Amtrak plans to launch new train service later this month, expanding access between the Twin Cities and Chicago.
The new Amtrak Borealis train will run on May 21 with an afternoon departure from St. Paul and an early morning departure from Chicago, according to the railroad. This train will be his second daily choice to travel between the two major cities.
Tickets start at just $41 for bus fare.
“A second daily passenger rail service connecting St. Paul and Chicago via Milwaukee is a welcome addition to our transportation system and will continue to improve passenger “We offer more choice and travel flexibility,” it said in a statement. This addition will “provide an additional safe and reliable means of transportation.”
Once in service, the Borealis trains will stop on the current Empire Builder Line between St. Paul and Milwaukee, as well as the Hiawatha Line between Milwaukee and Chicago, Amtrak said. The train makes several stops in Wisconsin, including the popular Wisconsin Dells.
The entire trip takes just under 7 hours and 30 minutes.
Each Borealis train features both coach and business class seating, a cafe car with local produce, and views of the Mississippi River between St. Paul and La Crosse, Wisconsin. The new service is sponsored by the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, the railroad said.
“This is a victory for American passenger rail expansion and, more importantly, for the growing number of Americans who rely on and benefit from passenger rail,” Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose said in a statement. It’s a victory.” “Investing in rail has long helped people in the Midwest and the region’s economy. This new service will increase access for people traveling between Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois while contributing to economic growth. That means.”
Amtrak raised speed limits to 110 mph along the Chicago-St. Louis corridor last year, allowing travelers heading from Chicago to get to their destination faster.