In about the same time it would take to drive, you can now take a train from Chicago to Minneapolis/St Paul. Costs 40 bucks.
Response has been overwhelmingly positive. Give people good trains and they will ride em.
Thousands of passengers rode the second daily Amtrak service between the Twin Cities and Chicago, via Milwaukee in the first full month of operation, according to new data released from the agency on Monday.
The first full month of the Borealis trains between St. Paul and Chicago shows ridership of more than 18,500 passengers, according to preliminary figures. That’s about 300 passengers boarding each of the eastbound and westbound trains daily.The second daily round-trip passenger train runs from Chicago to the Twin Cities— by way of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells and La Crosse, and has been in the works since 2015. The new train service starts from St. Paul at midday and from Chicago in the late morning.
“Borealis marks the first passenger rail service expansion in Wisconsin in 22 years and people are responding,” said Craig Thompson, Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) in a statement. “The initial data is promising and reflects the hard work done by WisDOT, our partner states and Amtrak to bring this service to the people of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. We’re hopeful the more people that ride Borealis and like it, the more successful it will be.”
Passengers started taking the second daily service in May 2024. The train makes the current Empire Builder stops between St. Paul and Milwaukee and the Hiawatha stops between Milwaukee and Chicago.
Coach fares start at $41 each way between St. Paul and Chicago for adults, with discounts for children ages 2-12, students, seniors, veterans, military personnel and families, and groups. For more information, you can visit Amtrak’s website at www.amtrak.com/Borealis.
From Chicago to St. Paul is 400 miles, well within the distance at which high speed rail is faster than flying, door to door. 80% more efficient than flying or driving, it could also be made much cheaper than either if it were funded at least as well as the Interstate Highway System.
That system is a huge, real & symbolic subsidy for fossil fuels, especially long distance trucking. If civilization is to survive, such subsidies have to be ended for fossil fuels, moved to renewables, & doubled or more.
If the US wants trains it will take a peaceful revolution.