Future Train Service to Madison, Wisconsin

Amtrak recently announced that it will take the lead in planning new service on an 82-mile extension between Milwaukee and Madison. The service will be known as Hiawatha West. Two daily round trips are anticipated. Amtrak currently operates seven daily round-trip trains on the Hiawatha between Milwaukee and Chicago.

Amtrak estimates that service on the Hiawatha West extension has the potential to generate 260,000 in annual ridership. Madison is home to UW-Madison and the state capital. Pewaukee and Watertown, Wisconsin, would also be served by the Hiawatha West service.

The Madison service extension is part of a previously awarded Corridor I.D. grant to the Wisconsin DOT by the Federal Railroad Administration. That grant also includes service to Eau Claire and to Minneapolis/Saint Paul. While planning continues on the extension beyond Madison through Eau Claire, implementation would occur at a later date when funding is made available.

On April 30th, it was announced that a historic former state office building located near the Monona Terrace Convention Center will serve as Madison’s new train station. A private developer will purchase the building and renovate it for multi-purpose public use.

The timeline for developing the Hiawatha West service is 3-4 years, with the likely start of operations in 2030. Upgrades to bridges, track, and signaling will be required. Amtrak plans to implement temporary station shelters and portable platforms along the corridor while permanent stations are constructed. Initially, trains will operate at 59 mph, increasing to 79 mph once all of the track upgrades and improvements are completed.