High-Speed Rail from Fort Worth to Dallas moves forward

DFW High-Speed Rail Train

Phase 2 will focus on environmental impacts. | Photo provided by the North Central Texas Council of Governments

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Imagine a life where you can get from Fort Worth to Dallas in just 10 minutes on a high-speed train. That far-fetched dream could soon become a reality — well, in about 15-20 years. Here’s how the high-speed transportation project is moving forward + how it will impact the area.

What’s happened so far?

A study conducted by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) began in 2020 with the goal of selecting a passenger train, identifying potential routes, and receiving government approval. Back in October, the NCTCOG hosted a public meeting to gather public feedback + provide the latest details.

What’s next?

The passenger train was narrowed down to a High-Speed Rail and Hyperloop — with the next phase focusing on route alignment, station locations, and potential social and environmental impacts.

The High-Speed Rail technology will be evaluated over the next two years + the team will study the potential environmental effects on everything from air quality to noise pollution, wetlands, wildlife, and water crossings.

How fast are we talking?

Very fast. The high-speed train would have a maximum speed of 250 mph. The NCTCOG says the goal is to make the trip “in under 20 minutes” — to put that into perspective, a typical rush-hour car ride between Fort Worth and Dallas takes about an hour.

DFW High-Speed Rail Train

The study team narrowed options down to three stops | Photo provided

Where will the train go?

Fort Worth: The primary proposed location is Trinity Metro’s existing Central Station along I-35W downtown, but six other downtown-area sites are being explored.

Arlington: Transportation officials narrowed it down to the city’s entertainment district — south of I-30 and between Ballpark Way and North Collins Street.

Dallas: Developers have already announced a plan to build a new terminal south of downtown for the Dallas-to-Houston bullet train. The same station would be used for this project.

What does this mean for future public transportation?

Eventually, the Fort Worth-to-Dallas route would connect to both local transportation and statewide systems, like the Dallas-to-Houston rail, and DFW International Airport.

To keep up with the project’s study + find out when more public meetings will be scheduled, check the NCTCOG’s website.