West Cook News

Elementary and high school students across the region will be able to ride the CTA, Metra, and Pace for free on Monday, Aug. 26, marking the first day of school for Chicago Public Schools and many suburban schools.

On all three transit services, K-12 students attending any public or private school, as well as an accompanying adult, can ride buses and trains for free from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 26.

In addition to this special offer for the first day of classes, full-time students enrolled in grade school or high school can purchase reduced fare tickets for all travel. When using a reduced fare ticket, students must present a valid school ID or valid letter of certification from their school on school stationery (both are valid through the end of the calendar year), bearing the student’s name, school name and authorized signature. Children aged 7-11 are also eligible for reduced fares, and children 7 or under ride free with a fare-paying adult. For more information, go to metra.com/fares.

Fares will be waived on Pace bus, On Demand, and ADA paratransit services for all Chicago and suburban elementary and high school students, as well as an accompanying adult on Aug. 26. On other days, students can take advantage of discounted fares by buying the Pace 30-Day Reduced Fare Pass for $30 (unlimited rides all day every day regardless of trip purpose and without school-hour restrictions for 30 days), paying with transit value on their Student Ventra Card for a reduced fare of $1.00 with free transfers, paying $1.10 in cash (using exact change) after presenting a student ID or paying a surcharge of $1.10 using Ventra transit value when using the 30-Day Reduced Fare Pass on Pace Premium routes. Please note that transfers are not available when paying fares with cash. For more information go to www.pacebus.com/student-fare-information.