Intercity travel in Wisconsin is moving backward
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that Amtrak Thruway bus service between Milwaukee and Green Bay will end on October 1, 2025. This is because the Wisconsin Legislature did not appropriate funding to keep this service intact.
Despite calls by Gov. Tony Evers for an additional $15 million to support existing and expanded passenger rail and bus service, the legislature chose to cut service.
The recent success of Amtrak’s Borealis, which has shattered ridership expectations since its launch in 2024, proves that Wisconsinites want more trains and buses.
We cannot afford to let this current momentum die.
Intercity bus networks, like the Amtrak Thruway system, provide a vital link between communities where gaps in passenger rail service currently exist.
If we don’t stand up to these cuts, passenger rail is next on the chopping block. There are already plans to roll back Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago.
It’s time for the Wisconsin Legislature to commit to passenger rail.
Tell your legislator to please work to expand rail and bus service:
