Greetings!
Thank you for your interest in the Great River Rail commission, Borealis trains, and expanded passenger rail options along the Mississippi River Route. This eNewsletter is our 2025 Annual Report. It includes a recap of news and Great River Rail Commission activities over the last year, and previews next steps.
Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues who may be interested in passenger rail news.
| | Great River Rail Commission Update | | |
The Great River Rail Commission could not be more excited about the success of the Borealis train. Starting a second passenger train along the Mississippi River Route between the Twin Cities and Chicago was the commission’s primary goal for years. In 2025, the commission began the process of asking “what’s next?” The commission's long range vision since 2019 has been that a “second” train, complementing the Empire Builder, be implemented so that it could demonstrate demand for further investment in faster, more frequent passenger rail service.
With the success of Borealis, the commission is refocusing on new goals, which could include this preliminary list:
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Another car on the Borealis train.
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Bicycles on Borealis and Empire Builder.
- A solution to “the last mile” problem in Red Wing, Winona and La Crosse.
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Advancement to Phase 2 for a future Second Borealis between the Twin Cities and Chicago along the Mississippi River Route.
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Advocate against legislation that would negatively impact operation of the Borealis or Empire Builder trains.
Passenger Rail Advocacy Partners
The Great River Rail Commission partners closely with a number of organizations and individuals who share in the desire to increase passenger rail service in Minnesota. The success of the Borealis train would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of these groups - thank you for your service!
| | Great River Rail News: Year in Review | |
March
Borealis switched to Superliner Cars after Horizon Fleet grounded Horizon passenger rail cars used by Borealis and several other Amtrak passenger rail lines were pulled from service March 26 due to the discovery of corrosion on the vehicles.
On the afternoon of March 27, Borealis service resumed using Superliner cars. These are the same type of cars used on the Empire Builder service between Seattle and Chicago, running along the same route through Minnesota.
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May
Happy Anniversary, Borealis! Borealis celebrated its one-year anniversary on May 21, 2025, with nearly 200,000 riders having traveled between Saint Paul and Chicago since service began—far exceeding initial expectations. According to Chris Meyer, chair of the Great River Rail Commission, the train's success demonstrated strong demand for comfortable, affordable travel to major destinations along the Mississippi River Route.
Anniversary recognition events took place in station cities including Red Wing, Winona, and La Crosse, featuring proclamations, giveaways, and small receptions. Read the full story here.
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Borealis FY2025
By the numbers:
Oct 2024 - Sept 2025
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Borealis ridership - 212,900
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Borealis load factor - 72%
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Borealis cost recovery - 50%
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Borealis passengers arrived on time - 56.9%
| |  | Dedicated public servant and tireless passenger rail advocate Andru Peters passed away. He was a steadfast member and Vice Chair of the Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission (precursor of the Great River Rail Commission - GRRC) and a passionate supporter of passenger rail. He championed transportation improvements across Minnesota, especially through his work with the GRRC. Whether in St. Paul or his hometown of Lake City, Andru worked tirelessly to advance the interests of veterans, rural communities, and public transit. Read more. | Phone calls and emails from passenger rail supporters may have played a role in removing language from the omnibus transportation bill that would have lowered operations funding for the Borealis in the 2028-29 biennium. Capital projects to improve tracks and signals in Minnesota remain fully funded. A passenger rail account at the Minnesota Department of Transportation was created by the legislature in 2023 to be funded from property taxes paid by railroad operators. The process was to start in 2027, but was delayed by the legislature to 2029. | |
August
The Borealis train reached 250,000 passengers in just over a year of service, with Amtrak announcing the milestone over the July 4th holiday. Minnesota Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger said the ridership demonstrates demand for safe, equitable, and reliable transportation options in the state, adding that officials are encouraged by the service's early success.
Read more: Amtrak, KARE-11, and Trains.com
October
The Borealis achieved an 82% average load factor this summer, among the highest in the Amtrak system, according to Minnesota Department of Transportation's Greg Mathis at the September Great River Rail Commission meeting. This means trains were essentially full, he noted, adding that 100% is impossible since passengers board and depart at different stops along the route.
Track and signal improvements for the Borealis and Empire Builder services are advancing toward construction, with most work in Minnesota. Design plans are 90 percent complete and under state review before federal submission. Utility relocations and right of way acquisition, underway for a year and a half, continue through their two-year timeline.
December
The Borealis continues experiencing strong demand, with capacity reaching 97% and 89% in July and August, MnDOT's Greg Mathis told the Great River Rail Commission in November. Ridership is lower than last year due to fewer seats following March passenger car replacements. Trains are often sold out, driving higher fares through dynamic pricing. MnDOT regularly requests additional cars, with commissioners encouraged to share booking challenges to support capacity expansion advocacy.
