Purchase a Ticket Using Metra Vending Machines
This wikiHow will instruct you on how to purchase a boarding ticket for the Metra Electric Line Trains using the vending machines located at the Metra Stations.
Steps
- Go to the vending machine.
- The machine will first display which types of ticket you would like to purchase. The types of selections are: One Way, Ten Ride, Weekend, and Monthly.
- Choose your ticket type by pressing the white square button beneath it.
- Now you should see the price of the ticket you've chosen on the display of the machine.
- Choose whether you would like to insert coins or bills (i.e. paper money). The machine does not take pennies! Keep those in your piggy bank at home. It will take dollar coins, quarters, dimes, nickels, half-dollars, and any other coin. The bills it takes are from one dollar to twenty dollars.
- Place your money in the machine. As you do so, the price on the display will decrease more and more until you have fully paid the amount.
- After inserting the full amount of the ticket, one of two things will happen. The first thing that could happen is that you will receive your change. This only happens if you did not pay the exact amount (for example: the ticket cost ten dollars and twenty cents, but you put in ten twenty-five. You'll get a nickel back.)
- After you get your change (or if you didn't get change), the ticket will print out. There is a small slot next to where the change dispenser is located, in which it prints out.
- Take out your ticket. The machine will beep and go back to its original display. At that point, you can either take your ticket and go, or purchase another ticket.
Tips
- If you plan on using the train frequently, it is best to purchase either a Ten Ride which will save you approximately $4, or a Monthly ticket which gives you unlimited rides for a month. The only thing you really don't want is to pay day after day for a regular ticket.
- Make sure you insert your paper money exactly as it shows in the picture example below the slot in which you insert the money. If you don't, it will just slide right back out!
Warnings
- If you're planning in using large bills (tens or twenties) expect to have lots of loose coins in your pocket! Your change will be all coins, no bills - dollar coins, along with the correct mix of quarters, nickels, and dimes. Small bills work best for reducing pocket weight.
Things You'll Need
- Money!
