It's fine; it's a train station. There's a coffee shop inside, Brew Coffee Lab, which is fantastic…read more(try the croffle). The interior is not a bad size so that's nice for when it's cold outside (or super hot, I suppose). There's also a bathroom so that's a great plus. They have anti-homeless seating in here--the benches have little metal dividers along them so that you can't lie down on the benches. I didn't know that Des Plaines was a hotbed for homelessness, but also am disgusted by any operation that uses anti-homeless architecture. I don't know if it's Metra or Des Plaines that's responsible for it but just not a good look.

I love the Metra, I really do. I ride the Metra every day from the city to Des Plaines. It's not…read morelike riding the "L" or a CTA bus; it's clean, doesn't smell like puke and there are fewer creepy passengers. You almost always get a seat, and the cars are properly heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. I highly recommend riding Metra if you can. Anyway, onto the Des Plaines Metra Station itself. This station is also a Pace bus depot, so it's convenient if you use both forms of transit. I've been to a couple Metra stations, and this one is pretty nice by comparison. It's a decent size with about four large benches inside for seating. There's also a convenience stand that sells coffee, drinks and snacks, and there are two restrooms. There is an attendant on duty to sell Metra tickets, but she is a little hit or miss. Sometimes she's really nice and friendly, and other times she's cranky and seems annoyed when you want to buy a ticket. It also seems like she takes a lot of breaks. She'll put up the "back in 10 minutes" sign and not be back in 10 minutes. Metra has finally started excepting credit cards at some of its stations, but not yet in Des Plaines, which is super annoying. You either have to pay in cash or write a check. Considering the moody ticket attendant and Metra's inability to adapt to technology, I highly recommend ordering your tickets online. Overall, I think riding Metra is a great value. The Des Plaines Metra station is clean and has a nice waiting area and snack stand inside.

We in the Chi! Nice…read morestop right next to O'hare and outlet mall shopping. Also right next to a ton of freeway interchanges so it's a nice meeting point for ride shares etc. Only ever here since it's close to the hotel United airlines puts flight crew up in. I'd either Uber/Lyft into the city or hop on the blue line and go into the city. CTA has its ups and downs. One station is no different really than another metro location. Maybe the further you are from the city you can expect more bus spots and individual car parking spots. This is one of those instances! Physically this is a great station. As far as CTA goes on scheduling and routes that's not the point of this review. Don't put ketchup on your Chicago style hot dog.

About 4 weeks ago I was unable to get out of the parking lot because none of the pay stations could…read moreread my credit card or that of others ahead of me. This time I could prepay for parking as I drove in but the Ventra ticket dispenser

This is a nice station. It opened in the 1960s and has been well kept over that time; it's very…read moremuch a picturesque suburban train stop. The interior of the station is nice and comfortable with many wooden benches for folks to wait when it's cold outside, which of course is quite often in this climate. Although there was once an agent at this location, I'm pretty positive they have replaced that with a ticket vending machine. There are still bathrooms in use here, which is helpful. And parking is available in the lots on both the east and west sides of the tracks, and along Busse Highway as well. The Park Ridge station is in a great location right in the heart of Uptown Park Ridge. There are several restaurants, shops, the library, the farmer's market, and more that takes place steps away from the station. It's really handy if you come by for one of the events or to visit the Pickwick or something.

Poor Metra is plagued by the occasional careless person or car that gets in the way of the trains,…read morewhich basically cannot be stopped once in full blast. Metra is a good suburban train system, as they run fairly close to the official schedules. I like to ride on the upper levels to get those elevated views.

Nice and safe and easy parking and station next to many stores so it's a very walkable town. Inside…read morethe train it's two levels and even charge stations

This is a great station to take the train to or from. It has clear signage, lots of parking, and an…read moreindoor waiting area. It gets very busy for the AM and PM commute!

Gotta say, I've flown through O'Hare twice and this second time was actually pleasantly surprising…read more-- despite how big the airport is, the efficiency is pretty good! It took me almost no time to check in and get through security then get to my gate because the signage is posted up well. There are several food courts throughout the place too so it's easy to find a place to eat. I really had no trouble, and the bathrooms were fairly clean too. Compared to some other big/hub airports that really have a lot of issues (e.g. the Vegas Airport), O'Hare is actually doing a pretty good job.

