Expanding O'Hare Transfer

There is an opportunity to build a new railroad station as part of a new rental car facility, but the Chicago Department of Aviation hasn't included it in their plans.

Background

Metra, Chicago's commuter railroad, began serving the airport in 1998. The station was constructed in the far northeast corner of the airport property in remote parking lot F.

The station is just several hundred yards from the end of the airport's transit system (ATS), but sits on the other side of a major highway, making a circuitous bus connection necessary. The station building is very small and the station platforms are poorly located.

A New Station

As part of the O'Hare Modernization Project, Parking Lot F will be replaced with a new, consolidated rental car facility that will be served by an extension of the ATS. This creates an opportunity to expand and better integrate the O'Hare Transfer station into the airport operations for both improved Metra service and direct Amtrak service.

Several core improvements are needed:

• Safer platform layout,,
• Extra station tracks to allow Amtrak trains to layover between runs,
• A larger building with space for ticket counters,
• We believe that a new station complex, fully integrated with the ATS station, should be built at the site.

Click here to ask Chicago Mayor Emanuel to expand the O'Hare Transfer Station.