California High-Speed Rail Shares Plan For 2039

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), which is currently constructing a high-speed rail line in the Central Valley, on Friday published updated plans which its CEO Ian Choudri said could connect the region to population centers in the state "by 2038 to 2039." Newsweek contacted the CHSRA for comment on Monday via email outside of regular office hours. Why It Matters While the United States has thus far lagged behind Japan, western Europe and China in the construction of high-speed rail lines, a number are currently either under construction or consideration across the nation. Friday's supplemental document, an addition to the 2025 supplemental project report first issued in March 2025, comes after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revoked $4 billion in federal funding for the California rail project in July. What To Know The supplemental published by the CHSRA on Friday, and presented to the California State Legislature, lays out three possible visions for what the completed network could look like. The simplest option is a 171-mile high-speed rail line linking Merced in Merced County to Bakersfield in Kern County across the California Valley. This project has already been approved by Californian lawmakers and construction is currently underway. According to the CHSRA, this line is estimated to cost $36.75 billion and should begin service on January 1 2032. Once completed, the authority forecasts usage from 1.6 million to 2.2 million passengers annually, and revenue of $39.3 million to $55.6 million—though this is less than the $120.6 million-$122.1 million operating and maintenance costs. The second scenario suggested by the CHSRA would extend the high-speed rail line to Gilroy in Santa Clara County, linking to through services to San Francisco and Sacramento. An aerial image shows construction workers building the Hanford Viaduct over Highway 198 and past agricultural fields as part of the California High-Speed Rail transit project in Hanford on February 12, 2025. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP/GETTY Read more California Trump Accused of 'Totalitarian Approach' After Threats to ABC, NBC John Bolton Was Asked If he Was Worried About Trump 12 Days Before FBI Raid Texas Redistricting Moves Closer as Millions Pour Into California Fight Gavin Newsom's 2028 Chances Jump After Trolling Offensive Against Trump This segment is estimated by the CHSRA to cost $54.4 billion and, if approved, "would be operational by early 2038." The authority projects an annual ridership of 8.7 million to 11.8 million with annual passenger revenue of $623.7 million to $882.9 million. The final and most expansive proposal would see the line extended south to Palmdale, Los Angeles County, where it would link to a regional connection to Los Angeles itself. According to the CHSRA this option would likely cost $87.1 billion to construct, after which annual passenger revenue of $1.1 billion to $1.6 billion should be expected from 12.5 million to 17.4 million passengers. Under this proposal the California high-speed rail line could be connected to Brightline West, a high-speed rail line currently under construction that is intended to connect Las Vegas to southern California. This connection would be made through the so-called "High Desert Corridor," an additional high-speed rail line linking Palmdale to Victor Valley, though this has yet to receive regulatory approval. What People Are Saying In a statement, CHSRA CEO Ian Choudri said: "I see clearer now more than ever the potential for this transformational project, one that can reshape the state and our society for the better. "I see a future—by 2038 to 2039—when operations are already connecting the Central Valley to population centers and innovation hubs, offering new career opportunities, economic mobility, affordable housing, and a cleaner environment. A system that is efficient, sustainable, and equitable. A system that connects us to each other and to the world around us." Speaking to Newsweek in July, California Governor Gavin Newsom said: "Trump wants to hand China the future and abandon the Central Valley. We won't let him. With projects like the Texas high-speed rail failing to take off, we are miles ahead of others. We're now in the tracklaying phase and building America's only high-speed rail. California is putting all options on the table to fight this illegal action." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the CHSRA will receive the funding and regulatory approval necessary to extend the California high-speed rail project from San Francisco to Los Angeles, or whether it will only be built in part of the Central Valley.