Amtrak's Borealis reaches half-million ridership milestone

Amtrak and partner states of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois report that more than 500,000 passengers have taken Borealis trains between St. Paul and Chicago since the service began in May 2024.

Since the launch, over 2.2 million passengers have ridden Amtrak trains on the St. Paul-Chicago corridor, which is used by the Borealis, the Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago, and the Empire Builder between Seattle/Portland and Chicago via St. Paul and Milwaukee.

The Borealis is operated daily by Amtrak under contracts with the Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois departments of transportation. The service has routinely exceeded ridership expectations since its launch, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

Borealis trains originate from St. Paul at midday and from Chicago in late morning. The service includes a stop in Milwaukee.

“Borealis is a huge success and the numbers are impressive, so investing in passenger rail was certainly the right choice by these three states,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell. “The data shows ridership is up in our Amtrak Midwest network and nationwide as more and more people want an affordable, comfortable and productive way to travel while avoiding record-high costs of driving.”