How many prefer to take the Metra to work (vs driving)? (Chicago: home, to live in)

[Kluch]

I guess this could be said for the CTA trains too (if you're in a suburb closer in), but the metra is obviously much faster. Just wondering, for those who have lived in the chicago area a while, do you prefer driving to work (given the chance) or taking the metra (and walking from ogilvie/union station)?

I ask since my work has two offices, I used to visit our downtown office and take the metra in most of the week (a good hour and 10 min train ride), but as time has gone on I now mainly drive to our other office in the suburbs (45min drive). It's definitely a different experience. I like the productive time I can spend on the train, but not the longer ride. On the other hand I enjoy driving to our other office because I have my own vehicle.

Interested to hear others experiences.

[Ditto97]

While we live in Northwest Indiana, my husband drives to the South Loop. He only drives because it's more convenient than taking the Metra or South Shore; there isn't a close stop to his job.

When we used to live in Illinois, he would take the Metra to his former job on Michigan Avenue, and he enjoyed the time it gave him to be more productive. Driving is definitely a hassle, especially with traffic, but he doesn't mind it as he's not tied to a specific schedule.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by Kluch

I guess this could be said for the CTA trains too (if you're in a suburb closer in), but the metra is obviously much faster. Just wondering, for those who have lived in the chicago area a while, do you prefer driving to work (given the chance) or taking the metra (and walking from ogilvie/union station)?

I ask since my work has two offices, I used to visit our downtown office and take the metra in most of the week (a good hour and 10 min train ride), but as time has gone on I now mainly drive to our other office in the suburbs (45min drive). It's definitely a different experience. I like the productive time I can spend on the train, but not the longer ride. On the other hand I enjoy driving to our other office because I have my own vehicle.

Interested to hear others experiences.

Evanston and Wilmette have CTA, but Metra is still faster from both towns. If I had an standard hours office job in the loop, I would definitely take the train. Traffic is just too painful.

[damba]

My life would be dramatically different if I did not have Metra as an option.

[CCrest182]

I like driving to work, but only if it's in a suburb like Oak Brook, Deerfield, Schaumburg, Naperville etc.

I would never, ever, ever commute by car into downtown if my workday was 9-5, though I know people who do, and surprisingly those people are still sane.

[olive03]

Traveling into the City for work = Metra
Traveling to another suburb = Car

[JJski]

Work = Metra... You would go crazy driving in that traffic daily. Look at home prices walkable to stations - very good reason they commend premium lake front pricing...

[flamadiddle]

Agree if you have a set routine and reasonable walk, the train always wins.

[JJski]

Important Note: In a lot of cases (downtown Chicago) employers provide shuttles to and from office to the station terminals. if the office is not walkable... Again train system is highly valuable and makes for pleasant commute especially compared to driving...

[Kluch]

For those of you who take the train, how far is your work from Ogilvie/Union station?

My work is a good 20-25 minute walk (20 minutes if I power walk it haha) from union, so in bad weather it's not a super tolerable walk.