Yes, you can pay with cash on Metra trains, but there may be a surcharge if a ticket vending machine is available at your boarding station. One-way tickets and Saturday/Sunday/Holiday Day Passes can be purchased from the conductor with cash. However, if a vending machine is available at your station and you choose to buy your ticket on the train, the conductor will charge an additional $5.
Can I pay cash on the Metra train?
Here’s a breakdown
- Here’s a more detailed breakdown
- Where to buy tickets: Most Metra tickets, including One-Way Tickets, can be purchased from vending machines at downtown stations and the busiest outlying stations.
- Paying on the train: One-Way Tickets and Saturday/Sunday/Holiday Day Passes can be purchased with cash from the conductor.
- Surcharge: If a vending machine is available at your boarding station, purchasing a One-Way Ticket on the train will incur a $5 surcharge, according to Metra.
- Ventra App: The Ventra app is another option for purchasing tickets, including One-Way Tickets, and can be used on your smartphone.
- Cash on buses: While you can pay cash on CTA and Pace buses, you cannot use the Ventra app, credit/debit cards, or mobile wallets to pay directly on the bus (except at station vending machines), according to a Reddit thread.
- Cash on trains: Metra is moving towards a cashless system on trains, but currently, cash is still accepted with the potential surcharge.
- Ticket agents: Some suburban stations have ticket agents who accept credit/debit cards, but only during weekday mornings.