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How do I delete my Ventra account?
Please contact Ventra Customer Service by calling 1.877.NOW.VENTRA (1.877.669.8368).
How do I talk to someone for help?
You can contact Ventra Customer Service by calling 1.877.NOW.VENTRA (1.877.669.8368).
If you would like to tell the app team about a bug you found, use our App Feedback form to let us know. Please note as much detail as you can and, if possible, what specific steps we might take to reproduce an error ourselves for troubleshooting.
Managing Ventra Cards in the App
Looking for more information on iPhone, Apple Watch and Android smartphones? Click here form more information on Ventra Card in Apple Wallet. Click here to learn more about the Ventra Card on Google Pay.
What’s a pass?
Passes loaded into Ventra Cards’ transit accounts let you have unlimited rides during a given period of time from the first time you use it. For example, if you have some money on a Ventra Card and add a CTA 3-Day Pass, it’ll allow you to ride as much as you like for three days (72 hours) starting the exact next time you ride CTA.
When you load a pass, the pass is loaded into your pass queue until it’s needed to cover a ride. Then, your next eligible ride will be covered by the pass. A pass in queue will automatically become active as soon as it is tapped at a Ventra reader and is needed to cover your fare.
Passes only cover the first rider, so if you’re also paying for others traveling with you, their fares will be deducted from transit value loaded onto your Ventra Card.
See the Ventra terms of service for an explanation of how passes in your pass queue are activated and in what order (in the event you have more than one kind in your queue at a time).
How up to date is my balance in the My Ventra Cards part of the app?
The balance shown in the app (after it refreshes) is the latest available balance in your Ventra transit account.
If you just took a ride a few seconds ago, this might not be reflected in your balance right away—but once info about your ride gets from the reader up to our servers and your fare is calculated, you’ll see your updated balance in the app instantly and more detail show in your ride history a little later.
When you load value or passes in the app, these both appear and are available for use right away.
If I have insufficient fare to ride or a negative balance, how quickly can I correct this within the app?
Whenever you load value in the app, it’s available immediately for use and your card should start working again, instantly. (Loading fare on the website takes a few minutes longer, so always use the app for instant results.)
If I load value or a pass in the app, how quickly is it available for use?
Value and passes you load in the app are available for use immediately on CTA and Pace—just like at a vending machine.
Why don't I see my most recent ride or the fare that was deducted in my transit history?
It can take a little while (up to 20 minutes, though often much faster) for rides you've taken with your Ventra Card to appear in your transit history. This is because data about your use of a card at a reader, such as on a bus, needs to get back to our servers and be processed before it can appear in your history.
You may also see "pending trip pricing" while the transaction is still being fully processed by our systems.
I got on the bus earlier and checked my balance after I sat down, but it looks like it's changed since then. Why?
Since rides you take need to be sent up to our servers from the reader where you touch your card, it can take a little while for the ride to be reported in our system and the balance to be deducted. This usually happens in seconds, but can sometimes take a few minutes.
If your balance goes low (below $5) or a negative balance has occurred, we'll let you know right away if you haven't disabled app and/or email notifications about your transit account.
I have a U-Pass. Can I use the Ventra app?
Absolutely. You can register your U-Pass in the app or at ventrachicago.com and manage your fare in the app—including checking your balance, adding value, loading passes and controlling autoload, just like anyone else with a Ventra Card.
Remember, outside of school terms, where you're enrolled full time, your U-Pass will need to have fare or regular passes added to keep riding, since regular fares are charged off-season. You can even set up autoload so you've always got backup fare for when school goes out of session.
And remember, you can also use the app to buy and use Metra mobile tickets, too!
I have a reduced fare card. Can I use the app?
Yes! You can register your card in the app or at VentraChicago.com and manage your account in the app, including checking your balance, adding value, loading passes and controlling autoload, just like anyone else with a Ventra Card.
And remember, you can also use the app to buy and use Metra mobile tickets, too! Just remember that you'll still need credentials to show that you are eligible for a reduced fare when you show the conductor a reduced fare mobile ticket on Metra trains.
