Amtrak's Borealis surpasses expectations for second year

Ridership of Amtrak’s Borealis line has once again exceeded expectations; more than 416,000 passengers have used the service since it was launched in 2024. A 2015 feasibility study originally predicted annual ridership would be about 155,000; the service passed 212,000 in its first year.

“The Borealis line is a testament to what happens when we prioritize the American traveler,” said Federal Railroad Administrator David Fink in a press release.

The Borealis connects Chicago and Minnesota's Twin Cities, departing from St. Paul at midday and Chicago in the late morning. It adds a second daily roundtrip along that route to the preexisting Amtrak Empire Builder. Additional service between Chicago and Milwaukee is provided by the Hiawatha, which offers several north- and south-bound trips daily. Total ridership in the corridor now approaches 1.8 million passengers annually, an increase of 27% since the Borealis launched two years ago, Amtrak officials said. 

The state-supported Borealis route is operated by Amtrak under contracts with the Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation, with support from Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grants. Representatives of all three state transportation departments expressed hope to expand service in the future.

“The strong response to the Borealis service is indicative of what we see across our network. People want another choice besides driving, and offering service multiple times daily supercharges the number of customers who choose Amtrak because our schedules fit their needs," said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell.