Amtrak’s Empire Builder to resume regular service

The Empire Builder, Amtrak’s northern cross country train line, is set to resume service seven days a week from Whitefish starting on May 23. The train’s route connects Chicago to Seattle.

In February, Amtrak made temporary changes to the Empire Builder route and reduced departures from Whitefish from seven days a week to five.

According to Marc Magliari, regional Amtrak public relations manager, the reason for the change in schedule was that winter is a soft time of year for train travel.

An Amtrak statement from February explained that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were a major factor in the reduction of services. Several hundred on-board service personnel, conductors, engineers and mechanical crews were adversely affected by the virus resulting in an 8% reduction in services.

Amtrak anticipated a return to normal operations by the end of May and announced the date for daily service to resume through Whitefish is May 23.