Metra will be offering special service on the Heritage Corridor Line on six Saturdays this fall, giving Chicago area residents opportunities to explore the bike and running paths, festivals, craft breweries, restaurants, and vibrant communities along the historic route.

The excursions, dubbed “Rails, Trails and Ales,” will provide three round-trip trains, each equipped with Metra’s new bike cars to carry extra bikes, on six consecutive Saturdays from Sept. 9 through Oct. 14. The trains will leave Chicago Union Station at 10:30 a.m., 4:15 p.m., and 8 p.m. and make all stops to Joliet. Inbound trips will depart Joliet at 8 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. making all stops to Union Station. The schedule also provides an opportunity for those living along the Heritage Corridor to use Metra for trips to the city on Saturdays. Full schedules can be viewed at https://metra.com/

Metra’s $7 Saturday Day Pass, which offers unlimited rides for a single fare, makes exploring the Chicago region by rail an unbeatable bargain. Metra’s Family Fares, which allow, three children, age 11 and under to ride free with a fare-paying adult, can be used in conjunction with the Saturday Pass. A list of some of the sites, restaurants, breweries, and biking/hiking paths near each Heritage Corridor stop can be found at https://metra.com/