High-Speed Train from Southern California to Las Vegas Set to Launch in 2028

Southern Californians can look forward to a high-speed train connecting them to Las Vegas by 2028, as construction on the $12-billion project officially kicked off in Sin City on Monday. Brightline, the company behind the project, aims to revolutionize travel between the two vibrant regions, with a two-hour ride that promises to move millions of people efficiently and sustainably.

Wes Edens, Brightline’s founder and chairman, emphasized the significance of this project in bridging two key regions of the country. “We are the only industrialized country in the world that doesn’t have a high-speed rail in America, and four years from now, we won’t be saying that anymore,” Edens said during the groundbreaking ceremony in Las Vegas.

The 218-mile electric rail system, which received $3 billion in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is expected to significantly reduce carbon pollution along the often congested Interstate 15 corridor. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hailed the project as the beginning of a new era for high-speed rail in the United States.

Unlike California’s high-speed rail project, which has faced numerous challenges and delays, Brightline’s initiative has swiftly moved from blueprints to construction. The rail line will run within the highway median, supporting speeds of up to 200 mph and cutting 800 million pounds of carbon pollution annually once operational.

While ticket prices have yet to be announced, Edens hinted at possible charges ranging from 50 cents to $1 per mile, making a round trip from Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga potentially costing over $400. The route will include stations in Rancho Cucamonga, Hesperia, Victor Valley, and Las Vegas, with convenient access to key locations in each region.

With construction underway and a promising vision for the future of travel between Southern California and Las Vegas, Brightline’s high-speed train project is set to transform the way people move between these dynamic destinations.