If you ride Metra, you can use the Ventra app to buy mobile tickets, including reduced fare tickets, and ride with the app. Buy your tickets before you board so you're ready to go when the conductor comes around. Tickets are stored on your device and can be used even if you don't have cell signal on the train.
How to Buy your Ticket
- From the home screen, click on the Metra ticket icon in the lower right corner and then click on the blue "Buy Metra Tickets" box.
- Select the line and stations you intend to use and the type of ticket you want to buy. (Monthly Passes are only sold between the 20th and the 12th.)
- Prices are displayed for each ticket type between the stations you selected. Look under "Reduced Fare Options" if you are eligible for reduced fare rates (seniors, K-12 students, persons with disabilities, low-income riders, and active duty military personnel). Persons buying reduced fare tickets must present proper documentation to the conductor to prove their eligibility.
- Confirm your selection. When you're ready to buy, choose Go to Checkout.
- Payment options will include any credit or debit cards, Apple Pay/Google Pay or Ventra transit value already added to your account (you can also add a credit/debit card if you haven't added one yet). You can also choose to split the payment between two options.
Your new mobile tickets will be stored under "Metra Tickets" in the app for when you're ready to use them. You can view and activate Metra tickets from the home screen and the "Tickets" section of the app.
Available tickets include One-Way Tickets, Day Passes, Day Pass 5-Packs, Monthly Passes, Saturday/Sunday/Holiday Day Passes, Weekend Passes and Regional Connect Passes. You can also buy reduced fare tickets if you're an eligible rider. Click here for more fare information.
Get Transit Benefits Through your Employer
- If you have an employer that can deliver your transit benefits to a Ventra transit account, you can have money loaded into your transit account and apply the value toward your ticket purchases in the app (it'll show as transit benefit value).
- If you receive your benefits on a prepaid debit card, you can add this card like any other card and use it as a funding source.
- If your ticket costs more than the transit benefit money that's available to you, you can split your payment between your transit benefit funding source and another payment method on checkout.