IL: CTA Board Approves Agreement to Continue No. 128 Soldier Field Express Service

The Chicago Transit Board on Sept. 11 approved a new agreement with Metra to continue non-stop bus service from two Metra rail stations in the West Loop to Chicago Bears’ games at Soldier Field – a service the CTA has been provided since 1988.

Under the new three-year agreement, Metra has agreed to fully cover CTA’s operating costs minus fare revenue, for the operation of the No. 128 Soldier Field Express route. The cost of the round trip is $5 for adults and $2.50 for reduced-fare customers. The new agreement is retroactive to Aug. 15, and extends through Aug. 15, 2016.

The Soldier Field Express operates non-stop between the Ogilvie Transportation Center, Union Station and Soldier Field on Chicago Bears home game days.

“Sports fans appreciate tradition, and for the past 25 years we have been providing Chicago Bears fans with a convenient travel option to get them to and from Soldier Field,” said CTA President Forrest Claypool. “We are pleased that we are able to continue our partnership with Metra to offer fans quick, affordable transportation to games.”

The renegotiation of this agreement was a component of CTA’s Crowding Reduction Plan, which was implemented in December 2012 to add rail and bus service to high-demand routes. The plan included renegotiating specialized contracted routes that were being subsidized by CTA.