NorthstarLink bus service from St. Cloud to cease; NorthStar rail to convert to bus in January 2026

Sherburne County staff briefed commissioners on the planned transition of NorthStar regional transit: county officials said NorthStar commuter rail service will transition to bus operations on Jan. 5, 2026, and that the NorthStarLink bus service operating from St. Cloud will cease on Jan. 2, 2026. County staff described the change as driven by equipment age and funding constraints.

County staff said NorthStarLink buses have passed the federal hold deadline and are likely to be sold at auction; any proceeds would be distributed to partner agencies, including Sherburne County. Staff noted the Met Council is discussing transition options but did not commit to continued service to Elk River; county leaders said the board may weigh advocacy with the city of Elk River and state legislators if they wish to press for continued service. "If they're getting money for Elk River, they at least have to have some sort of recognition of that," a county official said in discussion of Met Council decisions.

Officials emphasized funding and operational constraints: bus fleets, drivers and funding availability impact whether service can continue or expand to serve Elk River or Ramsey; county staff said rural transit options were not available at sufficient scale. The county announced it will circulate the Met Council meeting video about the transition to commissioners and that further discussion could come to a future board meeting for legislative advocacy decisions. No service changes were immediate at the time of the meeting; staff said the dates in early January 2026 are firm for transition and recommended further local coordination about advocacy and planning.