Kids love trains, and now parents will too thanks to a big announcement Metra made earlier this week.

My family already has plans to head to Chicago hotspots like the Brookfield Zoo and Shedd Aquarium this Summer. We are so excited to go, but not too excited to deal with parking and driving in the city. That is why this week's announcement from Metra had me whooping with joy; starting Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, "up to three children age 11 and under will be able to ride free with each adult".

Besides kids riding free, Metra also offers weekend passes for $8, making it the most affordable travel option in the area. Metra is also adding and shifting train times for this Friday, May 26 to make early travel for Memorial Day weekend getaways possible. You can get more route information for their pre-holiday train service here.

Thank you, Metra for making summer fun a tad more affordable for families on a tight budget, and for making it a bit more hassle-free as well. My train loving three-year-old can't wait to visit you soon.

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