Metra to bring rail service to Rockford, Belvidere in 2027

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - It’s a big day for the stateline as Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announces plans for Metra to bring passenger rail service to Rockford and Belvidere.

Lawmakers are buzzing with excitement over the bipartisan effort to bring passenger rail service to the Forest City and surrounding communities.

“For the first time since 1981, we are bringing intercity passenger rail back to Rockford,” the governor said during a news conference Thursday. Residents have been asking for years when passenger train services would return to the area.

Metra will launch the rail in 2027 with stations in Belvidere and Huntley as an extension of the Milwaukee District West line to Chicago.

“I am thrilled that we are one giant step closer to having passenger rail service from Rockford to Chicago. It has been a long time in the making and something that a lot of people didn’t believe would actually happen,” Tom McNamara said.

Travel time from Rockford to Chicago is estimated at 95 minutes with the rail offering two trains both ways, seven days a week. Boarding locations in Chicago and Rockford, fare and schedule will be determined.

“We knew that progress to restore passenger service to this great city was not going to happen overnight,” said Omer Osman, Illinois Secretary of Transportation. “Today, we are here with this beautiful train behind us to share that IDOT has chosen Metra for the state’s latest rail line.”

Osman says the investment in transportation is an investment in the state’s people.

Supporters say the line will benefit commuters and provide options for business travelers, students and tourists who opt for an environmentally safe way to travel.

The project is funded through $275 million from Gov. Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program.