A Brightline West official told the Daily Press that construction is expected to begin “early next year” on the Southern California side of its high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga.
Brightline West spokesperson Antonio Castelan on Monday provided some information about construction in Las Vegas, but no details about the California side of the project.
A Brightline West official told the Daily Press that construction is expected to begin “early next year” on the Southern California side of its high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga.
The 218-mile rail project includes a flagship station in Las Vegas and additional stations in Apple Valley, Hesperia and Rancho Cucamonga, the Daily Press reported.
Field testing along the route began soon after Brightline West hosted a groundbreaking for its high-speed passenger rail system in Las Vegas in April 2024.
The all-electric rail system will be built along the Interstate 15 median for passenger trains expected to top 200 mph along portions of the route that include the Inland Empire, Cajon Pass, High Desert, Mojave Desert and Mountain Pass.
As part of ongoing construction for the Las Vegas Station, crews will begin infrastructure improvements along Las Vegas Boulevard between Eldorado Lane and Robindale Road.
Las Vegas construction
Castelan reported Monday that crews will begin infrastructure improvements along Las Vegas Boulevard between Eldorado Lane and Robindale Road.
The work east of the project includes removing the existing center median, installing a box culvert, and realigning a sewer line to support future station and roadway enhancements.
Activities will begin on Oct. 23, with one night of median removal, followed by a lane reduction starting Oct. 27 and lasting approximately three weeks.
The improvements are essential to preparing the area for future station construction and long-term roadway functionality, according to Brightline officials.
For construction times and more information, visit brightlinewest.com.
More: Cost spikes for Brightline West’s high-speed rail project from Vegas to Southern California
Brightline West costs spike
Earlier this month, it was revealed that the price of Brightline West’s high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Southern California had just increased by 35%, the Daily Press reported.
The Brightline West project spiked from $16 billion to $21.5 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The initial cost of the project was $8 billion.
The 2025 cost spike resulted in the Fortress Investment Group-backed rail company requesting a $6 billion loan from the Trump administration, according to the U.S. government.
Brightline’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Reininger in September said that the cost of the project had increased due to rising labor and material costs, due in part to high demand caused by the proliferation of data centers, power plants and transportation projects, Bloomberg reported.
In September, Bloomberg reported that Brightline West had started construction of its Las Vegas station, and inked four of nine separate construction contracts for the rail project and was concluding negotiations on the remaining ones.
Brightline West’s initial projected passenger start date was 2027, but it is now expected to begin in 2029, Bloomberg reported.
A Brightline West official told the Daily Press that construction is expected to begin “early next year” on the Southern California side of its high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga.
Brightline is currently operating its first passenger rail system connecting Central and South Florida with stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando.
For more information, visit brightlinewest.com.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Brightline West eyes 2026 for construction of LA to Vegas rail project