Information on Rail Lines in Minnesota

Hiawatha LRT:

The Hiawatha Light Rail Transit line opened in 2004 and runs along a 12-mile corridor that extends from downtown Minneapolis to Bloomington, and includes stops at the Mall of America and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The Hiawatha Light Rail line, operated by Metro Transit, has carried millions of passengers per year, and has far exceeded ridership goals for 2009. Plans to expand the line and add additional stations are underway, including a new stop at the Twins Stadium – Target Field in downtown Minneapolis.

Northstar Commuter Line:

Minnesota’s Northstar line opened in November 2009 and runs from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis. The Northstar Line, operated by Metro Transit, is an important step in linking a broader transit network from the Twin Cities metro to other parts of Minnesota. In the month of November, the Northstar line carried 2,200 passengers per day. As a part of the greater picture of Minnesota transportation, Metro Transit’s Northstar line fills a much-needed rail void in the region and helps people travel safely along one of the fastest-growing corridors in the nation.

Central Corridor LRT:

The Central Corridor is a proposed light rail line covering 11-miles between the downtown regions of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. This line, according to plans, would run along University Ave and Washington Ave through the University of Minnesota. Operated by the Metropolitan Council, this LRT line would be the second light-rail route. The Central Corridor LRT line will connect with the Hiawatha line at the Metrodome station and end at the Union Depot in St. Paul.

Union Depot:

The Union Depot in Saint Paul will serve as a regional transit hub for bus service and passenger rail lines, including high-speed rail to Chicago, the Central Corridor, Gateway Corridor, Red Rock Corridor, Robert Street Corridor and Rush Line Corridor. Passengers will transfer seamlessly from passenger rail to buses and light rail trains. The Union Depot is expected to be completely renovated by the end of 2012.

Southwest Transitway LRT:

The Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) line is a proposed LRT line serving the southwest metro area including Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Edina, Hopkins and St. Louis Park. In November 2009, the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority selected its preferred route, which starts in Eden Prairie and stops at 15 stations, including Eden Prairie Center and Lake of the Isles, before connecting to downtown Minneapolis.

Red Rock Corridor:

The Red Rock Corridor is 30-mile stretch from Hastings to downtown Minneapolis along Highway 61 and Interstate 94. The Metropolitan Council identified the Red Rock Corridor as the area most in-need of an updated transit service that could provide a travel-time advantage for commuters. A study is currently underway to finalize locations and designs for the four transit stations in the corridor.

Rush Line Corridor:

The Rush Line Corridor is a transit corridor extending 80 miles from Hinckley to Union Depot in St. Paul, following and including Interstate 35, Interstate 35E and US 61.The Rush Line Corridor Task Force has undertaken an Alternatives Analysis to study longer-term transit options, including LRT from St. Paul to White Bear Lake and bus-rapid transit from St. Paul to Forest Lake.

Northern Lights Express:

This proposed rail line is an ongoing project that would offer a two-hour service between the Twin Cities and Duluth with top speeds of 110 mph. In 2008 the Northern Lights Express project received $1.1 million to fund a study of infrastructure needed in Minnesota, and what was needed to support a 110 mph train.