If you're flying into O'Hare International Airport and want to skip the traffic and high ride-share…read moreprices, the CTA Blue Line is hands-down the best move. It's conveniently located right inside the airport, clearly marked, and easy to find even if you're running on post-flight autopilot. Trains run frequently, the ride is smooth, and it drops you straight into downtown Chicago -- no stress, no transfers, and no sitting in rush-hour gridlock. Plus, it's super affordable (seriously, one of the best deals in the city). I also love that the station is clean, well-lit, and feels safe, even for solo travelers or late-night arrivals. Just tap your Ventra card (or use your phone wallet), hop on, and enjoy watching the city unfold as you roll in. Whether you're a tourist or a local heading home, the CTA at O'Hare is one of Chicago's most underrated travel perks. Efficient, budget-friendly, and reliable -- exactly what public transit should be.

Fairly good for a train station in the suburbs. This is generally kept relatively clean and tidy…read more The building itself is fairly standard for what you expect to see for commuter train stations in the suburbs and the temperature is kept at a comfortable level. One of the big reasons to take a ride at this or the Palatine train stations is that trains stop by here more frequently both inbound and outbound (especially on weekdays), and this is one of the stops that trains from the city will stop in later in the day (be aware of the last train out of the city if you head in from a smaller station).

This has been a trustworthy train station for many years. I've been going to this train station…read moresince I was a child to take the Metra to go to Chicago. The most frustrating part is that the hours that are posted often don't match the hours that the train station is open. On this Saturday morning, I was pleasantly surprised that the station was open. My husband and I were able to wait for the train in the warmth of the station instead of the cold and windy platform. The Metra Arlington Heights Station is still one of the most used stations on the line. The profitability of the train and the growth and success of the Village of Arlington Heights have always been closely linked. William Dunton sold part of his land in Arlington Heights to the entice the train line to come to Arlington Heights and help ensure the future of Arlington Heights. The train brought many people to the village to settle. People found the train a convenient way to live in the suburbs and still work in Chicago. Close to 200 years later this is still the case. With the Chicago Bears moving to Arlington Heights, the train will become even more important to the success of both the village and the football team.

I'd say this is the best station on this metra line outside of Union Station, probably because it's…read morealso an amtrak stop. It's got everything you need while you wait for your train including two bathrooms, outlets to charge phones and devices, and access to food options nearby. It's fairly clean inside and sometimes they have donated books available as well.

I've used the station to board both Metra and Amtrak, boarding is simple and easy, never had…read moreissues. I've never seen any staff working behind the counter, but I guess that doesn't matter since you can just buy the tickets online via the apps. Love the heaters they have on platform 1, simple way to travel into the city.

Still a great station after a few years away, due to the pandemic. Now they have more signage,…read moreshowing you where platform1, 2, and 3 are, for the uninitiated who don't know where to stand. Audible announcements tell you where the outbound and inbound trains are, and which platform to stand on to board.

Station is safe, reasonably clean and pretty well lit. No ticket station but that's okay. There are…read morebenches on the outside and seating space inside the station.

This is one of the nicest train stations if you are making your way to the city using the Metra…read more There's tons of parking that's easy to navigate in and out of (about $2 for the entire day - you can pay for it at a self serve kiosk at the station, so remember your parking spot number), a large indoor seating area for waiting that includes bathrooms, a coffee/bakery shop, and even a small library book shelf. The signs for the trains arrival times are clearly posted. Also it's so close to the Glen area, so if you have some extra time before the train arrives you can easily walk over there and grab other food options.

Parked here and took Metra to Chicago. I like that they have plenty of parking spaces that area…read moreclearly marked, it's only $2 for parking all day and paying for the parking was simple and easy. Definitely recommend this place over over Glenview for sure. Yeah, the names can be confusing so pay attention when you come back up otherwise you'll get off the wrong station.