The Milwaukee Intermodal Station is the central hub for surface transportation in Milwaukee. It offers Amtrak train services and various connecting options. The station serves three Amtrak routes: two regional trains (the Hiawatha and Borealis), the long-distance Empire Builder, and Amtrak connecting services. Furthermore, the station links to several bus companies, including Greyhound. You can easily access Milwaukee County Transit System buses, the Hop streetcar, taxis, and rideshare services outside the station.
Learn about what this station can provide you!
A Brief History of the Milwaukee Intermodal Station
The Milwaukee Road Railroad constructed this station in the early 1960s. During that time, it served passengers on the Milwaukee Road and Chicago & Northwestern railroads and provided office space.
From 1965 to 2007, it was known as Milwaukee Union Station and was later renamed the Milwaukee Intermodal Station.
Subsequently, the Wisconsin DOT acquired the building, where it continued to host rail service and introduced bus lines, creating a surface travel hub in Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Intermodal Station Today
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation modernized the station in 2007, giving the building an updated look.
Later, in 2016, the train shed received much-needed updates to improve the passenger experience. With these updates, the Milwaukee Intermodal Station is ready for future rail expansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Midwest. Today, the station is a surface travel hub for Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin.
Operating hours
The waiting areas at the Intermodal Station are open seven days a week from 5:30 am to 8:00 pm, although hours may vary. The station will remain open for late trains.
Where to Find the Milwaukee Intermodal Station
You will find the Milwaukee Intermodal Station in the downtown area of Milwaukee.
Address:
433 St. Paul Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53103
Nearby paid parking lots are available.
Parking at the station
There are 279 parking spaces west of the station at 701 West St. Paul St., but other parking lots and facilities are also nearby.
The daily parking rate is $10 and is valid until midnight that night.
If you need to park longer, here is a guide for prices:
- 4 days: $35
- 5 days: $40
- 7 days: $60
- 10 days: $90
- 16 days: $120
- Saturday- Sunday: $12
- Fri-Sun pass is $24
- A monthly: $115
- Last checked February 2026
Check out the parking lot’s page for the most up-to-date prices, or pre-pay for parking.
Milwaukee Intermodal Station Information
- Amtrak Station Code: MKE
- Annual station ticket revenue FY 2025: —
- Annual station ridership FY 2025: 555,161
- WDOT owns the platform, station, and parking lot (managed by an outside vendor)
- The Soo Line/Canadian Pacific/Kansas City Southern Railroad owns and maintains the tracks.
Amtrak at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station
The Milwaukee Intermodal Station currently serves Amtrak routes and bus services, and is prepared to provide additional services in the future.
Amtrak booking note
There are three Amtrak stops in Milwaukee, and you must make sure you get the right one! If you want to leave from the Downtown Station but have a layover, you may have entered the wrong station.
For service at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, use the station code MKE!
MKA and MKB are Amtrak stops at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport.
- MKA is the train stop for the Amtrak Hiawatha Service.
MKB is the stop for Amtrak Thruwaybusesconnecting toother routes.
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder is a daily Amtrak long-distance train between Chicago and Seattle/Portland. Its southern endpoint is the Chicago Union Station.
The train offers accommodations in coach and sleeper cars.
Note: You cannot purchase Empire Builder tickets to ride the train between Milwaukee and Chicago; for that, use the Hiawatha or Borealis.
Hiawatha
Borealis
The Borealis trains 1333 and 1340 run daily between Chicago and the Twin Cities and make all of the Empire Builder’s stops, including Sturtevant and the Milwaukee Airport.
The train is a partnership of the DOTS of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
Amtrak Connecting & Thruway Services: October 1, 2025. This service ends.
Amtrak offers destinations beyond the rails with Amtrak Connecting and Thruway Service.
This service is provided by Amtrak-chartered buses that run along I-41, with stops in Green Bay.
You may need to incorporate a train ride when booking a trip.
Checked bag service is not available with bus transfer, so plan accordingly.
