Amtrak’s Borealis Exceeds First Year Ridership Expectations

The Amtrak Borealis line, which runs from St. Paul to Chicago, surpassed ridership expectations during its first year, serving over 200,000 passengers as of April 30 (May numbers are yet to be finalized).

As Tm Harlow reports in The Minnesota Star Tribune, original estimates projected just up to 135,000 annual riders. But the line, which connects the two cities via a 7.5 hour daily trip, has proven much more popular. “In Minnesota, Borealis traffic by station, including total boardings and getting off the train, was 106,581 in St. Paul, 11,336 in Red Wing and 11,372 in Winona, according to Amtrak.”

Another Minnesota Amtrak line, the Empire Builder, also saw a growth in ridership, signaling strong demand for intercity trains in the region. Advocacy group All Aboard Minnesota is pushing for extending the Borealis line to St. Cloud, Detroit Lakes, and the Fargo-Moorhead area, as well as advocating for a Twin Cities-to-Kansas City line that would connect to other national routes.