FLASH! ELBURN METRA NEWS UPDATE!

The new Metra/Union Pacific West Line train schedules are available on the web at Metra's New Start website.

The first train scheduled out of Elburn leaves for Chicago (Olgilvie) at 4:48 am on Monday, January 23rd, 2006. It arrives in Chicago (Olgilvie) at 6:10 am.

The morning express run leaves Elburn at 6:24 am arriving at Chicago (Olgilvie) at 7:35 am for a total ride time of 71 minutes.

The evening express leaves Chicago (Olgilvie) at 5:04 pm arriving in Elburn at 6:14 pm for a total ride time of 70 minutes.

A typical all-stops "milk" run is an 82 minute ride each way.

The non-rush hour trains leave from Elburn for Chicago at 25 minutes after the hour. The non-rush hour trains leave Chicago for Elburn at 40 minutes after the hour, unchanged from the current operation.

For those seeking to ride the first trains in and out of Elburn for fun, they can take the 4:48 am train to Oak Park arriving at 5:51 am, and then return on the first train back to Elburn from Oak Park catching the 6:09 am train arriving back in Elburn at 7:21 am. I am not suggesting anyone do that, but according to the newly released schedules, it could be done.

One-way fares from Elburn to Chicago will be $5.33 for the balance of January, and then increase to $5.55 on February 1st, when the new Metra fares are implemented. These fares place Elburn in Zone I, one zone further west than Geneva.

The last train of the weekdays leaves Chicago (Olgilvie) at 11:40 pm arriving back in Elburn at 1:06 am.

Then all the Metra commuter trains "sleep" in the Elburn coachyard, until it's time to begin their round trips to Chicago again.