LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — The high-speed train between Las Vegas and Southern California took a big step forward this week when $3 billion in funding got an important signature.
The Federal Railroad Administration signed off on the Brightline West agreement on Thursday, sending the money to the Nevada Department of Transportation. A spokesman said Friday that keeps Brightline on pace to begin construction in early 2025.
Initial estimates indicate the high-speed train project will cost $12 billion. The train will run on tracks in the median of Interstate 15 and serve four stations — Las Vegas, and three stations in California at Victor Valley, Hesperia and Rancho Cucamonga, where it will connect to existing Metrolink lines to Los Angeles.
Brightline West is expected to carry passengers in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, scheduled to begin in mid-July of 2028.
The all-electric trains are expected to reach speeds over 200 mph, making the trip in two hours. Officials call it America’s first true high-speed rail project.