To help customers whose cards are expiring, Ventra on Tuesday will offer card replacements at select CTA stations, CTA headquarters and the CTA Community Connection bus
To assist transit customers whose Ventra Cards are expiring soon, Ventra Mobile Help Desks will be set up at select CTA rail stations starting on Tuesday, Jan. 2 to help customers with replacing expiring Ventra cards and answer other Ventra-related questions. The first of the original Ventra cards issued in 2013, when the Ventra system first launched, started expiring in December 2017, with cards expiring monthly through 2022.
Timed with the expiration of original Ventra Cards, the CTA last month launched a newly designed, transit-only Ventra Card that has the same functionality and benefits Ventra customers are accustomed to. The cards are now available for purchase at vending machines, retailers and online.
To make it as easy as possible for customers, there are a number of ways transit customers can obtain new Ventra Cards.
Free replacement cards for registered Ventra Cards
Customers who previously registered their Ventra Cards online at ventrachicago.com, which includes providing mailing and email addresses, receive email notifications two months before their cards expire.
The notifications encourage customers to make sure their address on file is current so they can get their free replacement card in the mail. Any existing balance on their old card is automatically transferred to their new card upon activating the new card.
Unregistered Ventra Cards
For customers who purchased Ventra cards from vending machines or retailers and did not register online, they can do the following:
- Spending down their balance prior to expiration, and then purchase a new Ventra card.
- Visit one of the Ventra Mobile Help Desks at select CTA rail stations, CTA Community Connection Bus to have existing balances transferred to a new card.
- Visit the Ventra Customer Service Center at CTA headquarters, 567 W. Lake (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to have existing balances transferred to a new card.
Ventra Mobile Help Desk Locations for Monday, Jan. 8 to Friday, Jan. 12:
For customers who would like to obtain new cards at Ventra Mobile Help Desk locations, they
can visit any of the locations below. Ventra Mobile Help Desks will assist customers with replacing
expiring cards, transferring balances to new cards and answering general Ventra questions.
Morning locations 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Roosevelt
Belmont Red/Purple/Brown lines
Ashland Green/Pink Lines
Garfield Green Line
Midway Orange Line (on the CTA Community Connection bus)
Afternoon locations 4 p.m to 6 p.m.
Lake Red Line (subway)
Clark/Lake (Thompson Center)
Chicago Red Line
Ashland Green/Pink Lines
95th Red Line (on the CTA Community Conneciton bus)
Customers can also stop by 567 W. Lake Street, second floor, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Learn more at ventrachicago.com/expires or by calling Ventra Customer Service at 877.NOW.VENTRA (877.669.8368).