I forgot to check for public bathrooms but, there is a mini mart here that sells food and basic supplies which is a nice convenience. The station is decent considering how some Metra stations can be. The buses go here, though I decided to take a Lyft to my final destination and the pick up was a breeze from their large accessible parking lot. According to the Metra website, there are no ticket machines here either (I forgot to verify). Plus it doesn't run on weekends which is a big bummer, and sometimes the trains only run to Waukegan instead of all the way to Kenosha so you have to carefully check schedules. read more

This review is for the rail nerds who might use Yelp, I can't be the only one. The Kenosha Metra station is the only Wi Metra station and as far north as Metra goes, the end of the line. Since it's the end of the line it has a small yard that stores the trains when not in service. As far as action goes it's pretty boring but since it's the end of the line but you can catch them stacking up or leaving the pool as they start up and shut sown for the day. You can check the Metra schedule for arrival and departure times for photos or videos. Since the Metra station is not super active on the weekends the bonus is that the Kenosha street car stops here plenty of times and will take you to the lake, museum, harbor and through a sliver of the down town for you to ride of for pictures and videos. There is plenty of public viewing access with out trespassing and you can walk in the station for platform viewing. The station was useful to me when I lived in Kenosha for people to visit me from Chicago but those days are over since I moved, now it's the Amtrak intermodal station for my needs. read more

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Serving Metra's UP North Line to and from Chicago Ogilvie, this line can get you to attractions like dozens of Lake Michigan beaches, Ravinia Park (Ravinia Park), or the Chicago Botanical Gardens (Braeside). The station itself doesn't have a ticket office or any other facilities. It is mostly used for Kenosha commuters to get to the city, or curious Chicagoland travelers like myself. Kenosha is the only station on the Metra network that lies outside of the State of Illinois. There are about 130 spaces of on-site City of Kenosha permit parking. This station is in Zone J and costs $9.50 one way to/from Chicago Ogilvie or Chicago Clybourn. *All of this information has been last updated in November 2018, and may not be accurate as of a day much later then 2018. read more

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If someone said, "Describe the Kenosha Metra Station in one word!" I would say, "Interesting!" This was some of the craziest people watching I have ever seen in my life. A train from Chicago had arrived and many people were there picking up friends and family. The guy who parked next to me went up to the platform. I said to my wife he left his car running. She said he's probably keeping it cool. I said I don't think so, the windows are all down. He was up on the tracks for 10 minutes. Anyone could have driven away with his car!!! I was thinking about moving it to another spot but valued my life over a practical joke. That was about the only story I could share in print...there were some other crazy and shady things too! There are a bunch of benches in front of the train station and the people hanging out here are not going anywhere. It is a hangout spot plus you can get a hint of pot and cigarette smoke in the air when you walk by. They were there when a train arrived and still there after the next train departed. I'm sure they were loitering, which makes me laugh because the signs clearly state you can't do that! I would advise you to be careful because the tunnel to get to the train platform is a little scary. It is a great place to get ambushed. There was no security around. I felt a little unsafe and I live in Chicago!!! The platform is not very big and gets packed full of people. It started to feel a little unsafe and overcrowded for the Sunday 6:49 train. There were even two guys sitting with there legs down by the tracks. I would not advise that. I got my passenger safely on the train and as I was walking away. Two colorful guys were trying to make the train. The first one ran up the stairs and saw the open train door. He screamed to the other guy! It's here hurry!!! As he turned back the door started to close. He then screamed to the two conductors to hold the train. The conductors were classic. I wish I could describe there faces...it was a mix of are you crazy and you are kidding me!!! They stepped on to the train as the two guys with arms flying in the air rain towards the conductors car. They waved and screamed and the train kept moving. As I was about to head down the stairs, a third friend, who was not colorful at all said, "What time is the next train?" (in a deep deep voice). I felt so bad because it was 6:49pm and this was the last train to Chicago. I did not have the heart to tell them or really want to get involved. There is a retail space at the station for a restaurant but it looks like it went out of business. I wonder why? Insert sarcasm there!!! This train stop could be a reality tv show. I know I would watch!!! I'm just glad that I survived the Kenosha Metra Station Adventure!!! And I hope I never have to come back here again!!! read more

