Amtrak Gets $64 Million Grant to Advance Texas High-Speed Rail Project Connecting Two Mega Regions

In August 2023, Amtrak began exploring a partnership with Texas Central, the original proponent of the corridor.Photo byUmair DingmaronUnsplash

Amtrak has been awarded a $63.9 million grant to advance the Texas High-Speed Rail project, following several years of stagnation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding is part of a larger $153 million allocation from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which was made available under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November 2021.

The Texas High-Speed Rail project aims to establish a high-speed rail route connecting Houston and Dallas in under 90 minutes, with a stop in the Brazos Valley. Initial plans suggest that the Houston station would be located at the Northwest Mall site near the US 290 and Interstate 610 interchange.

This grant follows a $500,000 grant awarded to Amtrak in December 2023 and marks a significant step forward for the project, which has been navigating early planning and development phases while seeking support from Texans and their representatives.