Amtrak’s Borealis line awarded $38.6 million to cover operating costs

A federal grant will cover operating costs for Amtrak’s Borealis Service, which runs between Chicago and Minneapolis with eight Wisconsin stops in between.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $38.6 million grant to cover operating costs for the first six years of the Borealis’ service, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Gov. Tony Evers announced. The funding comes from the U.S. DOT’s Restoration and Enhancement Grants Program (R&E Program) and stems from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

In October, more than 100,000 passengers used the Borealis line, Amtrak officials said. Serve started in May 2024.

“Since its launch back in May, the Borealis train has already proved to be an asset to our state, providing a safe, efficient travel option for Wisconsin residents and visitors alike and increasing opportunity for economic development in our communities,” Evers said in a statement. The governor thanked Baldwin and the Biden-Harris Administration.

“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests in more than just roads and bridges, it’s investing in every way Wisconsinites travel and helping them get from A to B safely and more efficiently,” Baldwin said in a statement. “Investing in commuter rail gives Wisconsinites and visitors alike more options to explore the Badger state, support our local economies, and visit their loved ones. This investment doubles down on the success of Amtrak’s Borealis Service, reducing wear and tear on our roads, attracting new visitors, and bringing new business to our state,” she added.

The R&E Program helps with operating costs for eligible projects that will establish service on new routes, restore service on intercity passenger routes and improve service on existing routes, officials from Baldwin’s office said. The IIJA, also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, included $102 billion in total rail funding, including $250 million for the R&E Program, officials added.

“The Borealis service provides much-needed rail access for people living in smaller Wisconsin communities, and its success marks the first step in our efforts to expand passenger rail options to other parts of the state,” Kristina Boardman, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said in a statement. “Strong ridership during the first few months of Borealis service proves there is a demand for this alternative mode of travel and a need to continue finding new opportunities for the people of Wisconsin,” she added.

Borealis trains run daily trips from the Twin Cities to Chicago and has eight stops in Wisconsin: La Crosse, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Columbus, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport and Sturtevant.

In October, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded $72.8 million to the Muskego Yard Bypass project, which is expected to let freight trains bypass the intermodal station in downtown Milwaukee and open more frequency for passenger trains.

WisDOT is studying a new or enhanced passenger rail service to Green Bay, Eau Claire and Madison, connecting with the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, the governor’s office said.