Kelly

I am looking to move to the Chicago area and was wondering if you are able to take a train from Chicago to Glenview and if so how long is the commute? If you were to drive how long would it be?

marilyn

Yes, there is a Metra train from downtown Glenview, which arrives in Union Station, run by the Chicago-Milwaukee RR. There are both locals and expresses, and time is probably 25-45 minutes depending on number of stops. If you drive time will vary wildly depending on time of day and location in Glenview, which is itself pretty large geographically.

xxx

Few, if any, express trains on the reverse commute (assume you want to live in the city and commute out to Glenview). Also, station may not be convenient to your job (probably won't be as most offices are off the expressways). Driving is probably the best bet for a reverse commute. That being said, I would do it if you want to experience Chicago. Although inconvenient, I've lived downtown for years and have had to commute before (currently work in the loop, so no real commute).

Pat

Kelly: Will you be living in Chicago and working in Glenview? Or living in Glenview and working in Chicago?
If it's the first, then drive...if the second choice, take the train.

Chicagoan

When I first moved to Chicago 7 years ago, I lived in a walk up in Wrigleyville. I was young and it was a great area to meet people (the reason I chose this area) However, I moved to Chicago originally for a job. The job was at allstate corp headwquarters which are in the Northbrook/Glenview area. I had to drive out in the reverse commute as a train wouldn't work because the train station in Glenview was nowhere near my job. The reverse commute was terrible. Being at work at 8:30 my morning commute was 1.25 hours, leaving work between 4:30 and 5p.m. my afternoon commute was 1.5 or more hours! I suffered this commute for 3 years as I was young, single, and wanted to live in the city. I got engaged 4 years ago and we moved to the burbs. The commute is much better ( we live in Deerfield) but there is definitely much less to do out here. You need to weigh what is important to you.

alex

My husband has also done the reverse commute - first to Rolling Meadows and then to Deerfield (not that far from Northbrook). When he was in Rolling Meadows, he drove and it was horrendous. The bright side is that he learned every back road and shortcut in the northwest suburbs (we recently went to a wedding in Barrington and we were the only ones from the city who actually made it to the wedding ceremony). But to Deerfield, he took the train. There was a bus that stopped right at the train station and then dropped him off right by his office. Even with the bus, the trip was much shorter. I would check to see if there is bus service from the train station to where you would be working. Also ask at the prospective employer's to see if there are other people who live in Chicago who drive or take the train and maybe you could form a carpool or find out how they get from the train to the office.

If you are not talking about the reverse commute, then by all means take the train!