Amtrak to Increase Seating Capacity on Hiawatha Line with New Railcars
Amtrak's Hiawatha train service, which operates between Milwaukee and Chicago, is set to increase its seating capacity this fall. The service, which had been operating with reduced capacity since March 2025 due to the removal of Horizon passenger cars, will introduce nine new railcars. These include six coach cars and three cab-coach cars from Siemens' Venture trainset. The new cab-coaches will replace older Amtrak-owned F-40 cab cars, which did not have passenger seating. The first two new coach cars are expected to be operational by September, with the remaining cars entering service through October and November. Once fully implemented, each trainset will accommodate up to 388 passengers and nine bicycles. This development follows a long process of planning and funding, with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation having ordered the new cars in 2021. 
