METRA Southwest Service

[manchacrr]

Doe's anyone know if it is possible to do a round-trip from Chicago to Manhattan and back on METRA's Southwest Service? I know it doesn't have nearly as much service as many of the other METRA lines.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Yes, it is possible on any weekday.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Monday through Friday, a train leaves Union Station at 12:35 p.m., heads out to Manhattan, has about a half-hour turnaround (not much to do in Manhattan) and returns to CUS.

 

[manchacrr]

Thanks for the information. What about on Saturdays?

 

[MikefromCrete]

Depart CUS at 1:30 p.m., arrive Manhattan 2:55, leave at 3:15, arrive CUS at 4:40 pm. No service on Sundays and holidays.

 

[manchacrr]

Thank you.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

It's a little-known fact that Metra has a website where one can find schedules for their different train lines.

https://metrarail.com/maps-schedules/train-lines/SWS

 

[Ryan]

It's more commonly known that those websites aren't as helpful to someone from outside the area, and that there are places where you can seek and receive advice from locals to get the advice you need and make sure you haven't missed anything.

It's even more well known that wanting into one of those places and spouting a bunch of noise while making no attempt to be helpful is generally frowned upon.

 

[MikefromCrete]

I guess I could have given a snotty answer like "look it up yourself," but it was a reasonable request for information. Just trying to be nice to a fellow railfan.

 

[fairviewroad]

This is one of those cases where the post with the link was the most helpful (in the sense of teaching someone how to fish, rather than simply giving them the fish).

But yes, tone means a lot too. Thumbs down to insults masquerading as useful advice.

 

[dogbert617]

Monday through Friday, a train leaves Union Station at 12:35 p.m., heads out to Manhattan, has about a half-hour turnaround (not much to do in Manhattan) and returns to CUS.

Yep, you'd have a 28 minute weekday period where you'd be in Manhattan, if the train is running on time(1:57pm arrival southbound into Manhattan, 2:25pm departure going north). On Saturdays, it's a 20 minute period where you'd be in Manhattan for(2:55pm arrival, 3:15 departure going north). Anyway, the whole pdf schedule for this line: https://metrarail.com/sites/default/files/metra_46624_fm80_tt_proof.pdf

 

[NorthShore]

In fact, a Saturday round trip on this line to Manhattan and back downtown was part of the Chicago AU Gathering in 2013.

 

[dogbert617]

^ Wouldn't surprise me if you guys did side Metra trips, during the 2013 AU gathering. I prefer some of the other lines myself (i.e. Rock Island, UP-West, BNSF), but that's just me. It was good I did see Manhattan, IL once, though! Too bad the Saturday service on the SWS Metra line(to Orland Park and Manhattan) is limited, and that there's no Sunday service.