A New Path to Chicago from Minnesota

If you want to plan a trip to Chicago to see your favorite team play against a Chicago team, visit family or see one of the many other attractions in the Windy City, one of the biggest drawbacks to making that trip is the traffic in the area. The congestion, being about to find parking, etc., these are real issues.

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Well, that may no longer be an objection when a daily train service is established that would be leaving from St. Paul. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is seeking input from Minnesota residents on the service that would have stops in Milwaukee and then Chicago.

The trip from the Twin-Cities area to Chicago will last about seven and a half hours one way, with stops in Red Wing and Winona in Minnesota as well as the previously mentioned City of Milwaukee. Other stops include LaCrosse, Columbus, and the Milwaukee Airport among a few other Wisconsin stops and then Glenview right outside of Chicago.

The state Departments of Transportation in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois are sponsoring the service that will be operated by Amtrak. There will be morning and mid-day departures for this service to offer flexibility for travelers.

The survey that MnDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation) is asking residents about their use of the service and seeking input to make the service run smoother. The agreements between the States, the Federal Government and the Railway have been finalized and construction is expected to begin next year with a completion date of 2026.

Minnesota Department of Transportation Survey