How to read the online Metra schedule?

August 29, 2008 4:41 AM

Simple question about reading Metra schedules...

This is driving me crazy. The f, fd and * designations are explained at the bottom of the page, but what is the difference between ---- and | ? Do they both mean the stop is skipped?

posted by puffin to Travel & Transportation (6 answers total)

Yes, the signs both mean the train won't stop at your area. I have no idea why they are different though.
posted by aetg at 5:25 AM on August 29, 2008

The train won't stop at the station. I believe | signifies that it's the same train going through those stops.
posted by simplethings at 5:52 AM on August 29, 2008

Yeah, I think "|" means that the train will go through the station, but not actually stop there, and that it's physically the same train. So if you get on at State St. on train 500 at 6:51, and I get on at 59th, we could conceivably hang out. I don't think the same is true for route 204 (the same train couldn't make it from State to Kensington in 6 minutes). (from the first schedule on the linked page)
posted by bluefly at 6:01 AM on August 29, 2008

| indicates an express train.
posted by sugarfish at 6:05 AM on August 29, 2008

There are multiple spurs on the Metra Electric line. One goes to 93rd, one to Blue Island, and one to University Park. The train that goes to 93rd, for example, will never go to University Park, so the trains that have the - aren't even going to the station listed. The | means it's an express train.
posted by hwyengr at 7:29 AM on August 29, 2008

hwyengr has it exactly. Here's a map of the line that shows the different spurs. The | is mostly used to indicate rush hour express trains. Note also that not all of the trains go all the way into the city to the Millennium Park station; depending on when you're traveling there may be transfers involved. (This is, incidentally, the line I live off of.)
posted by kyleg at 1:01 PM on August 29, 2008