Fare chart
effective February 20, 2023
REGULARFARES
(as deducted from a Ventra Transit Account or paid via Pay-as-you-go† direct contactless payment) | Full | Reduced | Student |
|---|
| 'L' train fare | $2.50 * | $1.25 | $.75 |
| Bus fare | 2.25 | 1.10 | .75 |
Transfer‡
Up to 2 additional rides within 2 hrs | Free | Free | Free |
PASSES
Unlimited rides for a period of time from first use. 1-Day = 24 hrs, etc. Valid on CTA and Pace.
(load onto Ventra account) | Full | Reduced | |
|---|
| 1-Day CTA/Pace Pass | $5 | | |
| 3-Day CTA/Pace Pass | 15 | | |
| 7-Day CTA/Pace Pass | 20 | | |
| 30-Day CTA/Pace Pass | 75 | $35 ** | |
| OTHER FARES | Full | Reduced | Student |
|---|
'L' train fare from O'Hare
Deducted on entry at O'Hare station, only, from Ventra transit account using Ventra Card or via contactless Pay-As-You-Go payment methods. Tip: Use an unlimited pass to board at O'Hare for no additional charge. | $5 | $1.25 | $.75 |
Bus fare with cash on bus
Fare applies if using cash/coins directly at farebox when boarding. (Transfers are not available.) | 2.50 | 1.25 | .75 |
Regional Connect Pass
Valid on CTA and Pace at all times. Pass sold by Metra or on the Ventra App to use with Metra Monthly Ticket. This new pass replaces Metra Link-up and Pace PlusBus. | 30 | | |
128 Soldier Field Express
Round-trip fare. Passes are accepted. | 5
(dollar bills/
coins or
Ventra) | 2.50
(dollar bills/
coins or
Ventra) | |
| NEW CARDS & DISPOSABLE TICKETS |
|---|
| New Ventra Card | $5 | load value/passes with cash or card
buy at any Ventra Vending Machine, online, by phone, at retail locations
fee returned as transit value if registered within 90 days of purchase |
| CTA Single-trip Ventra Ticket* | 3 | good for up to 3 rides within 2 hours of use
buy at any Ventra Vending Machine, except at O'Hare |
| CTA Single-trip Ventra Ticket at O'Hare | 5 | good for up to 3 rides within 2 hours of use
buy at any Ventra Vending Machine at O'Hare |
| 1-Day Ventra Ticket | 5 | buy at any Ventra Vending Machine |
| 3-Day Ventra Ticket | 15 | buy at Ventra Vending Machines at O'Hare & Midway |
* Applies at all train stations except O’Hare (where a premium fare applies)
** Available only to riders with RTA-issued Reduced Fare permits
† Pay-as-you-go, direct contactless payments can be used to pay only for Full and Reduced fares
‡ Full fare transfer to CTA from Pace buses 25¢, 15¢ Reduced/Student
Ways to pay
Cash
Cash can be used directly on buses and can be used at all Ventra vending machines toadd value or passes toVentra Cards or to buy disposable Ventra Tickets. You can also use cash to load value or passes at more than 1,000 Ventra retailers. See the above chart for fare information.
Ventra Tickets
You can buy disposable paper Single-Ride and 1-Day tickets at vending machines (located in every 'L' station). See the above chart for fare information.
Ventra Cards
Ventra Cards are used with transit value and passes for regular fares and transfers.Fare you load to your Ventra Card's transit account can be seen and managed at vending machines, online, in the Ventra app and by phone.
New, plastic Ventra Cards can be purchased from vending machines at all 'L' stations andatmore than 1,000retail locations (including drugstores, currency exchanges and more). They can also be ordered online orby phone.
NEW: Ventra Card on Android, iPhone or Apple Watch
Ventra Cards can also be added to an Android device with Google Pay or iPhone or Apple Watch. Download the Ventra app to load an existing Ventra Card you have or add a new one to your device.
Mobile Pay apps (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) & contactless bankcards
Ventra readers can accept contactless payments directly from mobile devices, too! You can pay a contactless Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) fare by touching your phone withApple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay—or any contactless bankcard with the contactlesssymbol—to any Ventra reader.
Learn more about how contactless payments work with Ventra. (Opens in a new window)
Avoid "card clash"
Whenever you pay, take out and touchonlyyour desired payment method (card, ticket, mobile device, etc.) to the Ventra fare reader.
Ventra readers can accept payments from many different card/payment types. Taking your card out makes sure that the payment method you intended to use covers every part of your trip.
(Tip: Never attach any cards that might be used for payment to your phone to then touch your phone when you board, such as bankcards with the contactlesssymbol, or Ventra Cards or Tickets from a vending machine. Many phones have features that let you pay using the phone’s built-in wallet/Pay app.)
Get the Ventra app!
The Ventra app lets you check your Ventra Card's balance,add value or passes, get arrival/departure timesand account alerts in a quick and easy-to-use app. You can even use the fare value from your Ventra transit accounts to buy mobile tickets for riding Metra trains right in the app.
Download the app today!
How to ride with a pass
You can get unlimited ride passes, which are good for unlimited rides for one person, anywhere fare is sold.
Any pass can be loaded into a Ventra Card's transit account. You can even load multiple passes, so you have a new one ready to go when one you're using runs out.
Some passes (such as a 1-Day CTA Pass) are sold at Ventra Vending Machines in the form of disposable Ventra tickets.
