This Popular Amtrak Route Will Now Go More Than 100 Miles per Hour — Cutting Down Travel Time by Nearly 2 Hours

Amtrak moves into the fast lane.

Amtrak is about to live life in the fast lane.

Train travelers commuting along the Chicago to St. Louis corridor will now experience speeds 20 miles per hour faster than previously permitted by law. The new top speed for train travel on this popular route will increase to 110 mph as of later this month. The speed increase will mostly affect the approximately 248 miles of track between Joliet, Illinois, and Alton, Illinois, according to a release from Amtrak. More than 3 million Amtrak passengers travel through Chicago’s Union Station annually, and it ranks as the fourth most popular train station for Amtrak. 

The speed increase was approved by federal agencies, and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). It will take effect on June 26, according to a release from IDOT. 

This week, Amtrak revealed just how much time travelers will save thanks to the speed increase. A train from Chicago to Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, will be less than two hours, down from 2.5 hours; and a Chicago to St. Louis train will take less than five hours, when it previously took about 6.5.

“Between the shorter schedules and having more than half of all the new state-owned Amtrak Midwest ‘Venture’ railcars now in service, we are completing a full makeover of this corridor service.” said Roger Harris, president of Amtrak, in a statement.

While the speeds of 110 mph are impressive, they do not match Amtrak’s Acela service between Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C., which tops out at 150 mph. 

With the increase in speed, Amtrak is also recommending that pedestrians and motorists stay vigilant around train tracks and stopping guards.

“Motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists should always use caution on this important rail corridor, as our trains are faster than they can appear and are quieter than ever. Only use designated public crossings,” Amtrak said in a release. 

Amtrak, a “federally chartered corporation," per its website, services 500 destinations in 46 states.

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