Borealis train ridership falls despite packed cars

Borealis train ridership is falling even as Amtrak’s Chicago–St. Paul Borealis route continues to depart with cars almost full. Compared with last year, however, fewer people overall are choosing this service despite those busy trains.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Borealis train ridership and Great River Rail Commission data

At the November meeting of the Great River Rail Commission, commission members reviewed ridership figures for the Amtrak Borealis route.

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The data showed trains running at 97 percent capacity in July and 89 percent in August, yet total passenger numbers on the corridor have still gone down. In other words, the cars are close to full on individual trips, but over time fewer passengers are using the service.

Horizon cars corrosion issues and Superliner capacity

There are now simply fewer seats available on the Borealis train. Amtrak has not returned the cars that were taken out of service earlier this year. In March, the Horizon cars used on the Borealis route were withdrawn because of corrosion issues, a step also discussed by Railway Supply. They were replaced by Superliner cars, which remain in operation on the line. The Horizon cars could carry about 286 passengers, while the Superliner cars carry approximately 210 people, so each train now offers lower capacity.

Dynamic pricing and higher fares on the Borealis line

Greg Mathis of the Minnesota Department of Transportation said they continue to make regular requests for more cars on the Borealis line. Because the train is often sold out, passengers can end up paying higher fares under Amtrak’s dynamic pricing system, a sign of strong demand also highlighted by Railway Supply.

The Borealis train schedule provides one trip per day in each direction between Chicago and St. Paul, with the route passing through La Crosse.

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