Minnesota’s Northstar commuter rail to begin service Nov. 16

Northstar, the state's first commuter rail service, will offer five morning trips from Big Lake, Minn., to downtown Minneapolis and five return trips in the afternoon along a 40-mile corridor, with stops at Fridley, Coon Rapids, Anoka, Elk River and Big Lake. One reverse commute roundtrip also will be offered on weekdays, and three weekend roundtrips are planned on Saturdays and Sundays.

Metropolitan Council
Chair Peter Bell announced the launch date during a news conference today at
Downtown Minneapolis Ballpark Station, where he introduced the marketing theme
for the new service: "Meet Minnesota’s New Star."

Bell was joined by Dan
Erhart, chair of the Northstar Corridor Development Authority; Peter
McLaughlin, chair of the Counties Transit Improvement Board; Khani Sahebjam,
MnDOT’s deputy commissioner and chief engineer, and Brian Lamb general manager
of Metro Transit.

The $317-million project
was designed and constructed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. It
is owned by the Met Council and managed by Metro Transit, an operating division
of the Council.

To mark the launch of
commuter rail service, communities will host local celebrations on Saturday,
Nov. 14, at rail stations in Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids and
Fridley. A single five-car train will serve each station that day, giving
citizens a free ride to Minneapolis to experience the Northstar Line before
revenue operations begin two days later. Train tickets for these grand opening
events will be distributed in a lottery system. Details will be released soon.

The exact train schedule
is still being set with test trains operating in the corridor now. Trains will
arrive in downtown Minneapolis in time for commuters to reach their offices for
work shifts that begin at 6:30 a.m., 7 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. 
Afternoon trips are expected to operate at half-hour intervals beginning at
about 3:45 p.m.

Each suburban station has
adjacent park-and-ride facilities, and platforms are equipped with cameras,
emergency telephones, enclosed shelters, heating and other amenities.
Connecting bus service will be available at four suburban stations, including
Northstar Link coach buses, which will bring commuters from St. Cloud to Big
Lake for their Northstar trips to Minneapolis.

When Northstar trains
arrive in downtown Minneapolis, customers will be able to make quick
connections to the Hiawatha light-rail line, which has been extended north to
the new Ballpark Station adjacent to the Twins’ Target Field. Access to
regional bus routes and to the Minneapolis skyway system is a short walk away.