How do I add a Ventra Card to my iPhone or Apple Watch?
Transfer my plastic Ventra Card to iPhone or Apple Watch (Registered, Full Fare & O'Hare Employee cards):
- Open the Ventra App on your iPhone and tap the Cards section.
- Select the Ventra Card you want to add.
- Press the Add to Apple Wallet button and follow the instructions in the app to add Ventra Card to your iPhone or your Apple Watch.
- Cut up and throw away your old, plastic card - it'll no longer be valid once added to your Apple Wallet.
Purchase a new Ventra Card via the app
- In the new Ventra app, sign in or create an account.
- In the Cards section, select the
icon (a card with plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen).
- Select Add Ventra Card to Apple Wallet and follow the prompts to add a pass or transit value. You will need to add at least $5 worth of transit value or a pass.
- Press Add to Apple Wallet to finish.
Tips:
The first Ventra Card added to Apple Wallet on any iPhone or Apple Watch will automatically have Express Transit enabled. This feature allows you to tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to a Ventra fare reader without having to unlock it first.
A Ventra Card in Apple Wallet can’t be loaded onto more than one device at a time—load it only to the iPhone or Apple Watch you wish to use whenever you ride.
How do I add a Ventra Card to Google Pay?
You can transfer your existing full fare, plastic Ventra Card to Google Pay by following the steps below:
- Open the Ventra app and go to the Ventra Cards tab.
- Tap
(Add to GPay button) below the registered Ventra Card you wish to add to the Google Pay app.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to save your card to Google Pay and complete activation.
- You will then see your Ventra Card in Google Pay and its ready to use.
- Cut up and throw away your old, plastic card—it’ll no longer be valid once added to Google Pay.
You can purchase a new Ventra Card to Google Pay in the Ventra app by following the steps below:
- Open the Ventra app, sign in or create an account.
- Select Add Ventra Card icon .
- Select Add Ventra Card to Google Pay and follow the prompts to add a pass or transit value. You will need to add at least $5 worth of transit value or a pass.
- Tap (Add to GPay button).
- Follow the on-screen prompts to save your card to Google Pay and complete activation.
- You will then see your Ventra Card in Google Pay and it’s ready to use.
Tips:
To tap your Ventra Card in Google Pay, you only need to ‘wake up’ your device then tap and go.
You can only add one Ventra Card to Google Pay at a time. A Ventra Card in Google Pay can’t be loaded onto more than one device at a time—load it only to the device you wish to use whenever you ride.
Once you add a plastic Ventra Card to Google Pay, it’ll no longer be valid. We suggest you cut up and throw away your old, plastic card.
Metra Mobile Tickets in the App
Should I buy my Metra mobile ticket before I get on the train?
Yes. Buying your tickets in advance helps make sure you’re ready to go when you get on the train. Tickets you buy are stored on your device until you use them (but unused One-Way and Weekend Passes will expire in 14 days, Ten-Ride tickets will expire in 90 days, and Day Passes in 7 days.) When purchasing a Day Pass, passengers should select the furthest zone they wish to travel while using the pass. Passengers cannot pay to upgrade a three-zone pass into an all-zone pass onboard the train; those who attempt to use a three-zone pass to travel more than three zones will be charged for a One-Way Ticket.
When do I activate my Metra mobile ticket?
Once you've bought your ticket, it stays stored on your device until you're ready to use it. Activate ("use") your ticket only once you're on your train. You can then go and do other things on your phone and come back to the ticket during your ride if asked to show your ticket later.
How long are the Metra mobile tickets I purchase good for?
Starting February 1, 2022, tickets expire after a period time based on the type of ticket you have:
- Metra One-Way Tickets are good for 14 days from purchase
- Metra Weekend Tickets are good for 14 days from purchase
- Metra Ten-Ride Tickets are good for 90 days from purchase
- Metra Day Pass Tickets are good for 7 days from purchase
- Metra Monthly Tickets are good from the first day of the calendar month until noon of the first business day of the following calendar month
Remember to buy your tickets in advance of when you ride so you've got a ticket and are ready to activate it as soon as you sit down on the train.
