Product Code Database
The Lincoln Service is a higher-speed rail service operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. The train is a part of the Illinois Service and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The train uses the same route as the long-distance Texas Eagle, which continues to and . A connection with the -bound Missouri River Runner is available in St. Louis.
, the average trip time between Chicago and St. Louis was 4 hours 59 minutes.
During fiscal year 2023, the Lincoln Service trains carried 523,304 passengers, an increase of 9.9% from FY2022. This is a 16.7% decrease from pre-COVID-19 pandemic ridership, with 627,599 passengers in FY2019. In FY2016, the service had a total revenue of US dollar14,266,964, a decrease of 1.3% from FY2015.
On October 30, 2006, Amtrak rebranded the State House as the Lincoln Service upon the addition of two new round trips, made possible by upgrades to the line. This resulted in a total of five daily round trips on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor, including the Texas Eagle and Ann Rutledge, which terminated beyond St. Louis. Beginning in April 2007, the Ann Rutledge operated only between Kansas City and St. Louis, where it connected once daily to the Lincoln Service. The Ann Rutledge was folded into the Missouri River Runner in 2009, though one Lincoln Service round trip continued to connect with the Missouri River Runner. On May 23, 2022, Amtrak replaced trains 303 and 304 with a through service one round trip of the Missouri River Runner and Lincoln Service via trains 318 and 319. This created a second one-seat service between Kansas City and Chicago (additional to the Southwest Chief, which takes a more direct route).
On March 22, 2011, an announcement was made in Chicago that an additional $685 million would be used to upgrade trackage and grade crossings between Dwight and Lincoln. Construction on the improvement project began on April 5, 2011. Upgrades included rebuilding the so that the track spacing between the main track is increased from to .
Although much of track upgrade work was completed between 2010 and 2012, there are additional constructions including second trackage, bridge replacement and rehabilitation, drainage improvements, and grade crossings and signal improvements before the full service can be fully operated on this route. After all required improvements on the first segment between Dwight and Pontiac, Illinois were completed, Amtrak started the higher-speed rail service with top speeds of on that segment in November 2012, with the entire section between Alton and Joliet expected to have operation by 2017.
Starting on July 7, 2021, Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains were allowed a top speed of after Federal Railroad Administration dual certification of the Incremental Train Control System and Interoperable Electronic Train Management System between south of Joliet Union Station and Alton, Illinois. On December 13, 2021, scheduled travel times were reduced by approximately 15 minutes between St. Louis and Chicago as a result of the increased speeds. Amtrak began testing in 2022 for revenue service, which began on May 3, 2023. New schedules debuted on June 26, 2023. By September 2025, schedules were 34 minutes faster than pre-2021.
The slowest portion of the corridor is the segment between Chicago and Joliet, but improving this would require an additional $1.5 billion investment. Two projects proposed from the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE) would remove two and construct an overpass to increase train speed and eliminate delays. One project is in the preliminary design phase while the proposed flyover at Brighton Park crossing is unfunded. , an alternative solution rerouting trains via the Rock Island District, which bypasses these diamond crossings and has relatively few freight trains, is being considered. This option would reduce delays and allow higher speeds between Joliet and Chicago.
The Federal Railroad Administration and the Illinois Department of Transportation are conducting studies and environmental reviews to add a second track between Elwood, IL and Braidwood, IL, which is located between the Joliet and Dwight stations. On December 15, 2025, the FRA released a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) report on the project. Construction is expected in 2028-2029, pending funding.
One daily Lincoln Service round trip (train 318/319) is coupled with the Missouri River Runner at St. Louis, providing a one-seat ride between Chicago and Kansas City. Additionally, one southbound Lincoln Service (train 301) runs express to St. Louis with stops only at Joliet, Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, and Alton.
| Amtrak (long-distance): California Zephyr, , , Empire Builder, , Lake Shore Limited, Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle Amtrak (intercity): , , Hiawatha, , , , Metra: , , , , , Chicago "L": (at ), (at ) CTA Bus: Pace Bus: 755 Plainfield–IMD–West Loop Express Amtrak Thruway, Megabus, Greyhound Lines, Peoria Charter |
| Metra: Pace Bus: 330 |
| Amtrak: Metra: , Pace Bus: 501, 504, 505, 507, 508, 509, 511, 832, 834 |
| Amtrak: |
| Amtrak: Connect Transit: Green, Red/Exp, Lime, Brown, Tan, Pink, Yellow, Redbird Express, Sapphire Burlington Trailways, Greyhound Lines, Peoria Charter |
| Amtrak: |
| Amtrak: SMTD: 4, 7, 12, 903 |
| Amtrak: |
| Amtrak: Madison County Transit: Route 11 |
| Amtrak: , MetroLink: (at ) MetroBus: 4, 8, 10, 11, 32, 74, 80, 94, 99, 36X, 40X, 58X, 410X, 174X Madison County Transit: 1X, 3X, 12X, 14X, 16X, 18X Greyhound Lines, Burlington Trailways, Megabus, Amtrak Thruway |
|
|
