Naperville to Downtown Metra (Chicago, Aurora: house, buying, vs)

[KC Badger]

Any thoughts on the morning/evening commutes between Naperville and Downtown. I've heard the seats can be crowded (even standing room only!). I know the delays have been bad lately. Looking to buy a house in Naperville soon. No hope for a parking permit, but I'm OK with that...I'll Pace it to the station.

Thanks for all the responses on my last post. You guys rock!

[ToriaT]

I have no first hand knowledge of Naperville but Naperville is sufficiently far west that you should be able to get a seat on the train. I know in Wheaton I was always able to get the pick of my seat. Things started to get a little crowded in Elmhurst. They had to take seats that were left but nobody had to stand unless there was a screw up in the train schedule and one was cancelled.

[royandkass]

I'm in a similar situation and would appreciate any responses. I'm leaning more toward buying near the Route 59 station as I think it might be a bit easier to get a seat vs the Naperville downtown station--but I could be wrong.

[caverunner17]

There are express trains to/from Naperville that run in the morning and evening. The total commute time is just over 30 minutes that way. I've never seen it standing room only, but I've gone down at rush hour only a dozen or so times (for interviews a few years back).

[Naper2013]

I take the Metra BNSF daily from Route 59 and there are always plenty of seats. When we get to Naperville, the train usually fills up but I have never really seen it standing room only unless there are train delays then everything gets messed up. I sit in the back of the train so maybe towards the front is more croweded since everyone wants to sit in the front. I am usually on the 7:17am train which is a crowded train. Hope this helps!

[Joel67]

It's all sort of relative but I've been taking the BNSF for 5 years now and for the inbound express trains, the train begins at Aurora, stops at Rt 59, again at Naperville (5th Ave), and then straight to the city, and at each station the prime seats tend to get more full. Metra is pretty smart about only having enough cars to satisfy ridership demand as hauling additional cars needlessly wastes fuel. At the Naperville station, except for those extraordinary cases (mechanical issues, accidents, etc.), there are seats available. Generally the cars towards the front of the train fill up first since like an airplane, they get off the train platform first in Chicago. All cars are interconnected so if you climb on the #3 car and it is full, you just start walking towards the rear and you’ll get a seat eventually. A caveat is that a LOT of folks like to stand either in the stairwell or vestibules of the cars, even if there are seats available.

[almost3am]

If you want a seat, sit in towards the back of the train on the way in to Chicago. The front 7-8 cars will be totally full for sure. Occasionally they are a car short (only a few times a year) or there are big delays and several trains full of people are trying to get on. Those days are really full.

On the way home I have been on standing room only trains more often than on the way in...but, normally there are seats somewhere. On the way home, the seats open up in the middle.

I don't think delays have been too bad lately...except the day that it rained like crazy right around 5PM.

[Kmanshouse]

Express time from Rt 59 is about 40-42 minutes. From downtown Naperville station more like 35-36 minutes.

I get on at Naperville, so the Rt 59 people are already on the train. I get a seat 95% of the time. Back of the train is best for getting a seat, but it will add about 5 minutes to your total commute, as there is a cattle herd of people shuffling off the train once it arrives. If you are way in the back, it will take longer to get off the train and out of the station.

Some people hate that and would rather fight for a seat in the front or just stand. Others are okay with those 5 extra minutes in the crowd and sit in the back more comfortably.

[KC Badger]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful!

[BOBNCHI]

I would rather be SRO on a train than in bumper to bumper traffic!!