Ways to pay
Cash
Cash can be used directly on buses and can be used at all Ventra vending machines to add value or passes to Ventra Cards or to buy disposable Ventra Tickets. You can also use cash to load value or passes at more than 1,000 Ventra retailers. See the above chart for fare information.
Ventra Tickets
You can buy disposable paper Single-Ride and 1-Day tickets at vending machines (located in every 'L' station). See the above chart for fare information.
Ventra Cards
Ventra Cards are used with transit value and passes for regular fares and transfers. Fare you load to your Ventra Card's transit account can be seen and managed at vending machines, online, in the Ventra app and by phone.
New, plastic Ventra Cards can be purchased from vending machines at all 'L' stations and at more than 1,000 retail locations (including drugstores, currency exchanges and more). They can also be ordered online or by phone.
NEW: Ventra Card on Android, iPhone or Apple Watch
Ventra Cards can also be added to an Android device with Google Pay or iPhone or Apple Watch. Download the Ventra app to load an existing Ventra Card you have or add a new one to your device.
Mobile Pay apps (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) & contactless bankcards
Ventra readers can accept contactless payments directly from mobile devices, too! You can pay a contactless Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) fare by touching your phone with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay—or any contactless bankcard with the contactless symbol—to any Ventra reader.
Learn more about how contactless payments work with Ventra. (Opens in a new window)
Avoid "card clash"
Whenever you pay, take out and touch only your desired payment method (card, ticket, mobile device, etc.) to the Ventra fare reader.
Ventra readers can accept payments from many different card/payment types. Taking your card out makes sure that the payment method you intended to use covers every part of your trip.
(Tip: Never attach any cards that might be used for payment to your phone to then touch your phone when you board, such as bankcards with the contactless symbol, or Ventra Cards or Tickets from a vending machine. Many phones have features that let you pay using the phone’s built-in wallet/Pay app.)
Get the Ventra app!
The Ventra app lets you check your Ventra Card's balance, add value or passes, get arrival/departure times and account alerts in a quick and easy-to-use app. You can even use the fare value from your Ventra transit accounts to buy mobile tickets for riding Metra trains right in the app.
Download the app today!
How to ride with a pass
You can get unlimited ride passes, which are good for unlimited rides for one person, anywhere fare is sold.
Any pass can be loaded into a Ventra Card's transit account. You can even load multiple passes, so you have a new one ready to go when one you're using runs out.
Some passes (such as a 1-Day CTA Pass) are sold at Ventra Vending Machines in the form of disposable Ventra tickets.
Places you can load passes into a Ventra Card's transit account include all Ventra Vending Machines, over the counter at hundreds of Ventra retail locations or online to your registered Ventra Card (using the Ventra website or the free Ventra app). If you don't have a Ventra Card, you can buy one from any Ventra Vending Machine or retail location, as well.
More info
How to get Reduced Fares
Reduced fares are offered only to those customers who are eligible.
Learn about Reduced Fare & Free Ride Programs, here.
More information