10/04/99
The Chicago Transit Authority is making train connections between the State/Lake elevated and subway rail stations easier and faster. Effective Monday, October 11, a software change in CTA rail station turnstiles will enable them to recognize that a rail-to-rail connection is being made between the two stations when a CTA Transit Card or pass is used. Customers transferring between State/Lake stations will no longer need to go to the transfer machines to obtain Transfer Cards, thus making traffic flow smoother at the stations. They can use their Transit Cards; no fee will be deducted.
As of Monday, October 11, the free transfer machines at the State/Lake stations will be removed. Connections between the subway (Red) and the elevated lines (Brown, Green, Orange) will still be free for customers who use CTA Transit Cards, Transfer Cards or passes. However, customers who paid their original fares with cash will no longer be able to obtain free Transfer Cards at State/Lake. The CTA recommends that these customers purchase Transit Cards at their original points of entry.
Customers who connect between State/Lake elevated and subway rail stations without Transit Cards, Transfer Cards or passes must pay another full fare upon entering the station. Customers who already use farecards will not be affected.
" We can now provide the same benefit of transferability between train lines at State/Lake that we offer at the Blue Line Clark/Lake stations. There's no need to stop and get a Transfer Card from the dispensing machines. Now, customers can just insert their farecards into any turnstile and go. Our electronic fare equipment allows us great flexibility that makes taking the CTA easier and faster," said CTA President Frank Kruesi.
The State/Lake station transfers are the final element to be integrated into the automated fare collection equipment that was initiated as the CTA's new way to pay in April 1997. The newly developed software allows CTA's fare equipment to recognize a rail-to-rail transfer without deducting a fee and will help the CTA better track ridership.
An average of 5,580 customers enter the CTA rail system each weekday at the State/Lake elevated station which serves the Brown, Green, Orange and Purple Lines. A weekday average of 7,870 customers enter the CTA rail system at the State/Lake/Randolph subway station which serves the Red Line.
Signs will be posted at the State/Lake elevated and subway rail stations to alert CTA customers making connections between these stations of the change. Information cards will also be posted on all train cars, buses and rail stations to alert customers about the removal of the free transfer machines at State/Lake.
Transit Card customers who are transferring between bus and rail at State/Lake, or anywhere else on the CTA system, within the original two-hour transfer window will still have a transfer fee of $.30 ($.15 for reduced fare riders) deducted from their Transit Cards. Customers entering at the elevated or subway State/Lake train station as their third ride will have no fee deducted because the third ride is free.
For more information, customers may call the CTA Customer Service Hotline at 1-888-YOUR-CTA.
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