Brightline West high-speed rail on track to connect Southern California and Las Vegas by 2028

A rendering of the Brightline West high-speed train, designed to reach speeds of up to 200 mph and connect Las Vegas to Southern California by 2028. – Image courtesy of Brightline West / brightlinewest.com
The U.S.’s first true high-speed rail is on track to connect Las Vegas and Southern California by 2028 with 200-mph electric trains, cutting travel time in half.

LAS VEGAS – Construction is moving forward on Brightline West, the nation’s first true high-speed rail project, which is set to link Southern California to Las Vegas by the end of 2028. With trains expected to reach top speeds of 200 miles per hour, the electric-powered line will offer a significantly faster and more sustainable alternative to driving along Interstate 15.

The system will span approximately 218 miles, connecting a new station near the Las Vegas Strip to Rancho Cucamonga, California, with intermediate stops planned in Victor Valley. Once operational, the trip between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga is expected to take about two hours and ten minutes—cutting the typical travel time in half.

Federal funding and official groundbreaking

In December 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Brightline West a $3 billion grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funding marked a major endorsement of the $10 to $12 billion project and helped push it into the construction phase.

Groundbreaking took place on April 22, 2024, at the future site of the Las Vegas station. Since then, field work has ramped up along the Interstate 15 corridor, including geotechnical borings, utility potholing, and land surveying. Construction activity is now visible in multiple locations across Southern California and Nevada.

Route and connectivity

Brightline West is being developed by Brightline, the same private company operating high-speed rail service in Florida. The California terminus in Rancho Cucamonga will connect directly to Southern California’s Metrolink commuter rail network, allowing passengers to travel from downtown Los Angeles to Las Vegas without using a car.

The project’s station infrastructure is expected to include parking, retail, and regional transit options, improving access for travelers throughout the Inland Empire and beyond.

Jobs, emissions reduction, and ridership

At peak construction, Brightline West is projected to generate up to 18,000 jobs. Once operational, the train system is expected to serve approximately nine million passengers annually. Because the system will run entirely on electric power, federal estimates suggest it could reduce carbon emissions by over 400,000 tons each year by diverting millions of car trips.

Timeline and next phases

Track installation and major station construction are scheduled to accelerate throughout 2025 and 2026. The project remains on schedule, with full passenger service anticipated by late 2028—potentially in time for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Brightline West is being closely watched as a potential model for other high-speed rail corridors across the United States. With its emphasis on sustainability, public-private partnership, and regional connectivity, it represents one of the most advanced and viable high-speed rail efforts in the country.

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