Empire Builder — Schedules, Fares & Stops

The Empire Builder connects Chicago, IL and Portland, OR over a 2,257-mile route operated by Amtrak, calling at 38 stations across 9 states.

Quick Facts

Operator: Amtrak
Service type: Long-Distance
Endpoints: Chicago ↔ Portland
Distance: 2,257 mi
Frequency: Daily
Stations: 38
States served: 9 (IL, US, WI, MN, ND, MT, ID, WA, OR)
Typical fare range: $145 – $785

Route guide

The Empire Builder is a long-distance service operated by Amtrak. Trains run Daily over 2,257 miles of mainline track between Chicago Union Station and Portland Union Station, calling at 38 intermediate and terminal stations across 9 states. For background reading on the corridor, several archival route histories are available alongside the operator's own marketing pages.

What to watch for: Glacier National Park in summer — the Empire Builder skirts the southern boundary of the park between East Glacier Park and Whitefish, with the Continental Divide in plain sight.

History & service notes

Named for James J. Hill, who built the Great Northern Railway across the northern tier of states in the 1890s. The train splits at Spokane between Seattle and Portland sections. Riders interested in pre-Amtrak operating history of the line can consult classic timetable archives for fuller context.

Equipment

Typical consist on the Empire Builder includes superliner sleepers, diner, Sightseer Lounge. Equipment assignments may vary by departure and season; consult the operator for the most current information.

Stops along the route

Stations are listed in geographical order from Chicago to Portland. Times and exact stop sequencing depend on the specific train number and direction; refer to the operator's timetable for departures.

Chicago Union Station — Chicago, IL CHI
Glenview — Glenview, IL GLN
Milwaukee Intermodal — Milwaukee Intermodal, US MIL
Columbus, WI — Columbus, WI CBS
Portage, WI — Portage, WI POG
Wisconsin Dells — Wisconsin Dells, WI WDL
Tomah — Tomah, WI TOH
La Crosse — La Crosse, WI LSE
Red Wing — Red Wing, MN RDW
Winona — Winona, MN WIN
Saint Paul Union Depot — St. Paul, MN MSP
St. Cloud — St. Cloud, MN SCD
Detroit Lakes — Detroit Lakes, MN DLK
Fargo — Fargo, ND FAR
Grand Forks — Grand Forks, ND GFK
Devils Lake — Devils Lake, ND DVL
Minot — Minot, ND MOT
Williston — Williston, ND WTN
Wolf Point — Wolf Point, US WOL
Glasgow — Glasgow, MT GGW
Malta — Malta, MT MAL
Havre — Havre, MT HAV
Shelby — Shelby, MT SBY
Cut Bank — Cut Bank, MT CUT
Browning — Browning, MT BRO
East Glacier Park — East Glacier Park, MT EGL
Essex — Essex, US ESS
Whitefish — Whitefish, MT WFH
Libby — Libby, MT LBY
Sandpoint — Sandpoint, ID SPT
Spokane — Spokane, WA SPK
Wenatchee — Wenatchee, WA WEN
Leavenworth, WA — Leavenworth, WA LWA
Everett — Everett, WA EVR
Edmonds — Edmonds, WA EDM
Seattle King Street Station — Seattle, WA SEA
Vancouver, WA — Vancouver, WA VAN
Portland Union Station — Portland, OR PDX

Sample fares & travel times

Approximate one-way fare ranges and travel times for popular city pairs on this route. Fares vary widely by demand, time of booking, and class of service — these figures are reference midpoints suitable for planning, not booking. Click any pair for a fuller trip guide.

From	To	Distance	Time	Fare
Chicago	Glenview	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Glenview	Milwaukee Intermodal	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Milwaukee Intermodal	Columbus	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Columbus	Portage	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Portage	Wisconsin Dells	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Wisconsin Dells	Tomah	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Tomah	La Crosse	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
La Crosse	Red Wing	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Red Wing	Winona	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Winona	St. Paul	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
St. Paul	St. Cloud	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
St. Cloud	Detroit Lakes	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Detroit Lakes	Fargo	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Fargo	Grand Forks	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Grand Forks	Devils Lake	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Devils Lake	Minot	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Minot	Williston	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327
Williston	Wolf Point	61 mi	1h 23m	$60 – $327

Connections & transfers

Major hubs along the route offer cross-platform transfers to other intercity and commuter services. From Chicago, riders can change for connecting trains and intercity buses; the same is true at Portland. The corridor passes through cities including Chicago, Glenview, and Portland, each with its own onward service map. A useful reference for cross-network connections is the consolidated national rail connection guide, updated each timetable change.

Trip planning tip. The Empire Builder's lowest fares typically appear when booked 14 days or more in advance, and on midweek departures. Same-day "walk-up" fares are usually closer to the upper end of the range shown. Saver and Value buckets sell out first.