Amtrak's Hiawatha

The Amtrak Hiawatha is an essential daily service that provides six round trips between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois. It covers 86 miles in about 90 minutes and stops at key locations such as General Mitchell International Airport, Sturtevant Depot (Wisconsin), and Glenview, Illinois. Adding the Amtrak Borealis, which continues the route to St. Paul/Minneapolis, brings the total to seven round trips.

The Hiawatha was my first Amtrak experience and is the train I have ridden the most. It has connected me to Milwaukee Airport and other Amtrak trains and buses. Additionally, I can transfer to Chicago airports by taking the Orange Line to Midway or the Blue Line to O’Hare.

Its intermodal flexibility makes it the top choice for travelers to and from Southeast Wisconsin and Glenview, IL. It connects with Amtrak’s national and regional networks, enabling travelers to discover the country by rail.

Coach & Business Class On The Hiawatha

The Hiawatha trains mainly provide coach-class seating, featuring two seats on each side of the aisle without a middle seat. Each seat has at-seat outlets on the wall, and newer cars include both outlets and USB ports between the seats.

Business Class is offered on select Hiawatha trains, usually Southbound 332 and Northbound 341. You can verify this option while booking your ticket.

Luggage storage is provided above each seat, and a luggage shelf is available in the car.

The Hiawatha offers open seating, allowing you to choose your seat upon boarding. If you happen to find two seats available, that’s a bonus! However, if the train fills up, please be ready to move your belongings to make space for other passengers. Remember, your ticket guarantees only one seat; solo travelers should not expect to retain two seats.

Amtrak Hiawatha Quiet Car

The Hiawatha provides a Quiet Car for passengers seeking a peaceful environment with less noise. This Quiet Car doesn’t require special reservations and has limited seating available. Some rules apply; refer to the article below to see if it meets your needs!

Food Service

This train does not have food service.

Amtrak permits you to bring snacks and drinks on the train to enjoy during your ride, but alcoholic beverages must remain in your luggage.

Trains with a business-class car also include a cafe car, which is currently out of service. The trains use the Borealis Equipment, and the cafe car is available on that route.

The Amtrak Hiawatha: Your Ticket to Air Travel!

Did you know you can combine your Amtrak journey with your next flight?

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) features a dedicated Amtrak station (MKA) conveniently connected to the airport by a complimentary shuttle bus. This setup makes it easy for travelers to switch from train to plane, especially those traveling to or from Chicago. The Amtrak bus service is known as MKB.

Note: For Amtrak, MKA refers to the Milwaukee Airport stop, whereas MKE indicates the Intermodal Station in downtown Milwaukee.

For passengers in Southeast Wisconsin, the Sturtevant Depot (SVT) is an excellent parking option. It offers long-term parking for a single flat fee for up to 30 days.

Please read my article on the MKA Milwaukee Airport Amtrak Station for more details about maximizing this seamless travel connection.

Luggage

The Hiawatha train service no longer offers checked baggage service at any stops.

Each passenger may carry on:

• One personal item, 25 lbs. (12 kg), and 14 x 11 x 7 inches
• Two carry-on pieces of luggage, 50 lbs. (23 kg) and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each

If you transfer to the Pacific Surfliner at some point along your journey, the baggage size for that train is up to 28 x 22 x 11 inches each.

Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage; check out Amtrak’s carry-on bag policy for more information.

Hiawatha add-ons

The Hiawatha offers optional add-ons that must be booked with a fee.

• Golf clubs
• Bikes
• Pets

Amtrak may change what you are allowed to bring at any time. If you cannot add one while booking, your train will not be available for that trip.

Service or comfort animal owners should check, read, and understand Amtrak’s service animal page before booking to determine if their service animal qualifies.

Accessibility And The Hiawatha

A lift is available at all stations to assist passengers with mobility devices when boarding the train. When making a reservation, please indicate that you need assistance so that conductors are informed and can look for you.

The train also includes designated areas for individuals with mobility devices and those with difficulty walking long distances.

Tickets for the Amtrak Hiawatha

You can buy tickets by calling 1-800-USA-Rail, visiting Amtrak.com, or using the app. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets in person at Milwaukee Intermodal or Chicago Union Stations or at a Quik-Track machine available at all stations on this route.

The Hiawatha Prices

Ticket prices vary based on your starting and ending points and the train’s popularity. To save money, consider traveling during off-peak times, as some trains are less crowded. The busiest trains are usually the first two southbound trips in the morning and the late afternoon northbound routes.

Amtrak provides Saver and Flex Fares, which can help you save money or offer the flexibility you may need for your journey.

Here are the different types of tickets available for the Hiawatha:

• One-way: It’s great if you’re traveling in just one direction. You can purchase two one-way tickets for your trip.
• Round-trip: A fantastic option if you’re looking to book a round trip with a single ticket.
• Ten Ride: A ten-ride ticket lets you purchase five round trips on one ticket, which remains valid for 90 days. With these tickets, you can board any Hiawatha train. Each day, this ticket permits only one round trip. It’s essential to note that these tickets are valid only for the person whose name appears on them.
• Monthly Ticket: The monthly ticket is valid for one calendar month. With these tickets, you can ride any Hiawatha train. Like the ten-ride ticket, it permits one round trip per day and is valid only for the person named on the ticket.

Amtrak Hiawatha Station Updates

Improvements are underway at Milwaukee Airport (MKA) to enhance travel for all passengers.

There may occasionally be limited access to the passenger drop-off loop and the current platform in Milwaukee.

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Amtrak Hiawatha Schedule/Timetable

The Hiawatha route usually takes about an hour and a half to travel from end to end, with train 339 taking one hour and thirty-seven minutes. The schedules on this page are sourced from the official Hiawatha website, and they can be modified at any time by Amtrak, Wisconsin DOT, or Illinois DOT.

The times listed below indicate departure times.

Schedule for Southbound Amtrak Hiawatha Trains

• *All trains operate daily, except for train 330, which does not run on Sundays!
• Train 1340, called the Borealis, comes from the Twin Cities.

Amtrak Hiawatha Northbound Train Schedule

• * All trains operate daily except train 329, which does not run on Sundays!
• **Friday Only
• + Train 8307 is a late-night bus with no intermediate stops.
• Train 1333, the Borealis, continues its journey to the Twin Cities after the Milwaukee stop.

Printable Amtrak Hiawatha Timetable/Schedule

If you are connecting with another train or service, you could benefit from printing a custom Amtrak schedule.

Amtrak’s I-41 Connecting Service Schedule

The Amtrak Thruway bus service runs two daily round-trip buses between Green Bay and Milwaukee, making stops in Appleton, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, and other locations.

These buses provide convenient connections to and from Chicago through the Amtrak Hiawatha Service trains. Moreover, Lamers bus service increases the choices to three round-trip buses daily.

You can buy tickets for these buses just like Amtrak train tickets through Amtrak.com, the Amtrak mobile app, self-service kiosks at stations, or by calling 800-USA-RAIL.

All buses provide direct service to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport and offer several amenities similar to those found on Amtrak trains. These amenities include discounted fares (discounts for students, seniors, and veterans), at-seat plug-ins, Wi-Fi, bicycle reservations, reclining seats with seatbelts, extra legroom, tables, cup holders, and location tracking through Amtrak.com.