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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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Estimated ticket costs for California's high-speed rail system were revealed in a bond offering from the route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
The offering is the first time indications of prices have been given, according to reports from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Newsweek contacted the California High-Speed Rail Authority for comment via email.
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Why It Matters
California's high-speed rail project is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and this year marks the first time that the project is ready to "finally" begin laying track, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom.
What To Know
To finance its high-speed rail line, Brightline West is seeking $2.5 billion through bond offerings, including $1.85 billion in private activity bonds from California and $625 million from Nevada.
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, the filings reveal that a one-way ticket is projected to cost $119 for standard class and $133 for premium seating by 2031, which would be the first stabilized year of service. The company anticipates generating $1.1 billion in ticket revenue annually.
Construction on the 218-mile rail line, including stations in Nevada and California, is expected to begin in early 2025, with crews tackling multiple sections simultaneously.
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Key construction partners include Las Vegas Paving for Nevada's 34-mile segment and McCarthy Building Co. for the Las Vegas Brightline Station near Blue Diamond Road.
Brightline West projects the rail system to be operational by December 2028, slightly later than its initial goal of launching before the 2028 Olympics. Trains will offer 35 daily departures, with hourly gaps between trips.
The high-speed rail route, once completed, aims to make the journey between Southern Nevada and Southern California two hours long. Travelers from the Rancho Cucamonga station, located 40 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, can transfer to the Metrolink passenger rail system for connections across the region.
Backed by a $3 billion federal grant and $5.5 billion in bonding authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Brightline West will use both public and private funds to complete the project.
What People Are Saying
California Governor Gavin Newsom: "By 2050, every Californian should be able to choose rail as a way to get to their destination, near or far. Our rail plan is ambitious, but as the world's fifth largest economy bursting with talent and innovation, we're ready to take on this challenge."
The California High-Speed Rail Authority told Newsweek: "Initial track work is estimated to begin by spring 2025, with installation of mainline turnouts, work that includes laying a siding track, a parallel track that allows BNSF trains to pull off the mainline and out of the way of the work.
"The Authority will be issuing a request for proposals to procure a contract for Track and Overhead Contact System construction and expects to award a contract by fourth quarter 2025."
What Happens Next
The first high-speed rail services in California are expected to start after 2030, with the full route being operational by 2050.
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