CHICAGO — Commuter rail operator Metra will restore Saturday schedules to pre-pandemic levels on seven lines as of this Saturday, May 29, and has also announced it will revise its weekday schedule on the Union Pacific Northwest line.
The new schedules will be introduced on the BNSF, Milwaukee North, Milwaukee West, Rock Island, Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest, and Union Pacific West lines. Schedules are posted here on Metra’s website.
“The Memorial Day weekend is the official start of the summer season, and with many events and festivals returning to Chicago, it’s the perfect time to welcome back our customers,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a press release.
The adjustments on the UP Northwest are effective Tuesday, May 31. A total of 18 trains are affected; details are available here and the updated schedule is available here.
Metra introduced a pilot schedule for the Northwest line on April 25 [see “Metra sets major expansion of UP Northwest schedule,” Trains News Wire, April 8, 2022]. The revisions reflect preliminary ridership data and customer comments, and the agency says it will continue to monitor feedback and adjust schedules.
“We expect to further revise the UP Northwest schedule in the near future,” Derwinski said, “and are especially focused on opportunities to add more express service as our riders have requested.”
The source article managed to combine stuff from over a year ago with current UP-NW changes. Metra restored Saturday service to pre-pandemic levels over a year ago. May 29 is a Sunday this year, not a Saturday. May 29 was a Saturday in 2021.