Toronto could get a new train route to Chicago by 2027

Travel between North America's fourth- and firth largest cities could improve dramatically by 2027, as VIA Rail and Amtrak explore a new intercity route connecting Toronto and Chicago, with stops along the way in Windsor and Detroit.

The proposed $44 million project would link VIA's existing Toronto-Windsor route and Amtrak's Detroit-Chicago route by closing a 14.5 km (9 mi) gap between the disconnected intercity services.

VIA states that this potential Toronto-Windsor-Detroit-Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Service Expansion "would address population and traffic increases and support economic growth," while connecting Canadian rail travellers with "Amtrak's vast national network with connecting services to 35 U.S. states."

This missing link in rail service proposes a modified Amtrak Wolverine eastbound service departing the existing Amtrak station in Dearborn, Michigan, which would split from the existing routing onto Conrait and CPKC-owned tracks toward a new proposed Amtrak station at Ford's Michigan Central Innovation Center in Detroit.

This second Amtrak station serving Detroit — planned for the long-abandoned but newly-restored Michigan Central Station — would serve primarily as an international terminal serving traffic to and from Canada.

After departing this majestic rail palace, trains would use the existing CPKC-owned Detroit River Rail Tunnel to cross the border and continue along Essex Terminal Railway to access the VIA network using the proposed 14.5 kilometres of connecting tracks.

In addition to the new track, the project proposes the construction of a new joint border security facility where passengers can be screened and cleared by CBSA and U.S. CBP agents.

Aside from constructing new track and border facilities, connecting the two rail networks would be surprisingly easy to achieve, as current VIA and Amtrak schedules are already closely aligned.

A trip on the combined route — which would allow cross-border travel on a single Amtrak/VIA ticket — would be expected to take roughly 11 hours between Toronto and Chicago.

The major caveat here is that this proposal, while quite convincing, is not yet funded. VIA states that "once funded, the cross-border service could begin as soon as late 2027 with one daily Amtrak round-trip, with the opportunity to increase the service in the future."