Federal grant moves Amtrak’s Hiawatha West plan toward Madison closer to reality

Amtrak said on Oct 22, 2026 it welcomes a federal grant for Hiawatha West. The Federal Railroad Administration selected the project for funding through its Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program .

What the project would do

Hiawatha West would extend the Chicago to Milwaukee Hiawatha service west to Waukesha, Jefferson and Dane counties; the page also names Madison, Watertown and Pewaukee. Amtrak projects about 278,000 additional annual riders and about 200 permanent jobs from ongoing passenger operations once the service is implemented .

What the page leaves out

The page does not state the grant amount or a start date for service, and Amtrak calls the grant "a critical step," so this is not a schedule you can book. As of Oct 24, 2026; confirm updates on media.amtrak.com and amtrak.com.

Sources

• Amtrak Media: https://media.amtrak.com/2026/10/amtrak-welcomes-federal-grant-for-hiawatha-west/