Chicago Bike Routes
What Chicagoland Bike Trails Can Be Reached By Metra Train?
6/16/2024
Image: Metra Train Lines & Stations Overlaid on Chicagoland Bike Trails Map
Taking a bike on the Metra train is a great way to get to and from a bunch of bike trails without having to rely on a car. The image above shows Metra train lines and stations overlaid on a map of Chicagoland bike trails. A previous blog post provides a step-by-step guide describing how I take a bike on a Metra train.
Below are a few ideas for bike rides that make use of Metra trains. All ideas use downtown Chicago as the start and end point, but other ride termini are possible depending on the rider's preferences.
Check https://www.metra.com for train schedules and maps.
Table of Contents
- 1. North Branch Trail: Forest Glen to Highland Park (20 miles)
- 2. Robert McClory Bike Path: Lake Bluff to Highland Park (10 miles)
- 3. Des Plaines River Trail: Libertyville to Des Plaines (28 miles)
- 4. Fox River Trail: Aurora to Elgin (22 miles)
- 5. IL Prairie Path: Aurora to Wheaton (13.6 miles)
- 6. IL Prairie Path: Elgin to Whaton (16.3 miles)
- 7. Old Plank Rd Trail: Matteson to Joliet (20.5 miles)
Metra Train Bike Ride Ideas
1. North Branch Trail: Forest Glen to Highland Park area
- Biking Distance: 20 miles (can be modified to decrease or increase distance)
- Start: Union Station in Downtown Chicago
- Step 1: Take the Milwaukee District North (MD_N) Metra train to the Forest Glen station
- Step 2: Bike the North Branch Trail from the Forest Glen MD_N Metra station to the Braeside UP_N Metra station (20 miles)
- Step 3: Take the Union Pacific North (UP_N) Metra train from the Braeside station to Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- End: Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- Notes: This paved trail goes through forest preserves for its entire length and passes through the Chicago Botanic Garden and Skokie Lagoons. To shorten the biking distance, the Edgebrook or Morton Grove MD_N Metra train stations can be used.
Image: Metra Train Lines & Stations Near the North Branch Trail (Idea 1).
2. Robert McClory Bike Path: Lake Bluff to Highland Park area
- Biking Distance: 10 miles (can be modified to decrease or increase distance)
- Start: Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- Step 1: Take the Union Pacific North (UP_N) Metra train from Ogilvie to the Lake Bluff Metra Station
- Step 2: Bike from the Lake Bluff UP_N Metra station to the Braeside UP_N Metra station (10 miles)
- Step 3: Take the Union Pacific North (UP_N) Metra train from the Braeside station to Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- End: Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- Notes: The Robert McClory Bike Path has paved and packed dirt portions. In the map below, the Robert McClory Trail runs from the Wisconsin border to the Braeside Metra station. The trail runs alongside the UP_N Metra line for most of its length, so other Metra stations can be used to elongate or shorten the bike ride. South of the Braeside station, the Greenbay trail continues following the UP_N Metra line to Winnetka.
3. Des Plaines River Trail: Libertyville to Des Plaines
- Biking Distance: 28 miles
- Start: Union Station in Downtown Chicago
- Step 1: Take the Milwaukee District North (MD_N) Metra train from Union Station to the Libertyville Metra station
- Step 2: Bike from the Libertyville UP_N Metra station to the Des Plaines UP_N Metra station on the Des Plaines River Trail (28 miles)
- Step 3: Take the Union Pacific North (UP_N) Metra train from the Des Plaines Metra station to Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- End: Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- Notes: The Des Plaines River Trail runs through forest preserves alongside the Des Plaines River. It is a dirt trail that zig zags through wooded areas. Although the UP_N and MD_N Metra lines operate on the weekends, the North Central Service (NCS) Metra line does not.
Image: Metra Train Lines & Stations Near the Des Plaines River Trail (DPRT) and Robert McClory Trail (RMT) (Ideas 2 & 3). The North Central Service (NCS) Metra line does not operate during weekends.
4. Fox River Trail: Aurora to Elgin
- Biking Distance: 22 miles (can be modified to decrease distance)
- Start: Union Station in Downtown Chicago
- Step 1: Take the BNSF Metra train from Union Station to the Aurora Metra Station
- Step 2: Bike from the Aurora BNSF Metra station to the Elgin MD_W Metra station (22 miles)
- Step 3: Take the Milwaukee District West (MD_W) Metra train from the Elgin station to Union station in Downtown Chicago
- End: Union Station in Downtown Chicago
- Notes: The Fox River Trail is a paved trail that follows the Fox River and passes through several towns (Elgin, Geneva, Aurora, and more).
5. Illinois Prairie Path: Aurora to Wheaton
- Biking Distance: 13.6 miles
- Start: Union Station in Downtown Chicago
- Step 1: Take the BNSF Metra train from Union Station to the Aurora Metra Station
- Step 2: Bike from the Aurora BNSF Metra station to the Wheaton UP_W Metra station (13.6 miles)
- Step 3: Take the Union Pacific West (UP_W) Metra train from the Wheaton station to Ogilvie station in Downtown Chicago
- End: Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- Notes: Other metra stations on the UP_W line can be used to extend the bike ride.
6. Illinois Prairie Path: Elgin to Wheaton
- Biking Distance: 16.3 miles
- Start: Union Station in Downtown Chicago
- Step 1: Take the Milwaukee District West (MD_W) Metra train from Union Station to the Elgin Metra Station
- Step 2: Bike from the Elgin MD_W Metra station to the Wheaton UP_W Metra station (13.6 miles)
- Step 3: Take the Union Pacific West (UP_W) Metra train from the Wheaton station to Ogilvie station in Downtown Chicago
- End: Ogilvie Transportion Center in Downtown Chicago
- Notes: Getting on the Great Western Trail and riding to Villa Park (UP_W Villa Park Metra station) instead of Wheaton elongates the bike ride.
Image: Metra Train Lines & Stations Near the Western Suburbs (Ideas 4, 5, & 6).
7. Old Plank Road Trail: Matteson to Joliet
- Biking Distance: 20.5 miles
- Start: Millenium Station in Downtown Chicago
- Step 1: Take the Metra Electric train from Millenium Station to the Matteson Metra Station
- Step 2: Bike from the Matteson ME Metra station to the Joliet RI Metra station (20.5 miles)
- Step 3: Take the Rock Island (RI) Metra train from the Joliet RI Metra station to the LaSalle St station in Downtown Chicago
- End: LaSalle St station in Downtown Chicago
Image: Metra Train Lines & Stations Near the Southern Suburbs (Idea 7). The Metra Heritage Corridor (HC) and Southwest Service (SWS) lines do not operate during weekends.
