Key takeaway: A Metra one-way ticket costs $3.75 to $6.75 in 2026 depending on how many zones you ride, and monthly passes run $75 to $135. Fares did not go up this year.
Metra is the easiest way between the suburbs and downtown, and in 2026 it costs the same as it did in 2025. Here is every fare, how the zones work, and when a pass pays off.
Metra fares by zone
| Zones | One-way | Day Pass | Day Pass 5-Pack | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | $3.75 | $7.50 | $35.75 | $75.00 |
| 1 to 3 | $5.50 | $11.00 | $52.25 | $110.00 |
| 1 to 4 | $6.75 | $13.50 | $64.25 | $135.00 |
| 2 to 4 | $3.75 | $7.50 | $35.75 | $75.00 |
Source: Metra fare table, checked October 25, 2026. Full fares shown; the Day Pass 5-Pack is sold only in the Ventra app.
Passes that cost the same in every zone
- Saturday, Sunday or holiday Day Pass: $7.00.
- Weekend Pass: $10.00 in the Ventra app, good for Saturday and Sunday (not the third day of a holiday weekend).
- Regional Connect Pass: $30.00 add-on to a Metra Monthly Pass for unlimited CTA and Pace rides that month.
- Regional Day Pass: Metra plus CTA and Pace for one day, in the Ventra app, for $2.50 more than the matching Metra day pass.
Source: Metra fares.
How the zones work
Your fare depends on which zones you travel between. For a Day Pass, 5-Pack or Monthly Pass, you choose the farthest zone you’ll ride to. You can’t pay extra to stretch a ticket for a longer trip; you buy a new one. A Monthly Pass covers weekday rides in your zones and weekend rides anywhere on the system (Metra).
Reduced and free fares
- Seniors 65 and older, people with disabilities and Medicare cardholders ride at reduced fare with a NITA Reduced Fare Permit; Ride Free Permit holders ride free.
- Active-duty military and full-time K to 12 students ride at reduced fare.
- Children under 7 ride free, up to three per paying adult. On weekends and select holidays, up to three kids 11 and under ride free with a paying adult.
- SNAP recipients in the six-county region can join the reduced-fare Access Program, which runs through December 31, 2026.
Source: Metra fares.
When a monthly pass pays off
| Zones | Monthly pass | One-way rides to break even | Round trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | $75 | 20 | 10 |
| 1 to 3 | $110 | 20 | 10 |
| 1 to 4 | $135 | 20 | 10 |
Source: our calculation, monthly pass price divided by the one-way fare. If you commute three or more days a week, the monthly pass wins, and it covers your weekend rides too.
Living in the city and commuting by CTA instead? A 30-day CTA pass is $75 (CTA). Add the $30 Regional Connect Pass to a Metra monthly and you get CTA and Pace too, so a Zone 1 to 4 commuter pays $165 a month for everything.
Did Metra fares change in 2026?
No. In October 2025 Metra proposed raising fares by roughly 13% to 15%, which would have taken a Zone 1 to 2 one-way from $3.75 to $4.25 (Railway Age). After the state’s transit funding package passed, the board approved a 2026 budget with no fare increase (Mass Transit), and the CTA, Metra and Pace all held fares flat for the year (NBC Chicago). The new Northern Illinois Transit Authority takes over fare-setting in 2027.