The Empire Builder is a daily long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and either Seattle or Portland via two sections west of Spokane. Introduced in 1929, it was the flagship passenger train of the Great Northern Railway and was retained by Amtrak when it took over intercity rail service in 1971.
The Hiawatha Service, or simply Hiawatha, is an 86-mile (138 km) train route operated by Amtrak on the western shore of Lake Michigan between Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, the name was historically applied to several different routes that extended across the Midwest and to the Pacific Ocean. As of 2007, twelve to fourteen trains ran daily between Chicago and Milwaukee, making intermediate stops in Glenview, Illinois; Sturtevant, Wisconsin; and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. The line is partially supported by funds from the state governments of Wisconsin and Illinois. The line utilizes the CPKC Railway's C&M Subdivision and Metra's Milwaukee District North Line.
King Street Station is a train station in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is served by Amtrak's Cascades, Coast Starlight, and Empire Builder, as well as Sounder commuter trains run by Sound Transit. The station also anchors a major transit hub, which includes Link light rail at International District/Chinatown station and Seattle Streetcar service. It is located at the south end of Downtown Seattle in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, near the intersection of South Jackson Street and 4th Avenue South, and has four major entrances. It is the 15th-busiest station on the Amtrak system, serving as the hub for the Pacific Northwest region.
Saint Paul Union Depot is a historic railroad station and intermodal transit hub in the Lowertown neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It serves light rail, intercity rail, intercity bus, and local bus services.
The Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center is an Amtrak train station located near downtown Kelso, Washington, United States. The station also serves the neighboring city of Longview, which is located just across the Cowlitz River. The station is served by Cascades and Coast Starlight trains. Greyhound Lines provides national and regional bus service, while RiverCities Transit provides local transit. Shuttle vans, taxis and rental cars can also be hired at the station.
Vancouver station is an Amtrak intercity rail station in Vancouver, Washington, United States. The station is served by four daily round trips of the Cascades, the daily Coast Starlight, and the daily Portland section of the Empire Builder.
Glenview station is a Metra commuter rail and Amtrak intercity rail station in Glenview, Illinois, United States, north of Chicago. The station is located at 1116 Depot Street, 17.5 miles (28.2 km) from Chicago Union Station, the southern terminus of the lines. The facility opened in March 1995 as a replacement for a since-demolished 1950s era station. The new station, designed by Legat Architects of Waukegan, cost approximately $3 million and was funded from a number of sources, including Metra, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Amtrak and the village of Glenview.
Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station is an Amtrak railway station located near the western edge of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is served by the seven daily round trips of the Hiawatha Service, with a free shuttle between the station and the airport terminal. The station opened on January 18, 2005.
The Wolverine is a higher-speed passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 304-mile (489 km) line provides three daily round-trips between Chicago and Pontiac, Michigan, via Ann Arbor and Detroit. It carries a heritage train name descended from the New York Central.
Whitefish station is a stop on Amtrak's Empire Builder in Whitefish, Montana. In addition to the Empire Builder, a once-daily Greyhound Lines bus service also links the station to Kalispell and Missoula. A car rental agency operates a window within the station. The station and parking lot are owned by the Stumptown Historical Society. BNSF Railway leases office space on the upper floors of the station and owns the platform and track.
Ephrata is a train station on Amtrak's Empire Builder line in Ephrata, Washington. The station and parking are owned by the city government, while the track and platforms are owned by BNSF Railway. Northwestern Trailways provides inter-city bus transportation next to the station while local transit is provided by the Grant Transit Authority.
Sturtevant station is an Amtrak railroad station in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, United States, which opened for service on August 14, 2006. It is located on East Exploration Court in the Renaissance Business Park off Wisconsin Highway 20. The facility accommodates travelers who use the Hiawatha Service between Chicago and Milwaukee, and sees fourteen daily arrivals, seven each from Milwaukee and Chicago. The Empire Builder also passes through this station but does not stop. Located along tracks owned by the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railroad, the station was constructed as a replacement for the former Milwaukee Road depot, which was moved from its former location to Caledonia in October 2009.
Milwaukee Intermodal Station is an intercity bus and train station in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Amtrak service at Milwaukee includes the daily Empire Builder and the seven daily Hiawatha Service round trips. It is Amtrak's 18th-busiest station nationwide, and the second-busiest in the Midwest, behind only Chicago Union Station. The station is served by bus companies Coach USA - Wisconsin Coach Lines, Greyhound Lines, Jefferson Lines, Indian Trails, Lamers, Badger Bus, Tornado Bus Company, and Megabus. It is also the western terminus of the M-Line service of The Hop streetcar.
Columbus station is a railway station that serves Columbus, Wisconsin. The station is served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system, with daily service by the Empire Builder line. Beginning in 2024 Columbus will also be served by an additional Chicago-Twin Cities round trip via the new TCMC route with Columbus serving as the Madison area stop along the corridor until additional trackage through Madison via WSOR's Watertown Subdivision and CPKC's M&P Subdivision is brought up to passenger grade and an additional station in Madison proper is built. This station and the Portage station serve the Madison metropolitan area, with Columbus reckoned as the official stop for Madison proper.
Portage station is an Amtrak intercity train station in Portage, Wisconsin, served by Amtrak's daily Empire Builder service. The depot is a small square brick structure constructed during the Amtrak era that is located near a Canadian Pacific Kansas City yard office. The office occupies what was formerly the Portage passenger depot, served by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad prior to the creation of Amtrak. There are no station staff in Portage. In October 2011, Lamers Bus Lines began offering a daily stop at the station, with service between Madison and Wausau, this service was transferred to Van Galder Coach USA in 2022. Portage along with neighboring Columbus provide Amtrak rail service to the Madison area. Portage is also slated to benefit from expanded service via the TCMC route which will service Portage station with an additional Chicago-St Paul round trip beginning in 2024 and planned additional rail service to Madison and Eau Claire by 2035.
Tomah station is an Amtrak intercity train station in Tomah, Wisconsin, served by Amtrak's daily Empire Builder. The station house is a wooden structure that was originally built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. It is not a staffed station, but a caretaker opens and closes the waiting room, which occupies a corner of the original station structure.
La Crosse station is an Amtrak intercity train station in La Crosse, Wisconsin, served the daily Empire Builder. The station was built in 1926–27 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad, replacing an older station that burned in 1916. The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Depot and was renovated in 2001.
Winona station, formerly known as the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Station, is a historic train station in Winona, Minnesota, United States. It is served by Amtrak's daily Empire Builder service. It was originally built in 1888 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, known later as the Milwaukee Road. A former Milwaukee Road freight house also exists here.
Red Wing station is a train station in Red Wing, Minnesota, United States, served by Amtrak's Empire Builder, which runs daily between Chicago and Seattle or Portland, Oregon. The next westbound stop is in Saint Paul, Minnesota and the next eastbound stop is in Winona, Minnesota.
Castleton station is an Amtrak intercity train station in Castleton, Vermont. Originally built by the Rutland and Whitehall Railroad in 1850, the depot is now privately owned, and is located across from the northern terminus of the Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail. Castleton replaced Fair Haven station on the Ethan Allen Express in January 2010. It serves nearby Castleton University and Lake Bomoseen.
