What does Metra stand for?

Due to the complicated and patchwork nature of commuter rail at the time, the division in 1985 came up with the “Metra” name as a service mark for the entire system (short for “Metropolitan Rail”).



Metra is a service mark that stands for "Metropolitan Rail." It is the primary commuter rail system serving the Chicago metropolitan area and its surrounding suburbs. Formed in 1984 as the "Commuter Rail Division" of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the name was adopted in 1985 to provide a unified identity for a patchwork of rail lines that were previously operated by various private freight companies. In 2026, Metra remains the fourth busiest commuter rail system in the United States, operating 11 distinct lines with nearly 250 stations. While the name sounds like a formal acronym, it was specifically chosen to be a "service mark" that implies a high-speed, modern, and interconnected metropolitan transit network. It effectively rebranded the various lines (like the Union Pacific and BNSF routes) into a single, cohesive public utility for the millions of residents in northeast Illinois.

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Geographically, Metra is one of the largest commuter rail systems in the nation, serving a six-county region of more than 3,700 square miles. This complex system is comprised of 11 rail lines operating on 488 route miles, including 1,100 miles of track, 800 bridges, and 2,000 signals.

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Traditionally Metra trains have been viewed as safer, cleaner, and more orderly than the CTA 'L'. Conductors patrolling the cars on a regular basis discourages crime and problematic rule-breaking such as smoking and littering, which unfortunately seem to be fairly common on CTA trains nowadays.

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Metra has 11 lines with 241 stations radiating from downtown Chicago to the six-county area of northeast Illinois.

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Train crews also may deem it necessary to sound a horn as a warning when there is a vehicle, person or animal near the tracks. Track construction, workers within 25 feet of a live track or malfunctioning crossings, also require crews to sound the horn.

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Alcohol. Alcohol is generally allowed on Metra trains, in moderation. Metra reserves the right to refuse service to anyone who is intoxicated or impaired. Unruly behavior will be not tolerated and all riders are required to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner.

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Metra Rock Island Line train carrying hundreds of passengers derails in South Loop. A Metra Rock Island train derailed near Clark and 13th streets in the South Loop. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hundreds of passengers were evacuated after a Metra Rock Island train car derailed in Chicago Monday morning.

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Anyway, don't blame the engineer: They're required to blow that horn. The regulation in question is called the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns—a name that strongly implies they've had just about enough of your bitching—and it requires four blasts 15 to 20 seconds before every crossing.

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There are 242 stations in the Metra system. Over 80% of these stations are accessible to riders with disabilities.

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Here are some interesting tidbits from our latest ridership census, conducted in 2016: Route 59 on the BNSF Line retains its title as the busiest station in the Metra system, while the Ivanhoe Station on the Metra Electric Line is exactly average, according to Metra's 2016 ridership census.

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