The Lakeshore Corridor is a commuter rail line in Cook County, Illinois and Northwest Indiana that is part of the South Shore Line system. The line starts at Millennium Station in the Chicago Loop and shares its tracks with the Metra Electric District as they both run south through the South Side. In the neighborhood of Pullman, the line splits from the Metra Electric right of way, where it turns due southeast before reaching the Indiana state line and running east across the northwest part of the state, serving various municipalities along the way such as Hammond, East Chicago, Gary, Michigan City, and South Bend.

What is now branded as the Lakeshore Corridor has historically been the main line of the South Shore Line, dating back to its initial creation in 1903. Following the opening of a brand new branch line in 2026, which was officially branded as the Monon Corridor upon opening, the main line was officially given the retronym, the Lakeshore Corridor.

History

Alignment Departing South Bend International Airport, the South Shore Line's Lakeshore Corridor heads south alongside Bendix Drive, then west along Westmoor Street, before connecting with the tracks that ran to its former terminus. Between that point and Hudson Lake, Indiana, the Lakeshore Corridor runs parallel to Norfolk Southern's Chicago Rail Line, also used by Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited and Floridian, on the north side of the tracks. Just before Hudson Lake, the route crosses from St. Joseph County into LaPorte County and enters the Central Time Zone.

From Hudson Lake, the Lakeshore Corridor continues straight west to Michigan City. In Michigan City, the track runs parallel to 11th Street from Michigan Boulevard to Tennessee Street, where it crosses over to Tenth Street. There, the railroad has an at-grade diamond with Amtrak's Michigan Services, after which it runs until Sheridan Avenue on the west side of Michigan City, Leaving Michigan City, the track travels through Indiana Dunes State Park, crosses over the Chicago Line and runs parallel to it, this time on the south side, past Long Lake. At Gary, Indiana, the route heads west to service the Gary Airport, at times running parallel to the Indiana Toll Road, as far as Hammond, Indiana.

Just west of Hammond Gateway, the Lakeshore Corridor crosses into Illinois and Chicago city limits, at which point the track curves northwest, through the Hegewisch neighborhood and, after crossing the Bishop Ford Freeway and the Calumet River, converges with the Metra Electric District at a junction south of 115th Street/Kensington station. The Lakeshore Corridor then runs over the Metra Electric Line the rest of the way to Millennium Station.

The Lakeshore Corridor is quadruple tracked along the section shared with the Metra Electric line from Millennium Station to 115th Street/Kensington, double-tracked from Kensington to Michigan City, and single-tracked from there to South Bend International Airport.

Station listing

The line operates over the tracks of the Metra Electric Line from Millennium Station to Kensington-115th Street. Metra owns the track in this territory. Per a long-standing non-compete clause with Metra and its predecessor, the Illinois Central Railroad, outbound South Shore Line trains to Indiana only stop at Metra Electric stations to receive passengers; inbound trains to Millennium Station only stop at Metra Electric stations to discharge passengers. This non-compete clause will cease to exist when Illinois' NITA Act comes into effect in late 2026, allowing passengers to use South Shore Line trains to travel to and from stations shared with Metra.

South Shore Line trains make the following station stops:Economic Adjustment Study: Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad Corridor, Final Report; Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District; March 1980; Appendix A

+FarezoneLocationStationMile (km)Avg. weekdayridership (2019)Connections and notes1Chicago, IL0 4,227 : Chicago "L": (at ), (at ) CTA buses: Pace: 855 VALPOtransit: ChicaGo Dash 977 Metra: CTA buses: 166 Metra: CTA buses: (special events only) 0 Metra: CTA buses: 53rd StreetSouth Shore service withdrawn October 16, 1966, replaced by 57th Street2 271 Metra: CTA buses: 59th StreetSouth Shore service began by 1985, replacing 57th Street.South Shore service withdrawn by 2009. 3 Metra: CTA buses: South Shore service withdrawn February 15, 2012124th StreetClosed by 1965.ParsonsClosed by 1956. AltgeldOpened by 1948, closed by 1961. Calumet HarborNamed Bridge prior to 1943; closed by 1985.Ford CityClosed by 1959.3 862 CTA buses: Pace: 358, 364 Burnham, ILBurnhamClosed by 1959.4Hammond 1,345 South Shore Line: GPTC: R6East Chicago White Oak Ave Opened by 1941, closed by 1957. 1,493 East Chicago Transit: E1, E2, E3 GPTC: R1 CalumetClosed by 1959.HammondCudahy5Gary 80 GPTC: R1Originally named Clark Road. AmbridgeClosed July 5, 1994Buchanan Street Closed by 1985. 426 GPTC: R1, R3, BMX, L1, L2, L3, L5 339 GPTC: L26Ogden Dunes 237PortageMidwestNamed Wilson prior to 1961; closed by 1985.Burns HarborBaillyNamed Baileytown prior to 1965; closed by 1985.Dune AcresClosed 1994.Porter Port Chester Closed by 1985. 474TremontClosed June 2, 1986, replaced with Dune ParkIndiana DunesMt. VernonClosed by 1948.7Opened by 1985; closed July 5, 1994.Beverly Shores 47PinesPinesNamed Tamarack prior to 1963; closed by 1985.Michigan City Lake Shore Closed by 1963.8Opened by 1985; closed July 5, 1994. 102 Michigan City Transit: 1, 2, 3172 Michigan City Transit: 3SpringfieldSpringvilleClosed by 1985.9Hesston Closed July 5, 1994.Tee LakeClosed by 1985.SmithLaPorteHillsideClosed by 1942.10Rolling Prairie71 (114.2) Named Birchim prior to 1963; closed July 5, 1994. Liberty BellClosed by 1941.SagunayClosed by 1948.Lake ParkClosed by 1985.Hudson Lake 1New CarlisleClosed July 5, 1994OliveOliveClosed by 1948.LydickLydickClosed by 1985.Chain O'LakesClosed by 1985.ArdmoreFisherClosed by 1941.South Bend Bendix Drive Closed by 1970. 11 227 Transpo: 4 Greyhound Lines Coach USA South BendCurrent Amtrak station; South Shore service withdrawn November 21, 1992South BendClosed 1970; located in downtown South Bend

Service patterns The most recent schedule revision took effect on March 31, 2026, with the opening of the Monon Corridor.

Weekday schedule In the westbound direction, 26 trains terminate at Millennium Station. Six of these trips run the whole length of the line from South Bend International Airport, while all other trips originate at other stops in Michigan City and Gary (8 trains from Carroll Avenue, 5 trains from 11th Street, and 7 trains from Miller). Some trips are "express" and do not make certain station stops; while mainly concentrated in the morning peak, some trips in the afternoon are also express.

In the eastbound direction, 27 trains originate at Millennium Station. Six trains continue all the way to South Bend International Airport, while 6 trains terminate at Miller and the remainder terminate at either Carroll Avenue or 11th Street.

In addition to service at Millennium Station, there are three trains that run only between Carroll Avenue and South Bend International Airport, with eastbound service in the early morning and westbound service in the late evening.

Weekend and holiday schedule On weekends and holidays, there are ten trains to and from Millennium Station. In the westbound direction, four trains originate at Carroll Avenue while all others originate at South Bend International Airport; however, in the eastbound direction, all but two trains terminate at South Bend International Airport.

Three early morning shuttle trains run between Carroll Avenue and South Bend International Airport in the eastbound direction. There are no westbound South Bend-Carroll Ave shuttles on weekends.

Occasionally, McCormick Place and 18th Street are served as flag stops for special events at McCormick Place convention center and Soldier Field.

See also Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad South Shore Line Airport Realignment

References

External links