ST. PAUL, Minnesota — Amtrak’s Borealis service between the Twin Cities and Chicago has carried more than 416,000 passengers since launching two years ago, continuing to exceed expectations and helping drive a broader ridership increase in the corridor.
The state-supported service began in May 2024 through a partnership among Amtrak and transportation agencies in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, with support from Federal Railroad Administration grants. The trains operate under contracts with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Borealis trains leave St. Paul at midday and Chicago in the late morning, offering café service with regional items and Mississippi River views between St. Paul and La Crosse, Wisconsin.
The service supplements Amtrak’s Empire Builder between St. Paul and Chicago, giving passengers two daily departures in each direction. When combined with Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service between Milwaukee and Chicago, total corridor ridership has reached nearly 1.8 million passengers, a 27% increase over two years, Amtrak said.
State and federal transportation officials cited ridership as evidence of demand for reliable passenger rail options across the Upper Midwest. Amtrak said the response to Borealis also reflects a broader trend across its network, with riders seeking alternatives to driving and responding to corridors with multiple daily frequencies.
Amtrak said it expects to add seating capacity and more service in the corridor in the coming months and years.
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