CHICAGO — Amtrak’s Borealis reached the 250,000-passenger milestone during the July 4th holiday weekend, the passenger operator has announced.
The train, funded by the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, launched in May 2024. It continues to exceed initial passenger estimates, carring more than 18,500 passengers in its first month and reaching 100,000 riders in just 22 weeks [see “Amtrak’s Borealis hits 100,000-passenger mark …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 25, 2024]. The 250,000-rider figure came shortly after the train completed its 13th month of operation, meaning it is averaging more than 19,000 riders per month.
“Some of these guests have never before used Amtrak,” the company’s president, Roger Harris, said in a press release. “Now all of them can enjoy the benefits of train travel while avoiding the long drive on Interstate 94.”
Minnesota Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger said, “ “We remain pleased and encouraged by the early success of the Borealis and look forward to its continued growth,” while Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman said, “The Borealis continues to be a success story in Wisconsin and our partner states.” Said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi, “As a co-sponsor of the service, we view a quarter of a million riders as proof that our investments in regional transit make a real difference in the lives of people all across the Midwest.”
The Borealis was launched after a more than 10-year effort led by Minnesota supporters including the Great River Rail Commission and All Aboard Minnesota. Its debut was accelerated thanks to an agreement between Amtrak and CPKC, host railroad for much of the trip, under which CPKC allowed service to begin ahead of the completion of capital improvements as part of Amtrak’s support for the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger [see “Amtrak Borealis makes debut,” News Wire, May 21, 2024].
The train currently offers one-class service between Chicago and the Twin Cities, serving 11 intermediate stops. More information, including schedules, is available at the Amtrak website.
If it were in Europe, this line would have been electrified long ago… Promising news anyway.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
ANDY — Thanks for comments.
Last time I checked (mid-April) the second platform at MKA General Mitchell International Airport still wasn’t open. (Can’t say if opened since). What’s the point? The point is that until it opens (if it hasn’t already opened), all trains stopping at MKA (all except the Empire Builder) go both EB and WB on what is effectively a one-track railroad for passenger trains. Thus if a Hiawatha or Alice is late, it all boomerangs.
They might have reached 250,000 around Memorial Day if it weren’t for cold weather, withdrawing the Horizon cars from service and other excuses which forced them to cancel the train.
That is my question as well. It would interesting if Amtrak could give us a number of riders that take the EB when the Borealis is sold out for one or more legs MSP – MKE. Even that number probably is low as the EB is often too late for denied borealis passengers. What capacity does the rider association think is needed for each day of the week and for special occasions?
Maybe in a couple years when there is enough equipment for all of CHI we might get an idea?
My previous post really missed the number of missed riders MKE CHI that have to ride the EB..
I’m on the record on these pages as a huge supporter of Boring Alice, as well as a very satisfied customer. That doesn’t stop me from my right to look at the numbers.
As for the numbers of passengers, all of us reading these pages are capable of simple arithmetic. In looking at the numbers per train, please bear in mind that Alice is also a Hiawatha. East of Milwaukee, Alice didn’t add a frequency; she commandeered a frequency. These numbers include substantial ridership that was already there Milwaukee to Chicago on a midday Hiawatha.
It’s one thing to support a service, which I do, very much so. It’s another thing to take a corporate press release at face value, which is a bad habit.
Taking over a Hiawatha frequency means Business Class and food and beverage service for the first time on the Hiawatha route. That’s great. But it means something else. If an EB train is delayed from Saint Paul (which could happen, inevitably, even though infrequently), the clockwork OTP Milwaukee to Chicago would be lessened.
Those are legitimate points. You’d think Amtrak would be able to filter out and report as a subtotal to the Chicago – Milwaukee passengers.
Any report on when some of the deferred capital improvements may begin? They’re going to have to complete them before any serious discussions about adding a second frequency may begin.
The EB BoringAllis is frequently late thru Pewaukee. When everything is running smoothly, they have a good running meet with #7 between Pewaukee and Duplainville. Given all the track work up in the River Sub and elsewhere, being on-time here is generally 20-30 min ( sometimes more — like an hr +/- ) and frequently meet #7 at Nashotah or Cooney. These days, even the WB is down 20- 30 min at times.