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South Shore Line
The South Shore Line (reporting mark NICD) is an electrically powered commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, and the South Bend Airport station in South Bend, Indiana, United States. The name refers to both the physical line and the service operated over that route. It primarily serves the Indiana portion of the Chicago metropolitan area.
The line was built in 1901–1908 by predecessors of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad, which continues to operate freight service. Passenger operation was assumed by the NICTD in 1989, who also purchased the track in 1990. The South Shore Line is one of the last surviving interurban trains in the United States. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 1,766,600, or about 6,500 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025.
Departing South Bend Airport, the South Shore Line 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 South Shore Line 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 line crosses from St. Joseph County into LaPorte County and enters the Central Time Zone.
From Hudson Lake, the South Shore 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 station, the route 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 south of Kensington/115th Street station. The South Shore Line then runs over the Metra Electric from Kensington/115th Street the rest of the way to Millennium Station.
The line is quadruple tracked along the section shared with the Metra Electric line from Millennium Station to Kensington/115th Street, double-tracked from Kensington/115th Street to the yard at Michigan City, and single-tracked from there to South Bend Airport.
The most recent revision to the schedule took effect on July 1, 2025. More changes are expected in the future as the West Lake Corridor and Millennium Station fourth main track projects are completed.
In the westbound direction, 26 trains terminate at Millennium Station. Six of these trips run the whole length of the line from South Bend 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 Airport, while 6 trains terminate at Miller and the remainder terminate at either Carroll Avenue or 11th Street.
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South Shore Line
The South Shore Line (reporting mark NICD) is an electrically powered commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, and the South Bend Airport station in South Bend, Indiana, United States. The name refers to both the physical line and the service operated over that route. It primarily serves the Indiana portion of the Chicago metropolitan area.
The line was built in 1901–1908 by predecessors of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad, which continues to operate freight service. Passenger operation was assumed by the NICTD in 1989, who also purchased the track in 1990. The South Shore Line is one of the last surviving interurban trains in the United States. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 1,766,600, or about 6,500 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025.
Departing South Bend Airport, the South Shore Line 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 South Shore Line 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 line crosses from St. Joseph County into LaPorte County and enters the Central Time Zone.
From Hudson Lake, the South Shore 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 station, the route 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 south of Kensington/115th Street station. The South Shore Line then runs over the Metra Electric from Kensington/115th Street the rest of the way to Millennium Station.
The line is quadruple tracked along the section shared with the Metra Electric line from Millennium Station to Kensington/115th Street, double-tracked from Kensington/115th Street to the yard at Michigan City, and single-tracked from there to South Bend Airport.
The most recent revision to the schedule took effect on July 1, 2025. More changes are expected in the future as the West Lake Corridor and Millennium Station fourth main track projects are completed.
In the westbound direction, 26 trains terminate at Millennium Station. Six of these trips run the whole length of the line from South Bend 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 Airport, while 6 trains terminate at Miller and the remainder terminate at either Carroll Avenue or 11th Street.