Passenger Rail

The World’s 10 Fastest Trains
From Japan to Morocco to China, these passenger trains travel at speeds of up to 311 miles per hour.

Amtrak Gains Final Approvals for Return to the Gulf Coast
A vote by the Mobile city council secured three key agreements that will pave the way for bringing passenger rail service back to coastal regions east of New Orleans.

Midwest Connect Train Project Moves Ahead
The proposed rail line would connect Chicago to Pittsburgh.

50,000 California State Fairgoers Visit High-Speed Rail Exhibit
An interactive exhibit offered visitors a glimpse into the future rail system.

Will Texas High-Speed Rail Become a Reality?
A proposed Houston-to-Dallas rail line shows promise, but faces major hurdles before it can come to fruition.

Proposed NYC-to-Boston HSR Would Cut Trip to Under Two Hours
The proposed project would use a mix of new and old rail lines and bypass some cities to speed up the trip.

New Chicago-to-St. Paul Amtrak Line Makes Profit in First Months
The Borealis line provided more than 18,500 rides since its first trips in May.

Gateway Tunnel Project Ready to Move Forward
The project is primarily funded through federal agencies and will improve a key link between New Jersey and New York City.

New East Coast HSR Line Breaks Ground
The passenger rail line will connect Raleigh and Richmond as part of the growing Southeast Corridor.

Amtrak Reveals Plans for 15 New Routes
Two of the proposed lines would bring passenger rail to rural parts of Utah and drastically reduce travel time between Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver.

Amtrak Will Likely Break Ridership Record This Year
Despite closures and delays on major lines, passenger rail travel is set to break pre-pandemic records.

St. Paul-to-Chicago Borealis Rail Line Launches
The Amtrak service, 12 years in the making, doubles the number of available trips on the corridor.

Will Texas Really Get a Bullet Train?
While state leaders remain silent, federal transportation officials are touting the proposed project’s benefits.

The Passenger Rail Revival Is Here
For the first time in decades, multiple rail projects are moving forward that could have a transformative impact on train travel in the United States.

More Passenger Rail Coming to Montana
Planning is underway to restore a 45-year-defunct regional passenger rail line connecting southern Montana to Billings and Amtrak’s east-west Empire Builder line from Seattle to Chicago.

Brightline Founder Predicts a Passenger Rail Resurgence
The HSR operator wants to expand to more US regions.

Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.

LA-to-San Francisco Night Train Closer to Reality
A train operator has entered into formal negotiations with Union Pacific to move the project forward with a projected launch date of 2025.

Southern California Rail Service Resumes After Landslide
The corridor has been closed multiple times in the past year as erosion and landslides put coastal rail infrastructure in jeopardy.
TOD Opportunities Around America's First True High-Speed Rail Line
Brightline West hopes to break ground, in anticipation of a 2027 opening. Cities in the Inland Empire and High Desert areas of Southern California are looking to take advantage.
Pagination
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Planetizen
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
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HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service