Hello,
My husband and I are contemplating a move to Glen Ellyn. We love the community. Can anyone tell me about the parking situation at the Glen Ellyn Metra stop? I know there is a wait for permits (anyone know how long?) but what about the parking at the public library? Does it fill up early? I would appreciate any feedback. I have searched old message threads but think they are probably out-of-date at this point. Thanks!

I'd call the Village - when I moved here 7 years ago they were quite accurate on waiting times for the permit lots. Back then, I would get to the daily lot around 7:00 am and never had a problem finding a spot. I got into the permit lot just east of Park about six months after I moved in, and got into the train parking lot last year (about 6 years - which was right about what the village estimated!).

The last time I applied (Spring 2005), it took just under a year to get the Park/Montclaire lot (SE of the station). I agree w/ darlili, the Village estimates have been pretty accurate, but maybe a touch conservative.

You should also call Lombard, I was able to get a pass there while I waited for Glen Ellyn.

6 years!? that is as bad as the Naperville train station...

Park/Montclair took about 6 months for me - but the 'train' parking lots (those right by the station) took 6 years. Don't forget, a lot of people who don't even take the train regularly continue to pay for their passes, just in case they feel like taking the train some days. And I could swear there are a number of high school students who have permit lot passes as well - I'm not sure I like that.

Park/Montclair was fine, really - although I'm sort of bemused that I got the 'good' lots right after I lived through the reconstruction of Park/Montclair.

So are any of the people (GE Fan) who hold on to their passes just in case ever willing to "lease" them out temporarily?!
Seems like a good option for someone (us) who would be waiting for a long time for our own but would be happy with a short term solution.

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And I could swear there are a number of high school students who have permit lot passes as well - I'm not sure I like that.

IIRC, about 5-7 years ago, there was a change in student street parking rules in the CLE area. For sure high school students park in the commuter lots.

if you live on the northside of the tracks you could talk to the auto shop on the nw corner of park and pennsylvania...i think they lease out spaces to glenbard west kids....

The daily pay lot at the library virtually never fills up. You can always find a spot. The College Ave and Lombard stops also have daily pay parking with the benefit of shorter walks, but they do tend to fill up if you're not early.

If you want one of the permit lots, sign up asking for the first spot available in any lot. Then put your name back on the list for your preferred lot.

Thank you, Dave, and everyone else who responded. I was particularly curious about the daily lot, and that answers my question. It is overwhelming for someone to move to Chicago and look at buying in the suburbs when there are so many choices and so many Metra related issues to consider. Thanks for your help!

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Originally posted by GE Fan:

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Originally posted by darlili:
Don't forget, a lot of people who don't even take the train regularly continue to pay for their passes, just in case they feel like taking the train some days.

Guilty.

Just curious - how often do you use the lot? Is your pass for the lot closest to the station, or one further out?

Here's a neat tool for measuring specific routes. How far of a walk would it be on the days you took the train? From your new house?

Of course it is none of my business how you choose to commute, and you are certainly free to use whatever resources you can afford and have obtained access to.

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Originally posted by GE Fan:

You're right on both counts.

Hey, you brought it up.

In fact, I think a relatively fit guy in his 30s who chooses to occupy one of the town's very limited prime parking spots, despite the fact that he uses it less than 10 times a year and lives 1.5 miles from the train pretty much typifies "Glen Ellyn Style."

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Originally posted by Dinsdale:
...chooses to occupy one of the town's very limited prime parking spots...

Keep in mind that the village more than likely "overbooks" the permit lots. Not all commuters use the pass daily, though most probably use it more than Fan.

Annie,

Make sure you look at the actual Metra schedules for all of the towns you are looking for. Some lines are more like buses than commuter trains - they have so many stops that it takes a very long time to get from downtown to your stop - even if it's in the same pricing zone as another line.

The UP-West is actually one of the better lines. Not a lot of stations and a third track in the middle which makes for more express trains.

The line that goes to Schaumburg (Milwaukee West) is awful - I rode it for four years - the last express train leaves before 6pm and it has at least 7 stops in the city of Chicago alone.

I no longer take Metra, but when I did, I took it from Lombard. You can easily get a daily spot and catch the 7:42 train which gets downtown around 8:30. If you are regularly going to head into the city any later than that, it will be touch and go.

was that the milkrun? Usually it takes only 35-40 mins from GE....

The line that goes to Naperville is great as far as express trains and speed go; however, if you thinking waiting for a parking permit in GE is bad, just call Naperville or Aurora!

I agree - when I was looking for my place, I got the Metra schedules and looked at the specific line's schedules for express trains - and also if they had a nice station, and called the individual village to ask about the parking situation. (at the time, Naperville was something like 8-10 years, as I recall - and I think they just started a condo lot (yes, you buy your spot) in either Aurora or Naperville this year.

For me, Lombard wasn't a good choice - GE seemed to have a lot more trains stopping on the various rush hour schedules than Lombard did. My conductor told me the relatively limited amount of parking in Lombard (compared to GE or Elmhurst) made Lombard a more lightly loading stop, so not as many trains would stop. Chicken & egg, I know.

not the milk run, but not a straight shot either - and that's a realistic time. It always took longer than the scheduled arrival time would imply. Maybe it was that I stepped foot outside Olgilve at around 8:30 a.m. and that the train got in a little earlier. But I always budgeted my time for an 8:30 arrival.

And Darlili's right. Not as many trains stop in Lombard as at other stations (including GE). It was just more convenient for me on a daily basis because my kids' childcare was right at the Lombard train station.

Now my office is in Wheaton. 10 minutes door to door -- heaven.

Anyone ever commute from the Lisle station? Is there daily pay parking available there and if so, does it fill up quickly? I know I can call but like to hear what those who really do the commute daily have to say about the situation as well. Thanks.

I wish I had checked the schedules more closely before we bought in GE. The Union Station in downtown Chicago is several blocks closer to my husband's office than is Ogilvie Station, and the train schedules on the BN line (serving Hinsdale, Downers Grove, Lisle, etc.) are far more convenient. Over the 15 years we've lived here, he would have been a lot better off if we'd bought in proximity to that line.

We, also, found the village's estimates on wait time to be pretty accurate. For the first several years we lived here, I drove him and picked up. Then I got mad at him and put his name on the wait list. In several months, he got a montclair lot pass, then a couple of years later he got into the train station lot. I believe the village does over sell that lot; my elderly, retired neighbor holds on to his pass for those occasional trips, and I think there are a lot of others that do, too. I believe it is against the rules to sublease your pass.

Ogilvie and Union are essentially next door to one another. Both have entrances on Madison.