New Amtrak Borealis Expands Service Between St Paul and Chicago Through Milwaukee

Image: Amtrak's Midwestern train routes are expanding with the Borealis train.  (Photo Credit: Amtrak)
Image: Amtrak's Midwestern train routes are expanding with the Borealis train. (Photo Credit: Amtrak)
Lacey Pfalz
by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:05 AM ET, Thu May 2, 2024

Amtrak, which saw a surge in train ridership in 2023, will be offering a second daily service between St. Paul and Chicago through the city of Milwaukee with a new Borealis train, starting May 21, 2024. 

Tickets for the Borealis train route are now available to book on Amtrak’s website and app. Adult fares begin at $41 each way between St. Paul and Chicago. The route will offer both Coach and Business Class categories. Amenities include a cafe car, no middle seats, free Wi-Fi and scenic views of the Mississippi River. 

The Borealis route will follow the current Empire Builder stops between St. Paul’s Union Depot station and Milwaukee and the Hiawatha stops between Milwaukee and Chicago. The new service is sponsored by the three states that it serves and was created in conjunction with the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification Program.

"This is a win for passenger rail expansion in America, and more importantly, it's a win for a growing number of Americans who rely on passenger rail and benefit from it," said Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose. "Investments in rail have long helped Midwesterners and the region's economy, and this new service will mean additional access for people traveling between Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois while contributing to economic growth.”

"The Federal Railroad Administration applauds the strong partnership between the states and Amtrak, and through President Biden's infrastructure package, we know even more progress is underway," Bose added.


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Lacey Pfalz

Lacey Pfalz

Senior Editor, News & Features

Lacey Pfalz is Associate Editor at TravelPulse. She's a passionate advocate of responsible travel and believes the best travel experiences happen outside of a planned itinerary. Lacey currently lives in rural Wisconsin. She can be reached at [email protected].

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