Gov. Evers, Sen. Baldwin, WisDOT, Amtrak Celebrate $38.6 Million Federal Investment in Wisconsin Passenger Rail Service

“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,” said Gov. Evers. “Thanks to the tremendous support of our federal partners, including Senator Baldwin and the Biden-Harris Administration, this investment will help further support our efforts to expand and grow passenger rail across the state and allow us to continue building the 21st-century transportation system Wisconsinites need and deserve.”

“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. 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,” said U.S. Sen. Baldwin. “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.”

“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,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “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.”

The state-sponsored Borealis train service launched in May 2024 and is the first passenger rail service expansion in Wisconsin in more than two decades. In his 2023-25 biennial budget, Gov. Evers proposed more than $3.5 million to support the implementation of a second daily round-trip passenger train between the Twin Cities, Milwaukee, and Chicago. The final budget, as enacted by Gov. Evers, included $971,200 for the new Borealis route. In October 2024, less than six months after its launch, the Borealis trains surpassed 100,000 riders, exceeding initial ridership projections.

“The future for the Borealis service is as strong and bright as the Northern Lights because this grant solidifies the federal commitment for the first six years of service for the state partners and Amtrak,” said Amtrak Vice President of State Supported Services Ray Lang. “There is more progress to come in the next few years: including WisDOT’s completion of the expanded Airport Station and the CPKC freight bypass—both will increase Amtrak capacity at Milwaukee—and improvements being made along the route that can improve reliability and shorten schedules in Minnesota and Wisconsin.”

This multi-million-dollar investment, received in partnership with Amtrak and the states of Minnesota and Illinois, will cover costs for staffing, equipment, fuel, and more for the Borealis trains, which run daily trips from the Twin Cities to Chicago, including eight stops in Wisconsin: La Crosse, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Columbus, Milwaukee, the Milwaukee airport, and Sturtevant.

The R&E Grant Program supports projects that initiate, restore, or enhance intercity passenger rail transportation. In 2020, a $12.6 million R&E grant was awarded to the Borealis project to offset the cost of operation for the first three years.

Wisconsin was also awarded a $72.8 million federal grant in 2024 to improve freight and passenger rail services in Wisconsin and reconfigure rail facilities in Milwaukee, the largest non-highway discretionary grant and the largest rail grant WisDOT has received to date through the BIL. The funding allows Wisconsin to support potential new and expanded passenger rail services between Milwaukee and Chicago via the popular Amtrak Hiawatha rail service route. The upgrades are also critical to the success of four proposed passenger rail corridors being studied now through the FRA’s Corridor Identification and Development Program. WisDOT is assessing the feasibility of bringing new or enhanced passenger rail service to Wisconsin communities such as Green Bay, Eau Claire, and Madison, connecting with the Milwaukee Intermodal Station.