Van Buren Station - Entrance — Local services in Chicago

The distinctive entryway to the Metra Electric South Shore Line was originally designed by the influential French architect Hector Guimard for the Paris Metro system in 1900. This masterful design is recognized worldwide as a symbol of Paris. Featuring rich ornamentation based on curvilinear, asymmetrical and organic forms, it epitomizes the style that came to be known as Art Nouveau. Since the construction of the system in the early 1900s, the Parisian Transit Authority (RATP) has been casting replacement parts and additional station entries from the original molds. Chicago’s edition, a recent casting, is a gift of RATP and the Union League...

The Metra services are great! Organized, clean and fast trains. But the station needs a MAJOR do over. The place is falling apart, and, being in the heart of Chicago, it doesn’t do justice to this amazing city! Chicago deserves state-of-the-art transportation services and, although the staff was helpful and informative, the place needs...

It's a cave. They've been working on this thing doing nothing forever. It's a horrible, horrible place. It's like falling out of the '40s and 30s. The roof's leaking and they've got construction barricades everywhere but not one single thing has been done. Horrible place. All I think it needs is stalactites and Stalag mites and...