CHICAGO — Amtrak will begin restoring Borealis service between Chicago and St. Paul, Minn., on Thursday, March 27, using Superliner equipment in place of the Horizon cars sidelined because of corrosion issues.
Meanwhile, bus substitution for about half of the trains on the Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha route will continue “until further notice.”
Some 70 Horizon coaches and food-service cars were pulled from service as of today (March 26) because of the corrosion concerns, leading to cancellation of the Borealis, some Hiawathas, and most Amtrak Cascades trains in the Pacific Northwest [see “Amtrak sidelines Horizon car fleet …,” Trains News Wire, March 26, 2025].
But in a service advisory released this evening, Amtrak said the westbound Borealis will operate Thursday, with both trains operating on Friday, March 28, and thereafter. Passengers holding Business Class tickets will be receive refunds for the difference between business class and coach fares, the advisory says, “as bilevel railcars now operating on Borealis trains do not support business class.”
Hiawatha frequencies not using Horizon cars will continue to operate, but buses have been chartered for the other trains until further notice, the company says.
An advisory regarding Cascades service on the Amtrak website says bus substitution for most trains will continue until further notice. As with the Borealis, those holding Business Class tickets will be refunded the difference between that and coach fare.
