Information on Rail Lines in Minnesota
This page highlights rail lines in Minnesota and the transitways that connect, or are proposed to connect, to transportation hubs in the Twin Cities.
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Minnesota Department of Transportation - Passenger Rail:
MnDOT is responsible for the study, development and oversight of intercity and high-speed passenger rail service in Minnesota. Useful links:
Bottineau Transitway (METRO Blue Line LRT Extension
The METRO Blue Line Extension (LRT) will operate northwest from downtown Minneapolis through north Minneapolis, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park, drawing riders northwest of Brooklyn Park. The proposed 13 mile route would include 12 stations, including Target Field Station in downtown Minneapolis.
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. A Pre-Project Development Study is underway to analyze bus and rail alternatives between Forest Lake and Union Depot in St. Paul being conducted by the Rush Line Corridor Task Force and led by the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority.
Riverview Corridor
The Riverview Corridor is a proposed transit project connecting Union Depot in St. Paul to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America as well as neighborhoods, historic districts, businesses, and more. The project is currently conducting a Pre-Project Development Study which will assess the viability of transit modes for the corridor.
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. The Red Rock Corridor is now being pursued as a Bus Rapid Transit line and is developing BRT concepts for feedback.
Northstar Commuter Line
Minnesota's Northstar Commuter Rail 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. The entire route takes an estimated 49 minutes and helps connect passengers to more options in downtown Minneapolis. As a part of the greater picture of Minnesota transportation, the 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 state. Northstar connects to St. Cloud with Northstar Link bus service and an expansion to the line is being studied.
Northern Lights Express
This proposed rail line would offer a two and a half hour service between the Twin Cities and Duluth with top speeds of 90 mph. In 2008 the Northern Lights Express project received $1.1 million to fund a study of infrastructure needed to support a 90 mph train. The project cost estimate is between $500 and $600 million, down from the previous estimates of nearly $1 billion.​
METRO Green Line LRT
The METRO Green Line opened in 2014 and connects Minneapolis and Saint Paul from Target Field to Union Depot. A million riders a month have used the line to connect with a variety of businesses, arts and other amenities along the corridor. The LRT line has attracted a wide variety of development including more than 13,000 housing units and more than $2 billion in investment. The line is operated by Metro Transit and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week with trips every 10 minutes throughout the day, every 10-15 minutes in the evenings and every 30-60 minutes overnight.​
METRO Blue Line LRT
The METRO Blue Line, formerly known as the Hiawatha Line, opened in 2004 and runs along a 12-mile corridor that extends from downtown Minneapolis to Bloomington, including stops at Target Field, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, and the Mall of America. The Blue Line, operated by Metro Transit, has carried 90.5 million riders from opening day to the end of 2013. The Blue Line shares five stations with the METRO Green Line and was the first light-rail line in Minnesota.
Gateway Corridor (METRO Gold Line)
The Gateway Corridor Gold Line BRT is a proposed bus rapid transit line that would run next to Interstate 94 for 12 miles in an exclusive lane on Hudson Road and 4th Street between the Union Depot in downtown Saint Paul and Manning Avenue in Washington County. All-day transit service would stop at 13 stations and include connections to the growing regional transit system. The system could open for service by 2022 and will provide a focal point for new economic development opportunities as the region grows. This would be Minnesota's first BRT line in an exclusive lane. The work is led by the Gateway Corridor Commission, which is comprised of local elected officials, business and community leaders.​
Southwest Transitway
(METRO Green Line Extension)
The Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) line will serve 16 stations in the southwest metro area including Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Edina, Hopkins and St. Louis Park with service expected to begin in 2023. Construction on the route began in 2019. Station stops will include Eden Prairie Center, United Health Group and many business and residential centers, before connecting to downtown Minneapolis at Target Field. The stations will be served by connections to streets and trails that will attract residential and commercial development.
UNION DEPOT
The Union Depot in Saint Paul serves as a transit hub for bus service, the METRO Green Line light rail line and the Amtrak Empire Builder. Union Depot completed a major renovation and revitalization in 2012 with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency. Bus services like Greyhound, Megabus, Jefferson Lines and Metro Transit all serve Union Depot taking passengers to a wide variety of destinations. Union Depot would serve as the St. Paul connection to the TCMC second train and is positioned to be a major hub for a number of light rail and bus transitways.
