Amtrak Borealis Line Celebrates 100,000 Passengers

The St. Paul-to-Chicago train served more than 22,000 passengers in August.

1 minute read

October 28, 2024, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Red Amtrak Borealis train in St. Paul Union Station depot.

Trainsfan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

Amtrak’s Borealis line, launched in May 2024, reached 100,000 riders this week, outpacing a prediction that it would serve between 125,000 and 135,000 passengers per year, reports Tim Harlow in The Minnesota Star Tribune.

The train, which runs between St. Paul and Chicago and serves multiple other cities, runs once a day each way and take roughly 7.5 hours for the entire trip. “Ridership started strong with 18,500 passengers hopping on board during its first month of service. Since then, numbers have remained strong with more than 22,000 riding in August followed by a slight dip to just under 18,800 in September, according to All Aboard Minnesota.”

Thursday, October 24, 2024 in Minneapolis Star-Tribune

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Streetcar and bus stopped at station on Market Street in San Francisco with Ferry Building visible in background.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street

If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

April 16 - San Francisco Examiner

Parklet with wooden benches and flower boxes on street in Ireland.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces

Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

April 16 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Bronze statue of homeless man (Jesus) with head down and arm outstretched in front of St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.

April 16 - The New York Times