Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission?
How will a high-speed rail line benefit Minnesota?
What is the current status of the high-speed rail project?
How much will this project cost to build?
How much time will it take to travel between the Twin Cities and Chicago?
Where will high-speed trains stop?
If the high-speed rail trains do not stop in my community, what benefit will there be to me?
I have heard there could be alternative routes not along the Mississippi River – what about those routes?

What is the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission?

The Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission is one of the leading authoritative voices on high-speed rail in Minnesota. Comprised of local elected officials, the Commission advocates for the development of Minnesota's first high-speed rail line within the federally designated high-speed rail corridor that connects the Twin Cities to Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago. The Commission is a strong proponent of bringing high-speed rail to the Midwest through the scenic upper Mississippi River valley.

Commission members include:

City of Cottage Grove
City of Goodview
City of Hastings
City of Lake City
City of Red Wing
City of St. Charles
City of St. Paul
City of St. Paul Park
City of Utica
City of Wabasha
City of Winona
Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority
Goodhue County Regional Railroad
LaCrosse Area Planning Committee
Prairie Island Indian Community
Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority
Wabasha County Regional Railroad Authority
Washington County Regional Railroad Authority
Winona County Regional Railroad Authority

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How will a high-speed rail line benefit Minnesota?

Minnesota would significantly benefit from high-speed rail in the Midwest, as it would lead to an increase in jobs, population, commerce and business opportunities that would help the entire region grow and prosper. The new Twin Cities to Chicago route would also benefit the thousands of Minnesotans who travel between the two Metropolitan areas every year. The reduction in travel time would provide a safe, cost-effective alternative to driving or flying.

A high-speed alternative will not only positively enhance the quality of life for many Minnesotans, but it will lead to an increased level of business activity, including tourism, from Chicago that will benefit the urban, suburban and rural communities along the Corridor. The River Route will increase economic gains leading to nearly 1,600 new permanent jobs, millions in extra household income as well as the potential for business that will be able to ship and receive through freight rail, as well as job growth and economic development across other Minnesota cities. A high-speed rail option for Minnesota will also provide a safe way to travel, as grade crossings protection practices lead to less accidents and collisions.

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What is the current status of the high-speed rail project?

The Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission is working with state and federal policymakers to finalize the preferred route and the allocation of funds to start rail upgrades. The first phase of the route is upgrading the existing rail between Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison. In addition to requesting $990.3 million for these upgrades, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has asked the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to complete its study on the best route for high-speed rail service between Madison and the Twin Cities by January 2011.

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) has asked the Obama Administration for $600,000 in funding from the American Recovery and Investment Act to study the best route between Madison and the Twin Cities. In its recently-released draft rail plan for the state, MNDOT included the River Route as the most viable and shovel-ready high-speed passenger rail route connecting the Twin Cities to Chicago.

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How much will this project cost to build?

According to MNDOT estimates, it would cost approximately $600 million to upgrade the existing rail within the river corridor to accommodate 110-mph passenger trains as well as improving the tracks for current and future freight and passenger rail.

How much time will it take to travel between the Twin Cities and Chicago?

The proposed River Route will cut more than two hours from the existing Amtrak service from the Union Depot in St. Paul to downtown Chicago, and offering a competitive alternative to driving or flying.

Where will high-speed trains stop?

The high-speed rail services will start at the Union Depot in St. Paul, with additional Minnesota stops in Red Wing and Winona prior to continuing on to Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago. Additional transit connections, including light rail and buses, will link riders to train stations from other parts of the state.

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If the high-speed rail trains do not stop in my community, what benefit will there be to me?

The River Route high-speed rail line will provide up to $2.3 billion in economic benefits for the state of Minnesota, and even more for the Midwest as a whole. Additionally, the proposed high-speed rail line will create 1,600 permanent jobs in Minnesota, not including the 15,000 construction jobs and 57,000 permanent jobs in the Midwest.

Improving the River Route’s rail infrastructure will also increase freight rail capacity by 80 percent, allowing more agricultural commodities and industrial goods to be transported within Minnesota and from Minnesota to the rest of the country. These economic benefits will help increase commerce opportunities and encourage businesses to expand their operations more widely across the region.

Overall, high-speed rail will positively enhance the quality of life for many Minnesotans, while benefiting the communities along the Corridor in many ways.

I have heard there could be alternative routes not along the Mississippi River - what about those routes?

Though there has been some discussion about alternative routes for Minnesota's first-ever high-speed rail train, the Mississippi River route has been designated as the national priority route by the Federal Railroad Administration. The River Route is the only shovel-ready high-speed rail route that connects the Twin Cities to Chicago.

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