schedule | Metra

[wjj]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

It's not a distance issue in Buffalo Grove, as the Metra station is only 32 miles from the Loop... and Buffalo Grove is very much a 'middle distance' suburb. The issue is with service frequency. The schedule is really thin on the NCS line and there is a serious lack of express trains:

North Central Service (NCS) PDF Schedule | Metra

The other issue is that the North Central Line runs on the Canadian National freight tracks and freight trains regularly delay the commuter trains. Back when I was taking the train from BG, the train was late arriving at Union Station at least half the time. It was not as bad coming back, but delays were frequent. Another issue that may or may not matter is that many of the North Central trains use the far western track at Union Station where there is no exit to Madison. No big deal if you are going to the Willis Tower or the south loop but not so good if you are going to north or west Wacker Drive.

[4122]

Originally Posted by wjj

The other issue is that the North Central Line runs on the Canadian National freight tracks and freight trains regularly delay the commuter trains. Back when I was taking the train from BG, the train was late arriving at Union Station at least half the time. It was not as bad coming back, but delays were frequent. Another issue that may or may not matter is that many of the North Central trains use the far western track at Union Station where there is no exit to Madison. No big deal if you are going to the Willis Tower or the south loop but not so good if you are going to north or west Wacker Drive.

Yeah, commuting from BG isn't a good idea. It depends where in the loop you're working though. If the North Central Line isn't reliable while you're farther from the loop, it's not worth it. Northbrook and Glenview use the Milwaukee North line and can get to Union Station quicker with less delays.

[pvande55]

Decades ago the answer would be Skokie. In fact the holocaust museum is there. I say BG. Don't let the distance scare you, it's not a bad ride. And if you fly often, the line also has a stop at OHare. True that many NCS riders (more than on most metra lines) don't ride it all the way downtown but most still do.

[2357]

We are recent Russian-speaking transplants from Boston area (Cambridge/Somerville). We live in Evanston now and love it. We regularly meet Russian-speaking families at local the large local library, playgrounds, beaches, university, etc. Loop commute is easy and there are plenty of activities in town for kids. A large supermarket in Niles which is about a 15 minute drive has adequate Eastern European groceries for our tastes (but for weekdays, we enjoy being able to walk to both Whole Foods and Trader Joes, as well as some small artisanal stores and Jewel Osco). One thing we have not found yet is some kind of culture/language weekend class for the kids, although there is something in Lincoln Square. Jewish people feel very at home anywhere on the North Shore.