Amtrak announces new route between St. Paul and Chicago
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Amtrak announced on Wednesday a new service connecting the Twin Cities to Chicago set to open later this month.
The daily passenger train will depart from the St. Paul Union Depot at 11:50 a.m. and arrive in Chicago at 7:14 p.m. It will depart Chicago at 11:05 a.m. and arrive in St. Paul at 6:29 p.m.
Currently, the Empire Builder departs from Chicago and passes through St. Paul before going to either Seattle or Portland. The new service, named Borealis, is about 30 minutes faster than the Empire Builder.
The current advertised price for a one-way coach ticket on the train is $41 with discounts available for students, seniors, veterans and others.
"A second daily passenger rail service connecting St. Paul to Chicago via Milwaukee is a welcome addition to our transportation system, providing more choices and travel flexibility for passengers," Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, said.
The new service is expected to have 125,000 to 150,000 passengers each year and is estimated to bring in $25 million to Minnesota annually, according to All Aboard Minnesota.
The route is scheduled to start on May 21.