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Most people using this station seem to be originating from Kenosha, but this time, I decided to take Metra from Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center (where I'm "living") and see Kenosha (and Wisconsin) for the first time! It was also my first time taking Metra (and commuter rail), and found it to be enjoyable. To make things easier, I recommend purchasing tickets at OTC... there is no way to buy tickets before boarding at the Kenosha station (but you can buy them from the conductor after you've been seated). There is a station building but it houses a restaurant (which is apparently closed). The passenger facilities are fairly utilitarian but not terrible, with an elevator for the handicapped users. Downtown Kenosha is a real treat, both for being on the Lake, and its fleet of historic operating streetcars that run in a loop, especially during the summer! Buy a day pass for $2.50 and take it in, and spend a few hours there... and of course, take Metra's Union Pacific North Line there! The Chicago region's transit system is something people take for granted, and Metra is an amazing asset, not unlike the CTA! read more

Value is defiantly a 5! It costs us around $100 to ride Amtrak for the 4 of us. It was $ $28 from Kenosha to Chicago and $23 coming back. Kids under 12 ride free Saturday and Sunday. The downers: no ticket window in Kenosha. You purchase tickets in the train. No bathroom at the station in Kenosha. We had to drive to a gas station. Limited service. There was a train at 5:50PM and one at 11pm ish. 2 benches on the platform. Plan on standing. They have a snack shop but it's closed. This train makes LOTS of stops! The kids did like sitting in the second level of the train though. It takes a hour and a half to get to Chicago. My oldest did get a discount with her school id which was a plus too! When using the parking machine make sure to press the button for three day parking FIRST. I accidentally purchased on day first. $15 for three days. $5 for a single day. We got off right across from union Station at Ogillve Transportation Center. read more

Union Pacific Railroad Metra - Public Transportation Near Me - Kenosha, Wisconsin

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Wow. Newly remodeled and back open for business. When I was in Kenosha in January '11 the station was closed up for remodeling. The result look great! They mow have added a restaurant at the Kenosha station. I am a huge railfan and am happy that Union Pacific / Metra were able to fix up the old place a bit. As for the train service- this train will take you all the way to Chicago with a total of 27 station stops. The passenger cars have two levels. The bottom level has larger seats. I love the ride to Chicago. I watched the movie Source Code just for the visuals of the Metra trains! read more

Union Pacific Railroad Metra - Public Transportation Near Me - Kenosha, Wisconsin

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Oh how I love that the Chicago public transportation comes to Wisconsin :D I love not having to drive to skokie to take the el into the loop. ohh how i love that you bring the crazy people from the city and bring them to my amazing state. Plus you dont smell like piss all the time like cta(but I do with you have the homeless amusment) read more

Union Pacific Railroad Metra - Kenosha Station - Public Transportation Near Me - Kenosha, Wisconsin

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The newly renovated station looks great, plus there's a place to eat inside! It seems to fit in well with the other downtown Kenosha harbor buildings. The platform itself has little to be desired, as do the sketchy or handicap fellas in the stairwell that try to sell you discount tickets that they found on the trains, but it gets me between home in Chicago and my mom's lake house in Wisconsin. For $7 roundtrip on the weekend at just about an hour and a half each way, I can't complain! The downtown trolley which costs a quarter does a loop past this station. Plus there is usually a cab or two you can grab. Then there is the Kenosha Transportation Center just a few blocks east for a steal of a bus ride. If you're visiting Kenosha for a day trip, the station is perfectly located downtown to see all the sites and museums. read more

