Borealis - MnDOT

About the Borealis®

Map of potential Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago intercity passenger rail service (formerly referred to as 2nd Train). — Map of Borealis intercity passenger rail service. This service will add an additional daily round-trip passenger train to the existing Amtrak Empire Builder corridor between the Twin Cities and Chicago. View full-size map.

The Borealis® is a new daily passenger train between St. Paul, Milwaukee and Chicago. This round-trip service will begin on May 21, 2024.

Borealis will serve communities all along the 411-mile rail corridor (used by Amtrak’s long-distance Empire Builder), connecting rural and urban areas with another choice for safe, reliable transportation. With late morning departures and early evening arrivals in St. Paul and Chicago, the train offers more choices, convenient travel times and better on-time performance for both passenger and freight trains.

The Borealis service is a partnership with the Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Transportation, with funding assistance from the Federal Railroad Administration. Amtrak is providing the service.

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Other existing passenger rail service:

Amtrak feasibility study

This project is based on recommendations of Amtrak’s 2015 feasibility report (PDF) on the proposed service. The favorable ridership and revenue projections identified in the feasibility report supported a more detailed study of the proposed service.

Phase 1 environmental study

MnDOT and its partners completed a Phase 1 study that evaluated alternatives for track and other infrastructure improvements required for a second trip, along with anticipated costs. The Phase 1 scope of work included:

Environmental tasks to prepare a Purpose and Need Statement (PDF) and a Service Alternatives Analysis (PDF) that fulfills state and federal environmental requirements
An operations analysis to evaluate and determine how the additional frequency can be operated most efficiently with freight trains on the Saint Paul to Chicago corridor and integrate with the Hiawatha schedule between Milwaukee and Chicago
Evaluation of railroad infrastructure to determine improvement needs and development of conceptual engineering plans. This will ensure states become eligible for federal funding and allow the project to advance toward implementation
Development of capital cost estimates for approved infrastructure improvements based on the conceptual engineering plans
Stakeholder and public engagement

Phase 2 environmental study

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has been taking the lead on the final phase of the Project. Phase 2 of the project involves the completion of environmental review and preparation of a Service Development Plan. As of May 2021, MnDOT and WisDOT filed a categorical exclusion with the FRA. MnDOT and WisDOT are anticipating FRA approval by mid-summer. The FRA is also reviewing a draft Service Development Plan.

Capital costs

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Consolidated Railroad Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant awarded $31.8 million in September 2020 for final design and construction of required railroad improvements to implement TCMC passenger trains.
Amtrak has committed $5 million in funding
MnDOT has committed $10 million in funding
WisDOT has committed $6.5 million in funding

Operating costs

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Restoration & Enhancement Program grant awarded $12.6 million in May 2020 to offset cost of operations for the first three years.
On-going operating costs will be shared between Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's TCMC project page for more information on public engagement, funding, location, and the project schedule.