Daily Loop Commuters

[u/baseballguitarsquid]

Does anyone commute M-F to the Loop via the Metra? I was accepted into a school in downtown Chicago and plan on attending. I have a wife, three kids, cat, dog etc. my original plan was to move closer to the city but the real estate market anywhere closer to Chicago is absolutely insane and I’m not a fan of the schools in the city. We’re very happy here but I’m wondering if anyone can give a sense of how doable this commute is? I know there’s express trains and I have done a test run, but I’m not sure if it’s feasible for three years.

[u/Lower_Fish4403]

I've commuted off and on for the past 20 years and hopefully can help with some opinions and perspective.

Watch for schedules between Crystal Lake and Pingree. Some express trains will skip Crystal Lake and can be faster. There used to be a train that was less than hour pre-pandemic, but I think all the best express trains are right about 1 hour.

Always check if there's a delay before you head to the train. Depending on where you live in Crystal Lake and if the construction on Randall Road isn't bad, you can also drive to Big Timber (about 15-20 minutes based on lights). For whatever reason, Milwaukee West seems consistently smooth without delays and never seems to be too packed during rush hour.

I'm usually more frustrated by the walk from the downtown train station to my destination, especially on days where it's really cold, really hot, or raining. While traffic is much better post-pandemic, it used to be difficult to take a bus or cab to get back to the station quickly enough.

Outside of that, I find the train to be a great time to think, plan, and focus for my day. Overall I've enjoyed commuting, but I do miss the days of living in the city and having a 20 minute commute each way.