Life Amplified

80th Ave. Station

If you want to ride the rails, a great place to begin or conclude your journey is at the 5,400-square-foot Metra train IMG_9890station at 18001 S. 80th Avenue in Tinley Park.

As the fourth-busiest railroad depot in the entire Metra system, the  80th Avenue station sees a substantial amount of commuter traffic every day. To meet this demand, the station features more than 2,100 parking spaces as well as a pedestrian underpass connecting the south and north parking lots so commuters can quickly and safely pass from one side of the tracks to the other.

In addition to providing bicycle facilities and “kiss-and-ride” drop-off lanes for commuter convenience, the station further serves the needs of travelers by offering three trackside warming shelters for waiting commuters and by being fully handicapped-accessible.

Commuters approaching the 80th Avenue train station for the first time will be impressed by its 50-foot-high clock tower, exterior stone and brick construction with slate roof and copper trim, and attractive landscaping featuring native plantings that eliminate irrigation and reduce long-term maintenance. The building itself even utilizes a state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system, which reduces energy requirements by more than 30 percent.

But perhaps the most striking exterior feature of the 80th Avenue train station is the General Patrick E. Rea Veterans Plaza, which is located on the pathway leading from the south parking lot to the entrance and honors veterans from each branch of the military.

The first thing commuters may notice when walking inside the 80th Avenue train station is its great hall, which features a Tiffany-style chandelier and a 25-foot vaulted ceiling supported by a Douglas Fir truss system. Commuters have access to an Internet café with free Wi-Fi, as well as a full-service kitchen. Decorative lighting, booth seating, two restrooms, a fireplace and an old-fashioned ice cream soda fountain complete the scene.

The station’s waiting room is open daily from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a ticket agent present on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

For more information on the 80th Avenue Metra train station, call (708) 614-8562 or visit the station's Metra webpage. You can also read an Illinois Municipal Review feature story about the 80th Avenue station.
 
Directions
From North: 
  1. Take I-57 south to Exit 345B
  2. Merge onto I-80 West toward Iowa
  3. Merge onto Harlem Avenue/IL-43 via Exit 148B
  4. Turn left onto 183rd Street
  5. Turn right onto 80th Avenue
  6. The 80th Avenue Metra train station is on the right
From South: 
  1. Take I-57 north to Exit 345B
  2. Merge onto Harlem Avenue/IL-43 via Exit 148B
  3. Turn left onto 183rd Street
  4. Turn right onto 80th Avenue
  5. The 80th Avenue Metra train station is on the right