SoCal train to Las Vegas round trip ticket expected to cost more than $400

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY — Brightline West founder Wes Edens recently told the LA Times that to make money, the high speed rail connecting Southern California to Las Vegas would eventually cost more than $400 for a round trip ticket.

However, Brightline West has previously said the project is providing a competitive transportation mode compared with traveling by automobile on Interstate 15.

25 years to turn profit

According to Brightline West, the high-speed rail system has an anticipated cost of $12 billion.

Funding for the private company’s rail project include:

$2.5 billion in private activity bonds announced in January
$3 billion grant for the Nevada Department of Transportation announced in December
$1 billion private activity bond approved in 2020
$25 million grant to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority announced last June

Michigan State University railway education director Nick Little believes the train line is unlikely to turn a profit for as many as 25 years, given the level of investment required.

Gas vs. $400 round trip ticket

One of Brightline West’s project benefits listed in the $3 billion grant fact sheet is to provide a competitive transportation mode compared with traveling by automobile on Interstate 15.

However, according to the AAA gas cost calculator the round trip cost from Los Angeles to Las Vegas as of March 2024 is $106.58.

Brightline West

Once completed the all electric train cars will travel at speeds of more than 200 miles per hour with an initial departure schedule of every 45 minutes.

The rail project will create more than 35,000 jobs, and $10 billion in economic impact to California and Nevada. The company says they will make more than $800 million in roadway improvements to the I-15 corridor.

Brightline West hopes to begin rail service by 2028, in time for the Los Angeles Olympics.