South Shore Reduces Service Due to Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Shore Line will implement on March 23 a temporary modified weekday train schedule.

The schedule will be essentially a modified weekend/holiday schedule with the addition of two morning and two afternoon rush hour trains. Weekend train schedules will remain unchanged.

In a notice posted on its website the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District said it has experienced a substantial drop in daily ridership.

The service reductions will seek to balance service with the reduced demand and include offering more railcars per train and all cars open to promote social distancing.

The agency also said it is conducting deeper cleaning of out-of-service equipment.

It also asked passengers to purchase tickets in advance through the South Shore mobile app, ticket vending machines, or ticket agents.

“Reducing or eliminating cash transactions with our train crews will help reduce our employees’ exposures relating to cash fare collections,” NITCD said.

NITCD said it understands that its still provides an essential public service that is used by healthcare professionals for travel to their essential assignments, and by passengers with previously scheduled medical appointments.

Service in service will be promptly posted at http://www.mysouthshoreline.com, on the South Shore Line Facebook and Twitter pages, on its mobile app, and via email notifications.

Chicago-area rail commuter operator also announced that starting March 23 it will reduce its service to account for lower ridership due to school closures, work-from-home mandates and other consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

The only line that will not see service cuts is the Heritage Corridor to Joliet.

Metra said it is monitoring ridership and may further reduce service to meet the ridership demands.

The reduced schedules will remain in effect until health officials deem the crisis has passed and/or ridership begins to return to normal. Metra will operate on regular weekend schedules this weekend.

Tags: commuter rail service, commuter railroads, COVID-19, Metra, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, South Shore, South Shore Line