South Shore Line fares increase 10% on Tuesday
Planning to ride the South Shore Line in the next couple of months? There's still time to buy fares before they go up 10% on Tuesday.
One-way tickets are good for 90 days, and multi-ride tickets – 10 or 25 rides – are valid for a year.
With the increase, the standard fare between Dune Park in Chesterton, where the railroad is headquartered, and Millennium Station in downtown Chicago will increase $1, to $10 each way. Senior citizens and some other groups qualify for reduced-price fares. Seniors pay half price.
To sweeten the pot, the railroad has increased discounts on multi-ride tickets, raising 10-ride ticket discounts from 5% to 10%, and 25-ride ticket discounts from 10% to 20%.
This is intended to better serve riders whose commuting habits have shifted, especially those now traveling to Chicago fewer days per week. 'We hope these increased savings offer added value to our frequent travelers,' General Manager and President Michael Noland said.
The monthly ticket provides a 33% savings based on a 21-day work month. It's for passengers who ride 18 days or more within a single month.
The buy one, get one free offer for monthly tickets is ending as part of the fare increase.
The 10% increase comes after the South Shore Line has held rates steady for seven years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership plummeted. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District board, which oversees the South Shore Line, opted not to increase fares during that time, burning up cash reserves in the process.
Noland said the fare increase was needed not just to generate additional revenue but also to show state lawmakers a commitment to raising money while going to the General Assembly, hat in hand, to request additional funding from the state.
The increase comes as the railroad has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on improving operations by adding a set of tracks between Gary and Michigan City to speed travel along the traditional route of the South Shore.
Another giant expenditure is building the West Lake Corridor route between Hammond and Dyer, a project that has been decades in the making. Operations along that route are expected to commence around the end of the year.
Another big project, at about $250 million, is adding a fourth set of tracks into Millennium Station, further reducing delays.
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