Metra Metropolitan Rail

I appreciate that they offer tons of parking versus some other stations (Arlington Heights train station, I’m looking in your general direction), and that you can pay for the parking using a debit card or monthly pass instead of cramming quarters into a metal box from the 1920s (Arlington Heights, still looking at you).
Actually, I caught the Metra here for the better part of four years. I may or may not have had an expired parking pass hanging in my mirror for over a year. And I may or may not have never gotten a ticket. I’m not saying, but I’m just saying.
Aside from the loosest parking meters in town, it’s in a great location and is always kept clean.

The station itself is great. Staff is friendly, the building was sufficient in keeping out the brutal winter weather. They’ve also got books you can borrow and a little coffee shop for the morning rush. The guy who runs it is great!
Where the station falls short is the parking on the north side. They don’t show signs that they’re not connected to the company that runs the south lot. I wracked up a boat load of tickets until I figured it out. Most recently I called the Village of Schaumburg to see if I could pay for my spot by phone and the lady said it was too late. Mind you I called at lunch. All she could tell me is sorry you needed to call earlier in the day and I likely already had a ticket. Given that it’s a joint venture in having that station there I can’t give the place the 5-​stars it otherwise deserves.

On our recent vacation, my boyfriend and I were visiting Chicago for a day and staying with my aunt in Elgin. We didn’t have a rental car and needed to get to Union Station to catch the Amtrak California Zephyr. There are several Metra train stops in Elgin, so we decided to give it a go.
Being from out of town, I was unfamiliar with the ticket buying system. I’m used to the light rail in Colorado, where you buy tickets from automated machines at any stop. However, with Metra, you have to buy tickets from the train employees. There were no employees at our stop, however, and I boarded the train unsure of what to do. It took several stops, but eventually the conductor came through to sell tickets to people.
Overall the train was decent. It would be helpful if they provided better instructions for new train riders on their website to avoid confusion.

Easy to get to. Reasonable parking costs. Somewhat heated station to wait inside on a cold Winter or Rainy day.
They loose a star because the metal benches for you to sit on inside the station are cold as ICE!
The station is clean and well organized. The announcements are clear and accurate to ensure everyone makes it on the right trains.
The station is quite quiet like a library but that doesnt keep this loudmouth from chatting away.
There are several outlets to plug in your phones to charge if necessary. There is a coffee shop inside but it was not open on the Saturday or Sunday we were there so it may be a Monday through Friday establishment.
Definitely made it easy to travel by train and made this lady whom typically is insistent on driving everywhere more willing to travel by train again in the near future!

Ample daily parking. Awesome price for the whole day $ 1.50 You can pay at the machines or you can pay online or by phone – if you have to run and catch a train. The station building is relatively new, so its pretty clean, roomy, and has a nice little coffee quickie mart shop inside open during the morning rush. Even if I get there a little bit later, right after the usual weekday rush at around 9 am – there are still tons of places to park.

This station has ample parking on both sides of the tracks and generally friendly folks working the ticket and coffee counters. The paper boxes are typically full of papers to grab something to read. My only wish would be to have the bathrooms open all the time. There have been times that I’ve had to ask for them to be opened.

Schaumburg Metra on a Sunday is a ghost town. I’m the only person there. Then again, I was an hour early.
11:15a train to Union Station is only available on Saturdays. Well, it was a good sign there would be ample seats on the train for me to choose from.
Ticket counter and Express Stop Café were closed. No toilet paper in either bathrooms. The bench seats are made of cold, uncomfortable and painful metal.
There are books available for reading provided by the Schaumburg Park District. Good to know, I have books at home that I can donate.

I suppose I could have reviewed under the collective Metra category, but couldn’t find this specific location.
I always depart from this station. There is ample parking and I fully appreciate the fact that parking is only a $ 1 for the entire day here.
Station agents have always been friendly, the fare is reasonable, this specific station is clean, easy to get to and this is the station where I departed from on my first date with my husband.
This is just another notch on my husband’s (who’s from Chicago) list of what our current city doesn’t have. We havea small two-​three car light rail that does nothing for me– nothing compared to the convenience of the Metra.