ILLINOIS PASSENGER RAIL
Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Public and Intermodal Transportation

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Connecting People In Illinois and Across the Country

The mission of the Illinois Department of Transportation is to provide safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and demonstrate respect for our environment. We will accomplish our mission while making the following principles the hallmark of all our work: Safety, Integrity, Responsiveness, Quality, and Innovation.

Specifically, the Division of Public & Intermodal Transportation provides technical assistance and administers state and federal funding to 50 public transit systems throughout the state. Together, they serve an average of 600 million passengers a year.

The division administers capital grants to assist in the purchase of new buses and rail transit cars; the rehabilitation of transit vehicles and bus maintenance and garage facilities; and the upgrading of track, support facilities and stations for commuter rail and rapid transit service. The division also assists non-profit agencies throughout the state in the purchase of special vehicles and equipment to serve the needs of the elderly and individuals with disabilities.

IDOT’s Bureau of Passenger Corridor Development supplements Amtrak’s passenger routes in Illinois including:

  • Lincoln Service (Chicago-Bloomington/Normal-Springfield-St. Louis)
  • Illini and Saluki (Chicago-Champaign-Carbondale)
  • Carl Sandburg and Illinois Zephyr (Chicago-Galesburg-Quincy)
  • Hiawatha Service (Chicago-Milwaukee); also sponsored by the State of Wisconsin