Photo credit: BrightlineCALIFORNIA — The Brightline West high-speed rail project, which aims to link Las Vegas and Southern California, is now being projected by company officials to be completed in late 2029.
The revised timeline puts the project past the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, an event many had hoped the rail line would help serve.
The 218-mile electrified rail line, which will run in the median of Interstate 15, is designed to move passengers between Las Vegas and Southern California at speeds exceeding 200 mph.
Previous reporting on the project had already indicated that an earlier 2028 target was unlikely, and that service would not start before the Olympics’ closing.
Brightline representatives told local TV that construction is underway, including work at the future Las Vegas station, but track laying does not yet have a set date.
The company plans to complete stations, vehicles, and system testing over the next several years, with passenger service expected to begin in 2029.
Stops in Apple Valley and Hesperia
The high-speed line will link Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California with Las Vegas, including planned intermediate stops in Apple Valley and Hesperia.
Having acquired the project rights from the earlier XpressWest effort, Brightline has been steadily advancing civil construction and site preparation.
The project has received billions in public and private support.
Federal funding includes a $3 billion grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $3.5 billion in tax‑exempt private activity bonds, including a $2.5 billion issuance in 2025.
Local programs added a $25 million RAISE grant for Hesperia and Apple Valley stations. Private investors, including Fortress-affiliated backers, are also contributing equity to help cover rising costs.
Brightline’s founder and chairman, Wes Edens, previously told the Los Angeles Times that round-trip fares for the line could eventually exceed $400 per person, based on pricing models that consider distance and service levels.
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