You’re standing on the platform at Union Station. The air smells like diesel and wet concrete. If you’re trying to catch the Metra train to Glenview, you’re likely looking for the Milwaukee District North (MD-N) line. It’s a route that feels incredibly routine for the thousands of people who use it to escape the Loop every afternoon, but for a first-timer or an occasional traveler, the "Glenview" stop can actually be a bit of a trick.
Did you know Glenview technically has two stations? Most people don't. They just type "Glenview" into a map and hope for the best.
If you get off at the wrong one, you might find yourself staring at a golf course when you meant to be at a library, or vice versa. The main downtown Glenview station sits right on Depot Street, smack in the middle of the village’s walkable core. But then there’s North Glenview, located further up the line near the Willow Road corridor. It sounds like a small distinction until you’re standing in a parking lot three miles away from your dinner reservation.
Navigating the Milwaukee District North Line
Basically, the MD-N line is the artery connecting Chicago to Fox Lake. When you're looking for the Metra train to Glenview, you have to be mindful of the "express" versus "local" designations. During rush hour, Metra runs trains that skip the smaller stops like Edgebrook or Morton Grove. This is great. It saves you twenty minutes. However, it also means the train is moving fast, and if you aren't paying attention to the digital signage in the coach, you might miss your window to move toward the vestibule.
The ride itself is roughly 35 to 45 minutes depending on the specific run.
You’ve got the classic bi-level Gallery cars. Honestly, the upper level is the best place to sit if you want a quiet ride, but the stairs are notoriously narrow. If you’re hauling a suitcase or a stroller, stay on the lower level. The conductors on this line are generally pretty no-nonsense—they’ve seen every fare evasion trick in the book. Buy your ticket on the Ventra app before you board. Seriously. If you wait and pay with cash on the train, they’ll hit you with a $5 surcharge if the station you boarded at had a working ticket office or kiosk. That’s a "convenience fee" that feels anything but convenient.
The Two-Station Dilemma
Let’s talk about where you’re actually going.
The Glenview Station (GLN) is the historic one. It’s an Amtrak-served station too, which is a rare perk for a suburban stop. If you’re meeting someone for coffee at Glenview House or headed to the public library, this is your stop. It’s charming. It feels like a real "town center."
Then you have North Glenview (NGL). This station was built primarily to serve the massive development known as The Glen. If you are heading to Kohl Children’s Museum, the Pinstripes bowling alley, or any of the shops in the Glen Town Center, you want the North Glenview stop. If you mix these up, you’re looking at a $12 Uber or a very long, very suburban walk along busy roads.
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The Cost of the Commute
Metra recently overhauled its zone system. It used to be a confusing mess of alphabetized zones that felt like solving a Sudoku puzzle. Now, it’s streamlined. For a trip from Zone 1 (Chicago) to Zone 2 (which includes Glenview), you’re looking at a flat rate of about $3.75 for a one-way ticket as of the current fare structure.
- One-way ticket: $3.75
- Day Pass: $7.50 (Unlimited rides between zones for a day)
- Monthly Pass: Usually the best deal if you're riding more than 18 days a month.
- Regional Connect Pass: If you have a Pace or CTA pass, this can be an add-on.
Buying at the window at Union Station is fine, but the lines get long around 5:00 PM. Just use the app. It uses "just-in-time" ticketing where you show the conductor the moving animation on your screen. Don't activate the ticket until you see the conductor entering your car. They stay valid for a limited time once activated.
What Happens on the Weekend?
Weekend service is a different beast entirely. It’s slower. There are fewer trains. If you miss the 2:15 PM train back to the city, you might be sitting on a bench for two hours. Metra’s weekend schedules are notoriously sparse compared to the weekday frenzy. Always check the "Sunday/Holiday" column on the PDF schedule. People get stranded because they read the Saturday column by mistake. Saturday and Sunday are often lumped together, but holidays can throw a wrench in the gears.
Realities of the Ride: Safety and Comfort
Is it safe? Yeah, incredibly. The MD-N is one of the tamer lines. You’ll mostly see office workers scrolling on iPhones, students from Loyola Academy, and people heading to the Botanic Garden (which is further up in Glencoe, but commuters often transfer).
But the trains are old.
The heating and cooling can be... temperamental. In the winter, the "toasters" near the floor of the train can get hot enough to melt a plastic shopping bag if you leave it touching the vent. In the summer, the A/C might be blasting at arctic levels in one car while the next car over is a literal sauna because a compressor failed. Walk through the cars until you find the "Goldilocks" zone.
Parking at Glenview Stations
If you’re doing the reverse commute—living in the city and working in Glenview—parking isn't your problem. But if you’re a local driving to the station, know that the Glenview lots fill up early. There’s a mix of permit parking and daily fee parking. Most daily spots are now paid via the Passport Parking app. Don't try to "quick park" in the 20-minute spots near the shops and stay all day. The Glenview ticket officers are remarkably efficient. You will get a ticket.
Strategic Tips for the Metra Train to Glenview
If you want to ride like a pro, sit in the "Quiet Car" during rush hour. These are usually the second car from the locomotive and the second car from the other end. No phone calls. No loud talking. No crinkling chip bags. If you make noise in the Quiet Car, a regular commuter will likely give you a look that could melt steel. It’s a sacred space.
Also, watch the boarding gates at Union Station. They usually announce the track number about 10-15 minutes before departure. A "herd mentality" kicks in where everyone starts sprinting toward the gate. You don't actually need to run. The trains are long enough that everyone gets a seat, though you might end up in a "flip seat" near the door if you’re the last one on.
The Amtrak Factor
One weird, cool thing about the Glenview station is that the Amtrak Hiawatha stops there. This is the train that runs between Chicago and Milwaukee. You can actually take the Amtrak to Glenview instead of the Metra. It’s faster and has slightly more comfortable seats, but the tickets are more expensive and your Metra pass won’t work on it. Still, if you’re in a massive rush and an Amtrak is leaving sooner, it’s a viable "cheat code" to get home faster.
Beyond the Tracks
Once you step off the Metra train to Glenview, you're in one of the North Shore’s most balanced suburbs. It isn't as flashy as Winnetka or as urban as Evanston. It’s a place of parks and sprawling ranch houses. If you have time before your return train, walk two blocks east of the downtown station to Dairy Bar. It’s a local institution. Get a cone. It makes the wait for the delayed outbound train much more tolerable.
The tracks themselves have a history. This line used to be part of the storied Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. You can still see the industrial bones of the route as you pass through the northern neighborhoods of Chicago, shifting from the gray brick of old factories into the green canopies of the suburbs.
Summary of Actionable Steps
- Download the Ventra App: Do this before you even leave your house. Create an account and load a few bucks onto it.
- Double-Check Your Destination: Confirm if your meeting/event is closer to the Glenview (Downtown) or North Glenview station.
- The 5-Minute Rule: Aim to be on the platform five minutes early. Metra trains occasionally pull out thirty seconds before the clock strikes the minute, and once those doors close, they stay closed.
- Check the Alerts: Follow @metraMDN on X (formerly Twitter) or check the Metra website for "Signal Delays." A single lightning strike or a freight train interference can turn a 40-minute trip into a two-hour ordeal.
- Locate the Bathroom: Most Metra cars have a small restroom at one end. They are utilitarian, to put it politely. Use the facilities at Union Station before you board if you can.
Taking the train is fundamentally about reclaiming time. Instead of white-knuckling it on the Edens Expressway (I-94), you can actually read a book or stare out the window at the changing scenery. Just make sure you're on the right version of the "Glenview" stop before you settle in.