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4/10/2026
BNSF Railway and Metra have negotiated an agreement covering the next 10 years of commuter-rail service along the BNSF Line in the Chicago area.
The new contract began April 1 and spans five years. When it expires, the pact will automatically extend for the remaining five years unless one of the railroads elect to terminate the agreement, Metra and BNSF officials said in a joint press release.
BNSF crews operate Metra's commuter-rail service on the BNSF Line seven days a week. Running between Chicago and Aurora, Illinois, the BNSF Line is Metra's busiest route. The railroads have partnered to operate the service since the creation of Metra in 1983.
"Metra and BNSF have been collaborative partners for decades, working together to make sure residents of communities along the line are well-served with safe, reliable, fast and affordable service," Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski said. "We are happy to lock in our working relationship with this fair agreement for another decade and look forward to continuing to deliver for BNSF riders."