LAS VEGAS — Brightline West broke ground on what it calls the nation’s first true high-speed rail system connecting Las Vegas to Southern California.

The 218 mile (350 kilometre) system will be constructed in the middle of the I-15 and is based on Brightline’s vision to connect city pairs that are too short to fly and too far to drive.

Brightline West will run zero emission, fully electric trains capable of speeds of 200 miles per hour.

“People have been dreaming of high-speed rail in America for decades – and now, with billions of dollars of support made possible by President Biden’s historic infrastructure law, it’s finally happening,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at the groundbreaking ceremony. “Partnering with state leaders and Brightline West, we’re writing a new chapter in our country’s transportation story that includes thousands of union jobs, new connections to better economic opportunity, less congestion on the roads, and less pollution in the air.”

“This is a historic project and a proud moment where we break ground on America’s first high-speed rail system and lay the foundation for a new industry,” said Brightline’s founder, Wes Edens. “Today is long overdue, but the blueprint we’ve created with Brightline will allow us to repeat this model in other city pairs around the country.”

BRIGHTLINE WEST STATIONS AND FACILITIES

Brightline West will connect Southern California and Las Vegas in two hours – or almost half the time as driving. The system will have stops in Las Vegas as well as Victor Valley, Hesperia and Rancho Cucamonga, California.

The Las Vegas Station will be located near the iconic Las Vegas Strip, on a 110-acre property north of Blue Diamond Road between I-15 and Las Vegas Boulevard. The site provides convenient access to the Harry Reid International Airport, the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium. The station is approximately 80,000 square feet plus parking.

The Victor Valley Station in Apple Valley, CA is intended to offer a future connection to the High Desert Corridor and California High Speed Rail.

The Rancho Cucamonga Station will be located near California’s Ontario International Airport, and will be co-located with existing multi-modal transportation options including California Metrolink, for seamless connectivity to downtown Los Angeles and other locations in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

The Hesperia Station will function primarily as a local rail service for residents in the High Desert on select southbound morning and northbound evening weekday trains.

The Las Vegas and Southern California travel market is said to be one of the nation’s most attractive corridors with over 50 million trips between the region each year.

BRIGHTLINE FLORIDA

Brightline’s first rail system in Florida connecting Miami to Orlando began initial service between its South Florida stations in 2018. In September 2023, Brightline’s Orlando station opened at Orlando International Airport, connecting South Florida to Central Florida. The company has plans to expand its system with future stops in Tampa, Florida’s Space Coast in Cocoa and the Treasure Coast in Stuart.

In November 2023 Brightline launched a new Travel Professional Program that includes commissionable bookings for travel advisors.