Wisconsin secures $218 million to extend Amtrak Hiawatha to Madison

Wisconsin has secured more than $218 million in federal funding to expand the Amtrak Hiawatha service, aiming to restore passenger rail connectivity between Milwaukee and Madison. The project, known as the Hiawatha West expansion, seeks to reconnect Madison to the rail network for the first time in over 50 years.

The investment was secured through advocacy efforts involving Governor Tony Evers and Senator Tammy Baldwin. The proposed service would connect Madison to Milwaukee with various stops throughout the state, potentially providing a link to Chicago and beyond by 2030.

Currently, Amtrak operates six daily round-trips between Milwaukee and Chicago. Local advocates, including the Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers, have noted that the existing Hiawatha service is highly utilized, supporting the case for extending the line to the state's second-largest city.