Metro Transit replacing Northstar train with buses

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Permanent closure of the Northstar commuter rail service

Launch of Route 888 bus service in North Metro

Impact of changing post-2020 ridership trends on transit

Expansion of weekday and weekend transit scheduling

Fare structures and pass compatibility for new bus services

Areas of Interest (4)

Failure of Northstar commuter rail: Assessing why the 2009 project could not adapt to post-2020 ridership levels.
Bus vs. Rail: Does the move from 40 weekly rail trips to 380 bus trips represent a net gain for North Metro commuters?
Economic impact of Northstar's permanent derailment on historical transit investments in Minnesota.
Cost analysis of the transition: Are Northstar passengers actually saving money with the new $3.25 fare structure?

Notable Quotes (2)

We'll have trips on weekdays with arrivals in downtown Minneapolis between 6:00 am and 9:00 am and then running hourly.
— Adam Harrington

Transit schedulingDescribing the new frequency of the Route 888 bus service.

It's about 40 weekly trips that we provide today. If you look at all days of the week, with the new bus service, it's going to be nearly 400.
— Adam Harrington

Service capacityComparing existing rail capacity to the new bus capacity.

People (2)

Adam HarringtonRepresentative

Discussing the transition from rail to bus services in the North Metro area.

1 quote

“One of the things we're really excited about is our ability to add much more service on the schedule.”

Explaining the expansion of trip frequencies from 40 to 380 per week.

Eric NelsonReporter

Reporting for North Metro TV News on transit changes.

Places Mentioned

North Metro, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaRamsay stationAnoka stationRapids stationMarquette Avenue, downtown MinneapolisSecond Avenue, downtown Minneapolis

Events & Meetings (2)

October 2023: Northstar usage for postseason games
January 2025: Commencement of new bus service (Route 888)

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