Those looking to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Chicago area will have plenty of options for safe travel home, as both the CTA and Metra will offer free rides for the holiday.
The CTA will once again partner with Miller Lite to offer free rides on trains and buses between 10 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday, the agency said in a press release.
“We are always happy to provide free rides for our customers as they celebrate New Year’s Eve with relatives and friends,” CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. said in a statement. “We extend our gratitude for Miller Lite as they continue to sponsor the free rides program every year.”
Customers will not need to tap their Ventra cards or personal contactless bankcards, phones or watches while boarding buses or while going through turnstiles at train stations, according to a press release.
No refunds will be offered to customers who pay for rides during the promotion.
Metra will also offer free rides on its trains after 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The free rides will be available on trains with service to and from downtown Chicago, according to the agency.
In some situations, the agency will hold its last departure train until after New Year’s Eve festivities wind down, with trains departing between 1:15 a.m. and 1:25 a.m., depending on the line.
Local
Alcohol is prohibited on all trains after 7 p.m., and the altered schedules can be found on the agency’s website.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
