Southport is one of two original station buildings still in use on the New Haven Line. The one on the east side was built in 1884 to replace a previous station house that burned down.
It was rebuilt with a simple design in brick, exhibiting a Craftsman influence. The interior was clad in glazed brick and had paving brick floors.
The Station House
Southport Station serves the Metro-North Railroad’s New Haven Line. Its two offset, high-level side platforms berth four cars each of the trains that pass through here. The station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The station house, a small, square building set back from the street, has a brick exterior clad in aluminum wall panels. Its front elevation is anchored by aluminum-framed doors topped with vertical bands of glazed brick and metal coping.
The building houses two side passageways leading to the platforms. The platform canopies are typical of the 1907 Ravenswood branch design and feature gently arched roofs supported by curved support columns, paired with latticed framing. In the past, passengers exited through one of the rear doors and then passed through the full-height grillework down the center of the passageway to access the stairs leading to their desired platform. This arrangement was shifted in later years so that the stairs could be accessed through either rotogate.
The Platforms
The station houses two side platforms, with tracks on either side of them. They are elevated above street-level, with a low-rise brick-built station house on the up platform and a canopy covering stairs from the down platform down to the street.
The canopy design, which was first used by the Ravenswood branch of the Chicago & Oak Park Elevated Railroad and later adopted by Charles Yerkes’ “L” system, combines a gently arched roof with latticed trusses and a decorative sunflower rosettes in a geometric pattern.
Stairways to the platforms are located at the back of the paid area, angled to reduce walking distances. Once at the top of the stairway, the platforms are accessible by elevators for ADA access.
Southport is one of five stations on the Brown Line that have been remodeled to accommodate eight-car trains. The other four are Paulina, Belmont, Diversey and Wellington. In early 2007, Banton crews began work to upgrade the platforms, extend them and renovate the station house to accommodate the new longer trains.
The Pedestrian Walkway
Southport station is located in one of the town’s main shopping areas, with stores such as Marks and Spencer and Wilko a short walk away. The station also has a M to Go store where passengers can purchase tickets and snacks.
The platforms at Southport feature canopies that cover the stairs from the platform to street level. The canopy design, which was first used on the 1907 Ravenswood branch stations and then adopted by Charles Yerkes’ Chicago Elevated Railroads and CTA, is set back from the station house walls to minimize their impact on the front elevation of the building.
Southport is served by the Northern and Merseyrail train services, with trains from Liverpool Central arriving in 59m, and those from Stalybridge and Alderley Edge reaching the station in 1h 42m. In addition, five existing CTA bus routes—#9 Ashland, #22 Clark, #77 Belmont, #152 Addison, and the X9 Ashland Express—stop nearby. Searching for an apartment close to Southport Station CTA? Apartment Finder is your guide to the best deals in the area.
The Fares
Southport Station is located right in the middle of a pedestrianised shopping area. The main entrance to the station is through a parade of shops on Chapel Street, and all platforms can be accessed step-free from there. There’s also a drop-off zone and taxi rank on London Street, and an NCP car park further along. The station is also home to storage space for 162 bikes.
There are around 39 trains per day traveling between London and Southport, with the earliest departures leaving at around 05:30 and the last train departing at 23:30. If you want to travel on this route with ease, booking ahead is recommended.
By buying your tickets online in advance, you can secure the cheapest fares. Plus, if you have a Railcard, you could slash the cost of your trip by 1/3! Find cheap tickets to Southport by searching Omio’s extensive range of train times and routes. We’ve partnered with leading train operators, including Avanti West Coast, Northern Rail and Merseyrail, so you’re sure to find the best deal for your journey.
