INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Getting from Indianapolis to Chicago by train might just get easier.

The Indiana Department of Transportation says new federal funding has offered opportunities to get better railroad services.

Indiana is on track to bring new changes to its passenger rail.

The Federal Railroad Administration says INDOT will be getting up $500,000 to expand their services from Indianapolis to Chicago.

“It’s a multi-step process working with the Federal Railroad Administration. This is the initial step,” said Natalie Garrett, the strategic communications director at INDOT.

Some of the funding will look at improvements to the Amtrak Cardinal line, which currently runs three days each week between the cities.

This is part of the Corridor Identification and Development Program led by the Biden Administration.

“Getting to Chicago from here we have a few choices, and we want another comfortable choice and that the person can be productive. You really can’t be productive driving on I-65,” said Tod Bassler, the president of the Indiana Passenger Rail Alliance.

He says this funding was long overdue.

“I look very much forward to continued improvements in Indianapolis Union Station. It’s literally, I’m going to be frank with you, it’s a scary place these days, and things can be done to improve the safety,” Bassler said.

INDOT says the funding will support a new study that looks into things like necessary track improvements and facilities, operating costs, and statistics.

“We’re going to be looking at a number of possibilities. Kind of what’s possible for this corridor. I know there’s lots of commuter traffic whether it’s for business, please, you know, a variety of reasons,” Garrett said.

They’re also looking at the possibilities of adding services between Indianapolis and Louisville, which is being led by the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, announced that another project that will receive funding is the Midwest Connect Passenger Rail Corridor, set to traverse from Chicago to Pittsburgh, making stops at various locations, including Fort Wayne.

INDOT says they do not have a date as to when we’ll see those changes on our rail services.