CTA's train system is known as the 'L,' short for "elevated." Trains serve 144 stations located throughout the city and nearby suburbs, on elevated railways, in subways, or on the ground.
Enter the station and pay fare. When you enter a train station, you can pay your fare at the turnstile or gate. Every station has Transit Card Vending Machines if you need to buy a fare.
Make your way to the boarding area. Stations have maps and signs to help you find your way. Follow signs to the boarding area for your train. Once at the platform, wait near the signs that indicate where trains stop.
Board. When the train arrives, note the train's route and destination. A Blue Line train to O'Hare will say "O'Hare" on a blue background on the front and inside the center, side window, for example.
Train circulation needs to be designed for more than just pedestrians,
and needs to include cars, buses, and parking access. The arrival and
waiting areas for transportation o the platform greatly a ect the
performance of the stations circulation, i.e. bus loading and parking.
Design areas for ticket machines and fare control in an appropriate
space that accounts for queuing.
Stairways need to be designed
and have clear signs as to which
direction is for ascending or
descending. Any reverse movement
slows down the ow of
passengers.
Escalators work well to help with
this problem
Provide adequate waiting
areas, walkways, queue areas
in front of elevators and train
loading/unloading.
Transbay Terminal and Transit Center
San Francisco, CA
Platform sizing should be based on waiting areas, walkways,
queuing, building elements, and bu er spaces.
Transbay Terminal and
Transit Center
San Francisco, CA
The Heart of the City: Grand Central Terminal & The Urban Railroad Station Wednesday, May 28, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Municipal Art Society
Great railroad stations are often not just gateways to cities, but are the beating hearts of cities. Midtown Manhattan is unimaginable without Grand Central Terminal, which defines Midtown’s circulation patterns, gathers and dispenses people, moves the masses with a functional elan that is inseparable from the aesthetics of its architects’ visions. It is the great object lesson in how cities are made livable when neither form follows function nor function follows form, but when they are one and the same. Join Francis Morrone, architectural historian, for a look at Grand Central in comparison to the old Pennsylvania Station as well as some other American stations, and with an eye to what the projected Moynihan Station could mean for the future of New York.
Tri-Rail Parking and
Circulation Study
Executive Summary
Inventories The passenger amenities inventoried at each station included bicycle racks (40 system-wide), bus shelters (34 system-wide), ticket machines (45 system-wide), station crossing bridges, pedestrian signals, and passenger waiting areas. At many stations the amenities are insufficient to meet current or anticipated demand. Accessibility to each station was also noted including the presence or absence of Tri-Rail Drop-off/Pick-up locations (sometimes referred to as “Kiss and Ride”) and crosswalk, sidewalk, and pedestrian connections at each station. At certain locations signage is deficient or misleading, critical links in the pedestrian and bicycle network are missing and other improvements are needed. The minimum and maximum walking distances from particular parking areas to the station platforms are excessive and create a barrier to Tri-Rail customers. The deficiencies identified during the field observations are summarized in the categories listed below.
Primary Findings
Park and Ride Lots: Some lots are currently experiencing park and ride demand at orapproaching capacity. Immediate and near-term capacity needs exist due to recent and anticipated service increases.
Signage: Although probably due in part to recent hurricanes, missing signage including wayfinding signs, bus stop locations, and parking information is common. There is also inconsistent use of signage designating spaces and circulation system-wide.
Maintenance: The majority of parking lots have faded or poor striping, which can exacerbate conflicts between modes. Several stations also have overgrowth of grass, shrubs, etc., blocking pedestrian pathways. Potholes, possibly indicating poor drainage, can be found at many stations.
Drop-off/pick-up areas: Buses, cars, and taxis often attempt to utilize the same spaces to drop-off/pick-up passengers. Others lack a designated location altogether. Kiss-and-Ride designated areas are used haphazardly, and are highly underutilized due to their inconvenient location or lack of signage.
Multi-Modal Infrastructure: Connecting sidewalks from parking lots to the station with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible ramps, more benches, and additional shelters with seating areas would improve the functionality of the stations. There are an inconsistent number/placement of racks and a lack of lockers except at the Boca Raton Station. Some sidewalk links that could facilitate better access to the stations are missing.
Other Issues: Some lots may be used as free parking by people who do not take Tri-Rail trains. This behavior is suspected at Fort Lauderdale Airport, Miami Airport and Tri- Rail/Metrorail Transfer. Further investigation is necessary to determine the level of abuse. SFRTA operations staff also indicated some customers may be leaving vehicles or bicycles parked overnight at stations.
Police Station 1
Police Station 2 
Police Station 3
City Hall- New Building 1 
City Hall- New Building 2 
City National Bank 1
City National Bank 2 
Criminal Justice Center 1
Criminal Justice Center 2 
Parking Structure 1 
Parking Structure 2 
Samauri Sam Building 1 
Samauri Sam Building 2 
Japanese American Cultural Community Center
Enter the station and pay fare.
Make your way to the boarding area.
Board.
