Looks like Angelenos will be able to cut their four-hour drive in half by 2023! š
UPDATE: The boards of Metrolink and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) approved memorandums of understanding (MOU) with Brightline/XpressWest to study a possible expansion of Xpress West’s proposed high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area. The study would examine linking the XpressWest project to Metrolink stations in the Los Angeles suburbs of Rancho Cucamonga and Palmdale, California. Each extension would add about 50 miles from XpressWest’s current terminus in Victorville, California, according to Forbes.
If the only thing holding you back from a weekend trip to Vegas is traffic or the cost of airfare, another form of transportation is in the works! A privately owned intercity passenger rail system is planning to get you from Southern California to Las Vegas in just under two hours via a new, highspeed train.
Brightline confirmed that they’ve acquired the rights to the former XpressWest project and NBC News Las Vegas 3 reported that officials have approved the permits to begin construction. The proposed station is set to be completed by 2023.
The high-speed trains will run on a 185-mile route between Vegas and Victorville along the Interstate 15. As a part of the agreement, Brightlight will also acquire 38 acres of land adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip, with plans to build the station at the corner of Diamond Road and Las Vegas Boulevard allowing easy access to the city. The documents submitted to Clark County show that the proposed train terminal is to be a 2-story building with a passenger terminal as well as a variety of retail shops and restaurants.