On November 6, 2025, a decade of planning culminated in a major upgrade for Ohio transit. Partners from the Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA), Miami University, the City of Oxford, and state and federal departments formally dedicated the new $27 million Chestnut Street Multimodal Station.

This is a landmark achievement for Oxford and its surrounding communities described as a "rare and remarkable" collaboration and stages Butler County for Amtrak service to start in the future.

What This Station Delivers Today

The nearly 60,000-square-foot facility, which became operational in August, is already at work:

• A New Transit Hub: It serves as the central "hub-and-pulse" for Oxford's entire redesigned local bus network, replacing inefficient routes with a more direct and user-friendly system. Also, a hub for regional GoBus routes.

• A "Living Lab": The station is a technology hub, built with infrastructure to support electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. It will even be the base for a fully autonomous vehicle pilot program launching in 2026.

  
  

"Amtrak-Ready" from Day One

Most importantly for passenger rail advocates, the Chestnut Street Multimodal Station was designed to be "Amtrak-ready" for the 3x daily Amtrak Cardinal.

This is a critical distinction: the $27 million station project, which is now complete, includes all the essential passenger-facing amenities needed to serve a modern rail line. Though platforms are slated to begin construction in 2026. Facilities include:

• A comfortable, indoor passenger waiting concourse

• Publicly accessible restrooms

• Real-time information kiosks

• Free public Wi-Fi and charging stations

This facility is designed to provide a single, seamless experience for travelers, allowing them to connect from a BCRTA bus, a GoBus, or an autonomous shuttle directly to their Amtrak train.