Courtesy of California High Speed Rail Authority
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Senior Staff Writer
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February 21, 2026
It’s been more than a decade since the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) first broke ground on the state’s long-awaited bullet train project, but 2026 may be the year that we finally see high-speed track installed.
The CHSRA began receiving bids from construction vendors in November 2025, with the goal of laying track and systems in the Central Valley within the year.
This development gets us another step closer to seeing high-speed rail in California, which will ultimately allow travelers to cover the distance between San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2 hours and 40 minutes.
A $3.5 billion Request for Proposals
Construction at CA State Route 46 underpass. Courtesy of California High Speed Rail Authority.
If you’ve been following the California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) project, you’ll know that most of the last decade’s work has been focused on the Initial Operating Segment (IOS) in the Central Valley, a 119-mile stretch to the Merced and Bakersfield extensions. While temporary track has been laid for freight deliveries, the shiny new high-speed track has yet to hit the ground.
In November, CHSRA launched a $3.5 billion Request for Proposals, inviting qualified vendors to bid on the track & systems construction contract. The work would cover high-speed track, the overhead contact system, train control, communications, and more.
A January 2026 article by Newsweek revealed that proposals are due on March 2nd, and CHSRA anticipates that they will award the contract during Q2 of 2026. In the meantime, CHSRA is procuring materials like rail, ties, and overhead contact system poles, and delivering them to installation locations.
Ultimately, the winning vendor will then proceed with the installation of high-speed track and systems along the IOS sometime in 2026.
What’s next for California High-Speed Rail?
Kings Tulare station rendering. Courtesy of California High Speed Rail Authority.
While the idea of a NorCal-to-SoCal bullet train has been around for decades, California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) officially launched in 2008 with the approval of Prop 1A, which authorized nearly $10 billion in bonds for the project.
Groundbreaking began in Fresno in 2015, and over a decade later, the Central Valley’s 119-mile Initial Operating Segment (IOS) is still under heavy construction with a 2032 opening date. Work includes the creation of major viaducts, bridges, embankments, and grade separations.
California High Speed Rail Authority
Eventually, the CHSR project will link NorCal and SoCal with 200+ mph electric trains, covering the distance from SF to LA in 2 hours and 40 minutes. Environmental clearance has already been approved for Phase 1 section of the route, but an opening date is still TBA.
A longer-term vision for CHSR imagines Phase 2 extending the system to Sacramento in the north and San Diego in the south, covering a full distance of 800 miles.
🌐 Learn more: California High-Speed Rail Authority