Montana Pushes to Restore Passenger Rail by 2030s – Greater Northwest Rail Summit in Helena

Montana aims to restore passenger rail service on the old Hiawatha route by the 2030s.

Transportation officials and local governments convened at the Greater Northwest Rail Summit in Helena on August 26, 2026, to discuss progress on this initiative. The effort, led by the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, represents a structural push to reconnect Montana’s major cities via rail, promising enhanced connectivity and economic benefits.

The proposed rail line would pass through Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Helena, and Missoula. However, planning remains stalled due to a freeze at the Federal Railroad Administration, which has been awaiting its fourth policy shift over the past year and a half. Stakeholders including Dave Strohmaier, chair of the Rail Authority, and Jordan Hess, CEO of Missoula’s Mountain Line, stressed the importance of integrating local transit with the rail system. Senator Tim Sheehy highlighted the potential for linking population centers and supporting tourism.

The project’s timeline depends on the resolution of federal policy decisions currently on hold.

Should these plans materialize, Montana’s vast geography and dispersed population centers could make passenger rail a valuable alternative to road travel, potentially fostering regional economic development and tourism connectivity in a state where distances strain existing transportation infrastructure.