Is there a surcharge if I buy a ticket in the app?
No - buying a Metra mobile ticket costs the same as a paper ticket at a ticket window or from a machine.
Can I use the app to buy Metra mobile tickets without creating a Ventra account?
No. You must create a Ventra account to purchase Metra tickets. The Ventra app is free and easy-to-use; it allows you to take full advantage of all the app’s features. You can store your credit or debit cards, including pre-tax transit benefits debit cards, so you don’t have to enter the information every time you buy a mobile ticket. It also allows you to split your payment between two cards – very handy for those who use a pre-tax transit benefits debit card that does not fully cover the cost of a Monthly Pass. It allows you to recover your mobile tickets if your phone is lost, stolen, damaged or replaced. And if you have a Ventra card, it allows you to check your balance, add value, add passes, get account notifications and more
Can I use the app to buy Metra mobile tickets even if I don’t have a debit or credit card to pay with?
Yes. If you’ve created a Ventra account you can log in and use transit value from that card’s account to buy a Metra mobile ticket. You can load value with cash at any Ventra Vending Machine or at any of about 1,000 Ventra retail locations around town, including most currency exchanges and drugstores.
How do I use a mobile ticket in the app on board a Metra train?
When you board your train, select "Use” and tap next to the ticket you’d like to use from the app home screen. You’ll be prompted to confirm activation. Then show your mobile ticket to the conductor when the conductor is checking for tickets. He or she will ask you to touch the screen – a pattern of rectangles will appear. This is a quick way for the conductor to visually check that the ticket is valid.
If necessary, the conductor may also ask you to touch the white field at the top of the ticket, which will show a QR code and information about the ticket’s activation and validity. This will further verify the ticket as valid. You can navigate away from the app and return to reopen your mobile ticket (it’ll show as “In Use”) as many times as you need to during your ride.
How does the 10-Ride Ticket work in the app?
When you buy a 10-Ride Ticket, you’ll see that you have 10 tickets of that type in your “Stored Tickets” under “My Metra Tickets.” It’s almost like having a little book of 10 One-Way Tickets. When you go to use one of the rides, it’ll activate just one ticket and the rest will remain as “Stored Tickets” until you need them. If you’re traveling with a group, you can activate as many of the stored rides as you need.
What happens if I put my phone away and am asked to show my ticket again?
Metra mobile tickets stay active on the home screen and in the “Activated, In Use” section of the “Tickets” screen for a set amount of time – tickets for longer trips (as determined by the origin and destination, or zones) remain active longer than shorter trips. Monthly and Weekend tickets remain active for the day, month or weekend they are activated. If you put your phone away or leave the app to do something else, you can always go back and reopen it – just select “Show” to reopen it.
What happens if something delays my train after I’ve activated my ticket?
If you activate your ticket and something happens that delays your train, no worries! Tickets that have been recently used will remain on your phone as “Expired” for three hours after they expire, and your conductor will know whether to accept an expired ticket as valid in such circumstances.
Can I use Metra mobile tickets to ride any Metra line?
Yes! Mobile tickets in the app are accepted on all Metra trains.
Can I use the Ventra app to travel to/from Hegewisch?
No. That service is provided by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (the South Shore Line), which does not accept Metra tickets.
I just got a new phone and logged in. Why don't I see my tickets?
When you buy a mobile ticket for use on Metra trains, the ticket is downloaded and stored on your device.
By storing tickets on your device (rather than keeping them on our servers), your tickets are still available even if you need to use your ticket in a place where you don't have an internet connection (such as when you're in underground stations or in a cellular "dead zone").
You can, however, easily move tickets bought while signed into the Ventra app from one device to another.
Learn more about how to move tickets to a new device.
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How do I move the tickets from another device once I have the new app?