Places you can load passes into a Ventra Card's transit accountincludeall Ventra Vending Machines, over the counter at hundreds of Ventra retail locations or online to your registered Ventra Card (using the Ventra website or the free Ventra app). If you don't have a Ventra Card, you can buy one from any Ventra Vending Machine or retail location, as well.
More info
How to get Reduced Fares
Reduced fares are offered only to those customers who areeligible.
More information
- (All programs)
- Where to Buy Fares
- Ventra
- Passes
- U-Pass(College students)
- Student Ventra Cards (Elementary& high school students)
- Military Service Pass (Info &FAQ)
- Transit Benefit Fare Program
FAQs
Each full CTA fare is $2.25 (for bus) and $2.50 (for rail), but there are ways to lessen the cost if you purchase a Ventra card or Ventra ticket (more on that below). Transfers are always free, so long as it's not for more than two additional L lines or bus routes, or lasting more than two hours.
Why does Ventra charge $5? ›
Ventra requests a pre-authorization of $5. This money reflects a pending transaction.
Can I use cash on a CTA bus? ›
Cash can be used directly on buses and can be used at all Ventra vending machines to add value or passes to Ventra Cards or to buy disposable Ventra Tickets. You can also use cash to load value or passes at more than 1,000 Ventra retailers. See the above chart for fare information.
What is the fare recovery ratio for CTA farebox? ›
What is the fare recovery ratio? CTA, Metra, and Pace Suburban Service are required by state law to bring in enough revenue to cover 50% of the regional transit system's day-to-day operating expenses each year (known as the system-generated revenue recovery ratio requirement).
Can I use my debit card on CTA? ›
Yes. You can still ride using your debit or credit card in Apple Wallet for a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) fare on CTA and Pace – no Ventra app or Ventra Card in Apple Wallet is needed.
Can I use tap to pay at CTA bus? ›
If you have a credit or debit card with the contactless payment symbol ( ), you can pay-as-you-go by touching your card to a reader or even create a Ventra Transit Account on that card, and load value and passes onto that. In other words, a card already in your wallet could be the only card you need to carry!
Can I use Ventra without a card? ›
You can quickly pay for rides on CTA and Pace with Ventra Card on Google Pay. Simply 'wake up' your Android device and then tap-and-go to pay for rides using transit value and passes. No need to carry a card, open an app or unlock your phone — it's that easy!
Is CTA and Ventra the same? ›
Ventra is the name of our fare system. You can buy Ventra Cards to store passes and fare value or disposable Ventra Tickets to ride CTA and Pace buses.
Why did Ventra charge me twice? ›
If you use your Ventra card while it's in your wallet, you could be charged twice since debit cards are also a payment form. Take it out! Students: Ventra charges 1st touch-enabled card it senses. If you have touch debit/credit card, take U-Pass out of wallet to use.
Can I use Apple Pay on CTA? ›
You can buy your fare (loaded onto a Ventra Card or just a quick, disposable ticket) with cash or card from vending machines at both airport stations—or even go straight to the gate if your phone has Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay for a single ride fare.
You can also buy disposable, 1-Day Ventra Tickets for 24-hours of unlimited riding (like the regular 1-Day Pass), from any Ventra Vending Machine. Vending machines at O'Hare and Midway also vend a 3-Day (72-hour) version.
Do kids ride free on CTA? ›
On CTA, children under 7 ride free with a fare-paying customer. On Metra and Pace, children under the age of 7 are not permitted to travel without a fare paying customer. * Up to two children free per adult. CTA and Pace Bus: Tell the bus driver you are paying for a child before you pay.
What is CTA rate? ›
A Call to Action (CTA) leads a person to the next logical step in the whole user journey and therefore moves the person further down the funnel. The CTA Rate is the ratio between the amount of users who actually click the CTA button (CTA Clicks) and the amount of users who see it but don't click it.
How many miles per gallon does a CTA bus get? ›
By switching from a stainless steel chassis to carbon steel and by using a smaller, more efficient engine, the gas mileage increased from 3.18 mpg to 3.28 mpg.
How many seats does a CTA bus have? ›
The displayed space availability is based on the established maximum rider capacity limits (i.e. approx. 53 customers on a standard 40-foot bus, and approx. 80 customers on a 60-foot articulated bus). Please note that crowding conditions may vary throughout a route and by bus.
How much is a coach bus in Chicago? ›
Pricing Table
| Bus Type | By hour | Daily Rates |
|---|
| Mini Bus | $120.00 – $190.00 | $900.00 – $1600.00 |
| Coach Bus | $190.00 – $240.00 | $1000.00 – $1900.00 |
| Sprinter Van | $150 – $180.00 | $950.00 – $1500.00 |
You can quickly pay for rides on CTA and Pace with Ventra Card on Google Pay. Simply 'wake up' your Android device and then tap-and-go to pay for rides using transit value and passes. No need to carry a card, open an app or unlock your phone — it's that easy!
How to pay for the L in Chicago? ›
When you enter a train station, you can pay your fare at the turnstile or gate: simply touch your Ventra Card, Ventra Ticket or contactless bankcard to the reader on the top of every turnstile. Every station has Ventra Vending Machines if you need to buy or load fare.
Cash
Ventra Tickets
Ventra Cards
Ventra Cards can also be added to an Android device with Google Pay or iPhone or Apple Watch. Download the Ventra app to load an existing Ventra Card you have or add a new one to your device.
Ventra readers can accept contactless payments directly from mobile devices, too! You can pay a contactless Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) fare by touching your phone withApple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay—or any contactless bankcard with the contactless
symbol—to any Ventra reader.
Get the Ventra app!