Ventra/CTA U-Pass FAQ

The Ventra U-Pass is a student discounted fare card that permits unlimited rides on “CTA” Chicago Transit Authority buses and trains.

Incoming students are automatically issued a Ventra U-Pass upon matriculation to Feinberg. All enrolled students are billed via CAESAR an activity fee annually to cover the cost of the Ventra U-Pass throughout the academic year.

All currently enrolled Feinberg MD Program students are eligible to receive the Ventra U-Pass.

The card is a contactless card. All you need to do is tap it to the Ventra reader to pay your fare. Do not insert your card into the fare equipment. It will capture and damage the card which will cost you $50.00 to replace.

Remove your card from your wallet and separate it from your debit/credit cards before tapping to prevent the Ventra reader from deducting fare from your bank cards.  

Some students have discovered that their credit or debit card with Blink technology has been charged after tapping their wallet on the Ventra card portal. To avoid this issue, remove your U-Pass from your wallet or separate it from other credit/debit cards when tapping it on the Ventra portal.

If your credit or debit card is charged by the CTA, you should contact the CTA/Ventra Customer Service Center at: 1-877-669-8368

No, unless you are not enrolled or on a leave of absence from Feinberg. All enrolled students are charged the activity fee whether or not they choose to use the U-Pass.

Ventra U-passes for currently enrolled Feinberg MD program students are active year-round. This includes the winter break and summer quarter periods in order to accommodate extra-academic projects that may occur during those times.

Ventra U-passes are distributed one-time to incoming students after matriculation. The card will last for four years, and does not need to be replaced unless lost, stolen, damaged or defective.

Activating your Ventra U-Pass before first use is mandatory. If you use your Ventra U-Pass before activating, your Ventra U-Pass may go into regular fare mode and begin accruing a negative transit value and the card will stop working. You will not be able to use it until the balance is restored to zero.

Registering your Ventra U-Pass before first use is optional. Registering your Ventra U-Pass before first use can allow you to protect your purchased passes and transit values that you may have added in order to travel on Pace buses or for use while your card is not active with the school.

• Please call 1-877-669-8368 to activate your card before first use. 
• Please call 1-877-450-5328 or visit: ventrachicago.com to register your card.

U-Passes may be used as full-fare cards on Pace buses. You will need to load money on to your card at the Ventra kiosk or at: ventrachicago.com in order to use it with Pace. The Metra commuter train does not participate in the Ventra program at this time.

If your Ventra U-Pass is lost, damaged or stolen:

1. Go to Depository Services at Abbott Hall, 710 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago (between the hours of 9:00am-1:00pm or 2:00pm-4:00pm –Monday - Friday)
2. Bring $50.00 for the replacement fee (cash, check or cashier’s check only)
3. Bring your Wildcard ID.
4. Fill out an affidavit for your lost stolen or damaged card.
5. Depository Services will send the replacement request to CTA and you will be contacted when it has arrived with pick-up location information.

If your Ventra U-Pass is not working, please contact your campus U-Pass administrator, Linda Daniels at: l-daniels2@northwestern.edu or Ventra Customer Service Center at 877-669-8368 to verify the status of your card. If the status of your card is active and still not working, you will be required to visit the Ventra Customer Service Center to determine if your card is defective or damaged.

The Ventra Customer Service Center is located at CTA Headquarters at: 165 N. Jefferson Street, Chicago. They are open Monday-Friday between 8:00-4:30pm.

If your card is determined to be defective, you will be given a replacement voucher to be given to the campus U-Pass administrator to process a replacement pass, and also a 7 day pass to use until the new card arrives.

The replacement Ventra U-Pass takes 3-7 business days to arrive. All Feinberg MD program students will be notified when to pick their passes up at the Augusta Webster MD, Office of Medical Education.

No you do not need a new issued pass from Feinberg if your pass was issued less than four years ago, your Ventra U-Pass can be transferred to the Feinberg U-Pass database by providing a copy of the front and back of your card.

No. Your U-Pass is for your use only and cannot be transferred or sold. If this rule is violated, Ventra reserves the right to confiscate the card and prohibit you from having a U-Pass for a full year, and/or press criminal charges. 

You will also continue to be liable for the annual activity fee, even while your card is on suspended status.