Taking transit this holiday? Here are tips on family fares and free rides

A holiday staycation doesn’t mean hunkering down the entire time.

And for active suburbanites experiencing cabin fever, Metra and the Chicago Transit Authority are offering bargain tickets for day-trippers.

Now through Dec. 29, Metra is bringing back its Family Fares on weekdays that allow up to three children aged 11 and younger to ride free with an adult. Typically, Family Fares are just on weekends.

The commuter railroad also is selling $7 holiday passes for unlimited travel on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Meanwhile, the CTA has $5 all-you-ride 1-Day passes, while kids age 6 and younger can hop on for free.

New Year’s Eve revelers will also get a break.

Starting at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, Metra trains arriving at or departing from all downtown stations will be free.

“On some of its lines, Metra will hold the last train of the evening for a later departure time to accommodate customers attending New Year’s Eve festivities downtown,” officials said.

The final Metra trains to the suburbs will depart between 1:15 and 1:25 a.m.

For CTA passengers, Molson Coors is once again sponsoring its Miller Lite Free Rides program on trains and buses from 10 p.m. Dec. 31 to 4 a.m. Jan. 1.

For more information, go to Metra.com or CTA at transitchicago.com.

Drivers are also getting a Christmas bonus: Both the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois tollway are curtailing nonessential construction and reopening multiple closed lanes over the holidays.