Just go to the Metra tickets section and choose Move tickets to this device. You'll be shown tickets on other devices in your account and can move them to the device you're using, instantly.
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Paying in the App
How do I add a credit or debit card in the app?
If you're signed in, you can add payment cards by going to the “Options” menu (three vertical dots in the top right corner of most app pages) and then select “Payment methods”. You can also add payment methods on ventrachicago.com—they'll automatically appear in the app.
If you haven't done this in advance of trying to make a purchase in the app, you can also add one as part of the checkout process. The card will be stored in your account once you've completed the transaction.
How do I use pre-tax transit benefit money through work with the app?
You set up pre-tax Transit Benefits through your employer, if they offer it (if they don't, tell them you'd like it!).
There are two ways to use Transit Benefit money with the app:
- Have it delivered to a Ventra Card's transit account: If you can have money delivered to a Ventra Card's transit account, set this up to have transit benefit value automatically appear. This money can cover fares paid with a Ventra Card on CTA and Pace and can also be used as a funding source when you buy a CTA or Pace pass or Metra mobile ticket right from within the app.
If you don't have enough benefit value to cover your pass purchase or a monthly Metra mobile ticket purchase, you can choose "split payment" to split the difference between your transit benefit value and another payment method.
- Use a prepaid transit benefit debit card as your payment method: If you've been issued a special transit-only debit card on which your benefit money is loaded, you can set up that debit card as a funding source in the app to pay for transit.
You can also split payments between two credit/debit cards in the app, so if the maximum benefit value is less than a Metra mobile ticket you wish to purchase, you can cover your purchase with two payments.
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Can I set up autoload using Apple Pay or Google Pay as a funding source instead of a credit card?
No. Although many apps allow you to set up subscriptions (such as news or video services that require a flat monthly fee for access), autoload on Ventra Cards’ value or passes is not a subscription service but triggered by the Ventra system whenever your fare runs low or a pass is near expiration.
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Can I pay for a Divvy in the Ventra app?
Not yet, but we're working on adding payment integration to a future version of our app so you can do everything right in the Ventra app. For now, the app will pass you to the official Divvy App to make direct payments and get ride codes.
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Ventra app Transit Tracker and Favorites
Is arrival information real-time in the Transit Tracker for all of CTA, Metra and Pace?
Information you see in the app is the same as what you'd find on the web-based trackers published by all three agencies, which, depending on the service, can be a combination of real-time and schedule-based information.
In general, most imminent information (for vehicles that are already in service) is real-time. Estimated arrival/departure information for service that is further in the future (for transit services that have not yet gone into service) is often estimated based on scheduled departure times.
Whenever the Metra departure times are updated in Metra's Rail Time Tracker, the same information is reflected in the Ventra app.
How do I pick a stop manually, like in the old app?
The new app is centered around fewer taps, so it shows you nearby stops and lets you search for stops by name.
However, if you want to find a stop the old way, we’ve made sure you can still do that, too: Just go to the Trip Tools section of the app, tapping the search box, then “Find Route/Stop Manually”.
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How do I add a favorite stop?
Find your stop in Trip Tools to see arrivals. To flag it as a favorite:
- Tap to show more info about your stop.
- Tap View Line.
- Tap the heart icon in the upper right.
- Tip: If this is a stop shared between routes and you want to favorite all arrivals at this stop, tap the "show all" button at the bottom, first, then tap the heart icon in the upper right.
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How do I add a favorite destination?
You can pan to a favorite location on a map or search for an address or place from the search box in the Trip Tools section of the app. Once you see the location on the map, you can tap the heart icon in the upper left-hand corner to flag this location as a favorite destination.
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How do I un-favorite a stop?
When you tap a favorite stop to see arrivals from your home screen and see the full departure board for your stop, tap the favorite heart icon to un-favorite this stop (you’ll see the heart icon clear and the stop will no longer show on your home screen). How do I un-favorite a destination?
Tap the “X” next to the location on your home screen to delete it.