Passenger rail service to Bozeman ended in 1979 when budget cuts forced Amtrak to discontinue the North Coast Hiawatha.

[4] In 1900 Northern Pacific inaugurated the North Coast Limited, an express train between Chicago and both Seattle and Portland that stopped at Bozeman Depot.

A major expansion and renovation of the depot occurred in 1923–1924, when a wing was added to the southeastern side in order to accommodate increased passenger traffic.

Bozeman was left with no train service until pressure led by Senator Mike Mansfield resulted in Amtrak launching the North Coast Hiawatha in June.

In October 1979 Amtrak discontinued the North Coast Hiawatha due to budget cuts, severing Bozeman and all of southern Montana from the national rail network.

Many proposals have been made over the years for reuse of the depot, including as a microbrewery, restaurant, bar, library, community center, office, or martial arts studio.

[12] In 2021 the authority played a role in securing language in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requiring USDOT to study restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha.