Amtrak Borealis ridership tops 416,000 passengers
Amtrak Borealis ridership has again exceeded earlier projections. The line launched in 2024. Since then, it has carried more than 416,000 passengers. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
A 2015 feasibility study had put expected annual ridership at about 155,000 passengers. The service passed 212,000 riders in its first year alone.
“The Borealis line is a testament to what happens when we prioritize the American traveler,” said Federal Railroad Administrator David Fink in an Amtrak press release.
Amtrak Borealis ridership and corridor service
The Borealis line connects Chicago with Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Trains leave St. Paul at midday. They depart Chicago in the late morning. The service adds a second daily roundtrip on the route. It supplements the existing Amtrak Empire Builder service.
Also, passengers between Chicago and Milwaukee are served by the Hiawatha. It operates several daily trips in both directions.
Amtrak officials said total annual ridership across the corridor is now approaching 1.8 million passengers. That marks a 27% increase since Borealis began operating two years ago.
State-supported Borealis route
Borealis is a state-supported route. Amtrak operates the service through contracts with the Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation. The route also has support from Federal Railroad Administration grants. Representatives of the transportation departments in all three states said they 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.
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