Passenger demand for the Borealis train service between St. Paul and Chicago has exceeded early projections, with more than 205,800 journeys recorded in the service’s first 11 months.
The figures point to a strong demand for intercity rail travel in the Midwest, supporting calls for continued investment in regional passenger services.
Introduced in May 2024, the Borealis operates daily as part of a tri-state agreement between Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, and is run by Amtrak. It supplements the long-standing Empire Builder route, resulting in a combined ridership of over 293,000 between May 2024 and April 2025. This represents a 227 percent increase compared with the same period the previous year.
Amtrak President Roger Harris said:Amtrak is proud to celebrate a successful first year of the Borealis – and it’s only going to improve next year and beyond. Thanks to strong collaboration with our partners, we have exceeded expectations and provided a reliable, efficient, and safe way to travel between the Twin Cities and Chicago via Milwaukee.
Officials from all three states have highlighted the role of Borealis in providing a practical and reliable alternative to car or air travel, especially for communities previously underserved by rail. The service includes stops in both major cities and smaller towns, linking residents to wider employment, education, and leisure opportunities.
Minnesota Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger said:One year ago, we introduced a new, state-funded, intercity passenger rail service to Minnesota. Today, we are happy to share that the service has exceeded so many of our expectations, with ridership surpassing projections. The ridership numbers clearly demonstrate the need to have safe, reliable transportation options for Minnesotans, and we hope to continue building on its early success.
The Borealis departs daily from St. Paul in the early afternoon and from Chicago in the late morning. Onboard facilities include wide seating, onboard catering, and scenic views of the Mississippi River.
Preliminary ridership figures for individual stations show growth across nearly all stops compared to the previous year. Final ridership data for the first year will be published once Amtrak completes its monthly reporting cycle.
Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman said:WisDOT is proud to celebrate this milestone moment for passenger rail in our state. When the Borealis launched in May 2024, it was the first passenger rail service expansion in Wisconsin in more than two decades. The train has since become a resounding success story and the ridership data reflects that. It provides a transportation alternative for people living in smaller Wisconsin communities and a new way for Wisconsinites to explore big cities like Milwaukee, Chicago, and the Twin Cities.
The Borealis is currently funded as a state-supported service, and officials have indicated they will continue to assess passenger needs as they consider future enhancements to the route and potential service expansions.
Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi said:The demand for convenient, reliable passenger rail in Illinois always has been strong, but the early success of the Borealis line shows that appetite extends beyond our borders and throughout the Midwest.
We look forward to working with our partner states on ways to strengthen service in the years ahead and explore future opportunities to offer more travel options for our residents and visitors.
Building on this success, Amtrak continues to invest in service expansions across the US.