Borealis In the News – 2025
| | Amtrak Reports Record Ridership and Revenue for FY25 | | |
Amtrak announced record-breaking results for fiscal year 2025, providing 34.5 million rider trips - a 5.1% increase over FY24 - and collecting $2.7 billion in adjusted ticket revenue, the first time in the railroad's history it has reached this milestone.
Passengers rode 6.9 billion miles, another all-time high, while total operating revenue rose 9% to $3.9 billion. The railroad's adjusted operating loss improved 15.1% to $598.4 million, putting Amtrak on track to achieve operational profitability by FY28. During the year, Amtrak also launched the Mardi Gras route along the Gulf Coast and NextGen Acela on the Northeast Corridor, while investing a record $5.5 billion in capital projects and infrastructure improvements. For more information, visit the Amtrak media center.
| | Passenger Rail in the United States | |
Minnesota
Northern Lights Express (NLX) - The Twin Cities-Duluth/Superior Corridor, also known as the Northern Lights Express (NLX), is a proposed intercity passenger rail service between Minneapolis and Duluth that would operate on approximately 152 miles of existing tracks owned by BNSF Railway. The Twin Cities-Duluth/Superior Corridor is currently in the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Corridor Identification and Development Program (CIDP). The goal of the CIDP program is to get corridors ready to apply for federal funding under other programs for final design and construction. Learn more.
Minnesota State Rail Plan - The State Rail Plan is part of MnDOT's Family of Plans that support Minnesota GO, the 50-year vision for the state’s transportation system. The highest-level plan is the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan, which establishes objectives, performance measures, and strategies for achieving the 50-year vision. The State Rail Plan is a mode-specific plan that builds on the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan and provides direction for the role Minnesota’s freight and passenger railroads will play in achieving the overall vision.
| | | | All Aboard Minnesota Plans for 2026 Legislative Session - All Aboard Minnesota (AAMN) members from across Minnesota and the Midwest gathered for an annual meeting on November 1, 2025. Attendees heard updates from Barb Thoman, AAMN board president, and Brian Nelson, past board president. Both highlighted the proposed rail network, emphasizing the organization’s priority routes from Saint Paul to Kansas City and Saint Paul to Fargo. Read more. | |
Florida
Ridership and ticket revenue is climbing for Brightline as it shuttles passengers between train stations in South Florida. Brightline’s short distance service experienced more riders in November than it did a year ago as passengers were attracted to catch the train with lower fares. While ridership between its five stations in South Florida jumped 21% from a year ago, revenue from those passengers grew by only 4% as average fares tumbled 14%.
Read more
Illinois
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker disclosed in October that his administration seeks to commit almost $1 billion of planned 2026-2031 infrastructure spending to several languishing passenger rail initiatives in the state, but translating proposals into tangible results continues to be a challenge. Hanging over all new construction endeavors is the need for Illinois lawmakers to come up with sustainable financial support for commuter rail and transit systems as federal operating funds recede.
Read more
Montana
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) was accepted into the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor ID (CID) Program in December 2023. Subsequently, BSPRA selected a team led by David Evans and Associates (DEA) and including Quandel Consultants (Quandel), KLJ Engineering (KLJ) and the Steer Group (STEER) for the pivotal role of planning and designing new passenger rail service on the former North Coast Hiawatha route, hereafter referred to as the Big Sky North Coast Corridor (BSNCC). These efforts under CID Step 1 will be submitted to the FRA in April / May 2026.
Download the BSNCC Brochure
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Massachusetts
After years of delays stretching into 2024, the MBTA officially opened the Fall River/New Bedford commuter rail line on March 24, 2025.
The inaugural trains drew dozens of enthusiastic passengers, while current and former state officials celebrated at multiple kickoff events across at least three locations.
The excitement was palpable. In one train car before 8 a.m., adults - some likely strangers - spontaneously joined together in a celebratory song composed for the occasion, singing for over a minute. The moment captured just how meaningful this long-awaited project was to the community.
Read more
Nevada
The completion date for the Brightline West high-speed rail project has been pushed back to late 2029. The project is in the “civil construction” phase, preparing the route along Interstate 15.
Brightline West will connect Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Los Angeles area), with a 218-mile route built mostly along the right-of-way of I-15. On its website, the company says construction has been divided into four segments, three in California and one in Nevada; the project will also include four stations and a maintenance facility in Sloan, Nev.
Read more.
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