Honestly, it's a pretty clean Metra station for what it is. There are worser Metra stations on this line and other Metra lines, vs. this one. Especially the dilapidated Clybourn stop serving both the Union Pacific North and UP-Northwest(Harvard) lines, and most Metra Electric stops on the main line to University Park between 115th and 59th. I agree about the bum situation here that you notice east of the station where the drop off and pick up area is, but it's one of those things where you easily can ignore such bums begging for money. That issue is no worse here vs. the station in Waukegan. If anything, I'd say Chicago Union Station is worse for the issue of running into bums, including even inside that station sadly. Plus if you really want to avoid the bum issue altogether, you can enter and exit through the lesser used entrance/exit west of the station, that crosses over the tracks leading to Metra's Kenosha Yard. Finally(the other factor that leads to -1 star), I wish there were more benches on this platform. It's sad I too often find myself annoyingly makeshiftly sitting down on the platform surface on the less crowded south end of the platform while waiting for a train, almost everytime I've been here. And DON'T let the bum factor at this station's pick up/drop off area stop you from doing a trip here, since I'm sure you'll likely end up loving Kenosha as much as me if you decide to do a Metra trip here yourself, and explore the town enough! Lot of things I really like in Kenosha from the lighthouse on the lakefront, Simmons Island beach, the downtown itself, 2 microbreweries for those into beer, a wine bar, the historic Simmons Library(designed by Daniel Burnham), a few museums, and more. Sadly the fault of the Metra UP-North schedule is if you want to come here from Chicago, the train times going back south from Kenosha to Chicago are limited. Which are 2:49pm, 5:51pm, and 11:35pm on weekdays, 6:49pm and 10:20pm on Saturdays, and only 6:49pm on Sundays and holidays. And IMO I wouldn't recommend a Sunday/holiday trip and'd rather suggest a weekday or Saturday trip here, unless you're okay with a brief 21/2 hours in Kenosha, and you primarily stick to only the downtown area so that you make the 6:49pm Sunday train back. Full Union Pacific North train schedule, where you'll quickly notice the UP-North train service between Waukegan and Kenosha is much more limited: https://metrarail.com/sites/default/files/assets/maps-schedules/train-lines/upn_04052016_0.pdf It appeared last time I went to this station earlier in 2016 that there's once again a restaurant just to the east of this station right by the east drop off/pick up area, which yep was a vacant space for a while. I get the sense that it's only open during daytime hours, but not 100% sure. As for the bathroom issue, that's correct there isn't one within the station. Keep in mind that Metra railcars have bathrooms inside them, and that it's only a 5 minute walk to the Wendy's on Sheridan Road east of this station. I imagine you could also use the bathroom at the new restaurant immediately east of this station if it's during daytime hours, but I'm not sure if you have to make a purchase to use theirs. The downtown city bus system terminal(no service on Sundays/holidays sadly, and Saturday service sadly ends around 3:30-4pm) is only 4-5 blocks east. If you need to ride one of the Kenosha city buses to get somewhere within the city and back to its downtown, I'd recommend taking the northbound Metra weekday trains that arrive in Kenosha at 8:18am or 2:18pm, and respectively Saturday at 8:20am or 12:15pm. More info on the city bus system here, including a system map and individual bus route pdf info: https://www.kenosha.org/departments/transportation/ And finally the downtown streetcar route(which runs from April-December till 6:35pm on weekdays, and 6:15pm on weekend/holiday days) that loops through Kenosha's downtown east to the lakefront, has a stop immediately east of this station on 11th Avenue. Click this link for more info on their streetcars: http://www.visitkenosha.com/sites/default/files/pdf/streetcarschedule_2016.pdf read more

Our first time on a public train. Train was very clean. Staff was very friendly. The conductor was even funny at times. Very smooth ride. We did the trip from whole Wisconsin into Chicago. I would Definally ride again! read more

The Metra is a great way to get to Chicago. The station is nice. There are connections to the Kenosha electric streetcar line, bus lines, and Coach USA. There are always Taxis waiting for passengers leaving the train with affordable fares. The Coach USA bus continues on to the Racine transportation center and then to Mitchell AIrport. The Coach bus is a great way to get to the Airport for a couple dollars. It is much less expensive then the Airport Express. I think there is a bus connection to Lake Geneva too. A day pass to park at the station is $2.50. If the station is closed, parking passes are at the gas station down the street. The station is in a great location to explore downtown, visit museums, or hang out at the beach. read more

Usually this is a reliable service. but during bad weather look out. you can call this unlisted number 312-496-4800 or 312-496-4774 to find out the real deal. these numbers ring into the UP commuter control center at Ogilvie Transportation Center and there is no voice mail so you will get a live person who knows firsthand what is happening. read more

ARRESTED FOR RIDING WITH KIDS - ZERO STARS!!!! My daughter, she's 8, her classmate, and I went to Great America on Wednesday and took the Metra from Ogilvee to Waukegan. It was terrible they abused their power. All regarding the "4-pack" of seats. We were entitled to be in the "4-pack" and each way the conductors verbally abused us. And the last ended up having me arrested after I refused to get off the train after he woke my friends 8 year old daughter up demanding that she push the seat forward and move. Did I mention she was 8, it was 10pm, and we had walked around Six Flags All day in the baking sun. I went to jail. The officers politely dropped me and my two girls off at the Linden stop where it took us another 2.5 hours to get home. I did not argue. I was not combative. I was not loud. I just refused to give up our seats in the middle of the night, in the dark unfamiliar area with two little girls. If you saw this happen to me that night please contact me. AND WHATEVER YOU DO. FAMILIES TRAVELING PLEASE STAY OFF THIS LINE!!!!! They do not allow the kids to go up top to see the view without harrasing them even if the train has plenty of available seats. they do not allow you to sit next to other passengers that you find interesting and want to ask them all kids of questions about your cool job at the amusement park...they don't respect your parents or your friends parents and they don't respect you either.... read more