Guest Column: Borealis Trains Achieve Milestone Anniversary
By Chris Meyer, Chair – Great River Rail Commission
As Chair of the Great River Rail Commission, I am passionate about passenger rail travel. The Commission is one of the leading voices on passenger rail in Minnesota. We are made up of officials from local and regional governments from St. Paul to La Crosse. We advocate for passenger rail options along the Mississippi River Route, connecting the Twin Cities with Milwaukee and Chicago.
Celebrating Borealis
In May of last year, part of our long-range vision was realized with the launch of the Borealis train, a second daily roundtrip passenger rail service from the Twin Cities to Chicago, complementing the Amtrak Empire Builder. Since then, Borealis has by far exceeded projected ridership and has met key milestones well ahead of schedule. In October, we celebrated our 100,000th passenger. We’re well on track to see our 200,000th passenger in the coming month.
Why Passenger Rail
People choose passenger trains because they are convenient, safe, productive and efficient. We believe Borealis is comfortable, affordable travel to great destinations. The passenger experience is simply better than driving or flying. There’s more room, more storage, fewer (usually no) extra fees and you can work, read, sleep and visit with friends and family in comfort during your trip. Additionally, passenger rail stations are often in the heart of downtown, in the middle of a city’s business district and near entertainment venues, shops and restaurants.
Passenger rail travel is enjoyable. On the Empire Builder or Borealis route to Chicago, you can watch bald eagles fly over the Mississippi River near Red Wing, enjoy scenic views of Lake Pepin and travel through the red sandstone cliffs near the Wisconsin Dells. Don’t forget about my hometown, Winona, with a train station just steps away from the campus of Winona State University, or a short car ride to St. Mary’s University.
Passenger rail is also a great travel alternative for senior citizens. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that fatalities involving elderly drivers have increased by 36% between 2009 and 2018 for males and 17% for female drivers, something they attribute to a larger elderly population and a lack of transportation options in areas that are dependent on automobile transport. Passenger rail travel gives seniors a great option that is significantly safer than driving.
Learn More
The Great River Rail Commission has a great website that has additional information about Borealis, its sister route Empire Builder, including links to book tickets, and more benefits of passenger rail. If you support passenger rail, help us to continue to fill these trains by sharing information about Borealis with friends and family online and in-person. Visit us at greatriverrail.org to learn more. We look forward to many more years of Borealis service. See you on the trains!
Chris Meyer is Chair of the Great River Rail Commission and a Winona County Commissioner. The Commission’s long range vision is that the Borealis train, launched in 2024, demonstrates demand for further investment in faster, more frequent passenger rail service.
