MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Metro Transit is planning to end its Northstar train service in January, as the line switches from commuter rail to a bus service.

Northstar line ending

The backstory:

The Northstar line serves the northwest metro, running from Target Field Station to Fridley, Coon Rapids, Anoka, Ramsey, Elk River, and ending in Big Lake.

In February, FOX 9 learned that the Metropolitan Council was considering switching the Northstar line to a bus service amid a massive drop in ridership since the pandemic.

Ridership of the train plunged during the pandemic and never really recovered. Before 2020, the train saw nearly 3,000 weekday riders. In 2024, the train averaged about 430 weekday riders, according to Metro Transit. It's worth noting, Metro Transit also decreased daily tr

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