Ventra
With the Ventra app, you can:
• Check your balance and available passes in your Ventra Card's transit account.
• Instantly load value or passes to your Ventra Card's transit account.
• Switch autoload for transit value or passes on and off.
• Buy and use Metra mobile tickets to ride any Metra train.
• Use transit value you've loaded to buy a Metra ticket.
• Get real-time account notifications so you know when it's time to load more fare or buy more tickets.
• Get real-time arrival/departure information from CTA, Metra and Pace all in one app—by picking a stop, using favorites or looking at service near where you're standing.
Category : Maps & Navigation
Reviews (20)
Recently an update was made and this app doesn't function as it used to, namely, after spending nearly an hour on the phone with multiple agents trying to figure out why I could sign into the app but couldn't finalize purchasing a metra ticket, we eventually discovered I can only do purchases on the laptop where I updated my account information, but not my phone. This is absurd, especially as this is an app that is used for transit purposes.
The recent updates made this app less responsive on my phone. It's not an issue inherent to my phone since it runs latest Android OS and all other apps are working just fine. I'm having to click at a box several times before it responds.
Doesn't work on my phone - this is a public service and you shouldn't have to have the latest gizmo to run it, assuming it runs on any phone. On mine, which runs other apps just fine, Ventra is barely responsive, and often locks up.
This app needs some type of overall update software something to make it better as of right now everyday is becoming a little bit more like trash than treasure 5/19/2022 yeah so the update made it WORSE! The app says that both my cards are closed but still shows the balance and expectations of my 7 day passes and it's almost impossible to navigate anything in the app, (bus times Metra tickets) if it can't get any better I might just delete the app and just do everything on the website.
The train timings are not even accurate, it just blindly follows the preset schedule, regardless of whether the train is delayed or ahead of schedule . Also they really need to add which platform number the train arrives on, and / or which side the doors will open for each platform.
Worse than useless. Don't rely on this app if you value your time and money. Both wasted with incorrect schedule times and updates that kill app functionality and any stored tickets you may have.
I use this app several times a day. I would have given it 5 stars it's really laggy. If you don't mind laggy it is a very good app especially if you link your Ventra card to the account. Fix the laggy please.
Horrible app, unreliable if you have to be on time... Says bus is coming in "X" mins and bus never shows up... I've been waiting over 45 mins for the route 34 bus and the app showed 3 different times and busses that NEVER arrived... Now I'm going to be late to work
The Incorrect Arrival Times are constant and rampant. When planning to get to work, or really anywhere, on time is affected, it is a HUGE deal that this app doesn't work correctly. I've been left stranded on multiple occasions due to this app l. It's just like everything else in the public sector. It doesn't work well, and it doesn't care to try and be better, because the government it serves can never go out of business.
It is good, but it needs an option to display your tickets on the lock screen.
One big problem, doesn't remember previous 1 day pass purchased, have to do it every day, choose stations, line, etc
Had to walk for 45 minutes, after my 8 hour work shift, in the cold, because suddenly this app won't stay open for more than 5 seconds before it crashes. Couldn't get it to stay open long enough to put money on my card, so no bus ride home. I used this app just the other day with no issues! Not that I'm surprised, reliable isn't exactly the first word that comes to mind when one hears "Ventra" or "CTA".
Update: I increased the rating to 3. I don't love the app, but their team patched the crashing issue withing 24 hours. It's hard to expect more than that. They were also really nice on the phone. Previous: I've installed this on three different devices and it regularly lags, crashes and freaks out. It's a bummer because it's convenient.
Adding my voice to the many reports of constant crashes. As of today the app is unusable. It was clear months ago that an auto restart was added to the app to handle occasional but common crashes. That has now produced a crashing loop every few seconds. Edit: Advice from another review seems to work. Close the app, enable airplane mode, and restart the app. Seems there is a server side issue causing client side crashes. Leaving my negative review up until this is truly fixed. Edit2: The lasted update seems to have fixed the issue.
This app has worked most of the time since Ventra was rolled out in Chicago. But when it fails, it fails catastrophically. The first time I used Ventra, they charged my bank account five times the amount for the initial card and pass. At various points over the last few years, the app has failed to load, failed to allow credit or bank info to be added or updated, and, worst of all, charged my bank account for transactions without then applying the transaction to my Ventra account. Most recently, while attempting to add credit to my account, the app twice charged my bank account for adding a dollar amount, but did not modify my Ventra account. A following attempt to instead add a pass also failed, but charged my bank account nonetheless. While this app usually works, and you'll usually be fine, I can't give this app anything more than the lowest rating because of the above issues. If this was just some social media app, whatever. But this just isn't acceptable for an app that people are told they can rely on for managing their transit accounts.
App was working fine for a year. Now all of a sudden the app starts crashing. I can't even pull up my tickets. Uninstalled and reinstalled it and I can't even get to Login. Very disconcerting as I didn't have any cash on me and this was the way I was buying my tickets. Figure it out please. I even did a factory reset and reinstalled it and it still didn't work. Get it fixed!
Update - I got it to function normal starting off in airplane mode and then switching to data when I need it to load/connect. Was able to add money to my card at least. Normally this app works fine, but I've updated and tried uninstalling/reinstalling and it won't work now. It keeps closing on itself and reopening which makes it utterly useless.
I've been trying to create an account for the past hour without any luck, but serious frustrations. I have a really good phone, great internet, and yet I'm getting grey screens that freeze, drop down menus that don't drop down, unnecessary and privacy invasion questions and bugs over bugs. Urgh... Love the Metra system, but the app is one of the worst I've ever encountered!
THIS APP STEALS FROM YOU! I attempted to transfer $5 to my card using this app. I got an error message saying that something wasn't connecting and the payment couldn't be processed. A few seconds later, the money came out of my account. It was never added to my transit balance. That was 3 days ago. I emailed them about this immediately and haven't heard anything back. Money's still missing from my bank account and my card. By the comments below, this apparently happens a lot! AVOID THIS APP!
One of the worst toll payment apps in the world. Completely unfriendly and non-transparent payment system. It only works in the simplest one-person setup. Passes can only be used by one person. Additional riders’ fares will be covered by transit value (other rates), not passes. Ridiculous and underdeveloped application.