Amtrak Thruway I-41 Bus Service
This bus line could become a train service in a few years.
| Green Bay, WI (GBY) | Transportation Center, 901 University Avenue |
| De Pere, WI (DPE) | Park & Ride – 100 Lawrence Drive |
| Appleton, WI (APP) | Transit Center – 100 East Washington Street. Motor Coach loads on Oneida Street. |
| Oshkosh, WI – UW (OSU) | Gruenhagen Conference Center – 208 Osceola Street |
| Fond du Lac, WI (FDL) | Radisson Hotel and Conference Center – 625 West Rolling Meadows Drive |
| Milwaukee, WI – Amtrak (MKE) | Intermodal Station 433 West St. Paul. Bay #7 |
Amtrak services at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station
This station has ticket agents who assist with reservations, check bags, and help with train boarding.
Baggage Services
Checked bag service is available for passengers traveling to destinations that offer baggage service. Otherwise, Amtrak has a generous carry-on policy. Additionally, you can typically store bags for around $10 (at the time of publishing).
Bikes, shipping boxes, and ski bags are available for purchase.
Traveling from the Milwaukee Intermodal Station to the airports
This station can connect you to several airports!
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport
There are several ways to connect to Mitchell from this station.
By train
Amtrak’s Hiawatha stops at the airport station (MKA) seven times daily. If you take the train, a shuttle will take you from the train station to the airport and back.
By bus
Amtrak connecting bus service also has stops at this station (MKB).
The 80 MCTS bus, which stops near the station, can also take you there.
There are also taxis and rideshare options.
Chicago O’Hare
The easiest way to get to O’Hare from this station is the Coach USA Bus Line. The bus drops you off and arrives at the airport’s transportation center.
The other option is to take Amtrak or a bus to Downtown Chicago, then take the CTA Blue Line north, which terminates at the airport.
Chicago Midway
Take Amtrak or a bus to Chicago, then walk to the CTA Orange Line at the Loop, which runs to the airport, where it terminates.
South Bend International Airport
Take Amtrak or a bus to Chicago, then transfer at Millennium Station to catch the South Shore Line, which will take you to the airport. Please note that not all routes go to the airport; check before you board.
Bus services at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station
Greyhound staffs the station’s bus side, on the lobby’s west side. The ticket office is open from 5:30 am to 9:30 pm. Call or check the Greyhound website to ensure service is available; times can change.
All buses load outside the West end doors. The city bus stop is close to the station, with access to the Blue Line and buses 12, 31, 34, 57, and 80.
| Coach USA – Wisconsin Coach Line | Greyhound |
| Jefferson Lines | Indian Trails |
| Lamers | Badger Bus |
| MCTS | Megabus |
Station amenities
The station’s passenger waiting area has three regions: the far East side is Amtrak, the West side serves buses, and the middle passenger comfort area (retail spaces, bubblers (drinking fountains), and vending machines). The station does have Wi-Fi, but not from Amtrak.
Public bathrooms are on the station’s West side before you reach the Greyhound ticket desk.
Food and Coffee at the Station and Nearby
A grab-and-go cafe in the boarding hallway across from the ticket counter offers coffee, pastries, and more.
There are vending machines with food and drink, so you can grab something while you wait or take something to go. There is also a cafe.
Nearby
Food and coffee places are available within blocks of the station, and here are a few of my favorites that are within walking distance.
One of my favorite coffee shops is Stone Creek Coffee’s Factory Cafe, which is half a block from the station. It serves brewed coffee, espresso drinks, food, and a variety of accessories.
Various shops and food are .4 miles east, including the Milwaukee Public Market, which offers multiple food vendors, coffee, and more, with indoor and outdoor seating.
This place is great for solo travelers and fantastic for groups, with something for almost everyone. That way, there are fewer arguments. There are other places near the Public Market as well.
Wrap-up
If your next Amtrak adventure starts or ends at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, be prepared to leave the station for fresh food.
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* Information from The Great American Station
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