Beginning on June 1, Amtrak will resume passenger train service between Milwaukee and Chicago, according to a report from the Milwaukee Business Journal. The line was temporarily replaced with buses in April 2020 due to low ridership. The service will resume with two daily round trips initially and will add more round trips on June 29. Amtrak reported it experienced a 90% reduction in ridership due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the CARES Act, the rail service was awarded $1.02 billion from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help with lost revenue.
In a separate story, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported that transportation officials are seeking public input on a $53 million upgrade proposal for Amtrak to add a second daily round trip between St. Paul, Minnesota and Chicago. Public comments on the plan are being accepted until April 9.
