Metra Offers $5 Tickets, Extra Service For Blackhawks Rally Thursday

By AMIE SCHAENZER (Patch Staff)

Metra will amp up its service Thursday in preparation for the Blackhawks rally that will be held in downtown Chicago.

The events Thursday are expected to draw large crowds and Metra will be adding as many trains as possible and expanding capacity on scheduled trains. A full schedule is available online. Schedules are subject to change so riders should check the metrarail.com website before travel.

In addition, Metra will be offering a special one-day-only $5 unlimited ride ticket to accommodate Chicago Blackhawks fans.

The events will begin at 10 a.m. with a parade along Monroe Street from Jefferson to Michigan, followed by a rally at Soldier Field.

In addition, bikes and alcohol will be banned from all trains on Thursday.

Riders should be aware that:

• Morning and evening rush-hour trains, as well as trains immediately before and after the event, are likely to be very full.
• Heavy passenger loading is likely to delay trains at least 10 minutes.
• Inbound trains are likely to reach capacity before they reach closer-in stations, and riders from those stations may want to consider leaving earlier.
• Outbound trains may depart early if they reach capacity so riders are advised to allow adequate time to arrive at the station and board the train.
• If necessary, Metra may implement its Union Station south concourse overcrowding plan, which routes passengers to a holding area near the south concourse and to the Great Hall.

Metra sold nearly 85,000 tickets for the Hawks rally in 2013, representing about 170,000 rides. In total, Metra carried about 425,000 passengers on the day of the 2013 rally, the second highest daily total in Metra’s history and about 46 percent higher than a typical Friday in June.