Riders of Oklahoma’s Heartland Flyer could eventually hook up to a high-speed Texas Bullet Train according to an announced partnership between the bullet train’s developers and the Washington D.C. based Amtrak rail line.
Amtrak hasn’t operated service between Dallas and Houston since 1995, but once it is restored, riders of the Heartland Flyer will be able to make connections and ride the faster train to Houston.
The deal was recently struck between Texas Central Partners and Amtrak with Amtrak’s executive vice president Stephen Gardner calling it “one of the most significant gaps in Amtrak’s route structure,” according to a report by the Dallas Business Journal.
“Amtrak supports the development of high-speed train service throughout the United States as part of a national passenger rail system, capable of meeting the nation’s transportation needs,” Gardner said in prepared statement. “When Texas Central’s high-speed line begins operation, the joint ticketing arrangement will benefit Amtrak customers who currently cannot connect by train between Texas’ two largest markets. We welcome the opportunity to partner with the private sector to expand the reach of our national network.”
The bullet train is a $15 billion project, one that will mean a 90-minute train ride from Dallas to Houston as the train cruises at more than 200 miles an hour.
Construction firms have been hired but the Federal Railroad Administration has yet to complete a final environmental review to determine the train’s timeline and route. Texas Central has already acquired a third of the land needed for the project.
It’s estimated the train will move 5 million passengers a year by 2025 and 10 million by 2050.
