Amtrak Public Meeting

Amtrak is hosting a virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. to gain public input on their proposed extension of the Hiawatha Service from Milwaukee to Madison.

Amtrak is working with the Federal Railroad Administration, state and local partners, and host railroads to extend daily Amtrak Hiawatha Service trains to Waukesha, Jefferson, and Dane Counties. This project is referred to as Hiawatha West, and it is the first phase of a larger effort to implement Amtrak service between Chicago and the Twin Cities via Eau Claire.

Initially, this service would have up to two daily roundtrips with a focus on temporary stations in the Pewaukee, Watertown, and Madison. A temporary Madison station would most likely be constructed along the Wilson Street corridor downtown. This is based on factors such as access to population centers and the spacing of stops, operational feasibility, and ridership potential. 

No decisions are final until the end of the Amtrak planning and environmental clearance process. The first required step to advance Hiawatha West is the completion of a Service Development Plan. Amtrak is working with its partners to complete the plan and design a project that can be implemented quickly at the lowest cost and generate a strong return on investment. Temporary station construction could occur as early as 2028 with service beginning in 2029.

Amtrak is seeking comments and feedback at the meeting.

You can join the virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams using your computer, smartphone, or tablet, or you can listen in via telephone. You will receive login information after registering at this link.

For more information, including how you can ask questions and provide project feedback, visit the Hiawatha West project website. A recording of the presentation will also be available at that site.