Travel time from the greaterLos Angeles area to Las Vegas will soon be cut in half thanks to a new service coming in the next few years. High-speed rail service fromLas Vegas to Los Angeles is one of the projects that Brightline West is working to make a reality. This entails obtaining government backing for federal funds and establishing a labor contract with aunion representing railroad construction workers.

TheBrightline West service will depart from San Bernardino, CA and stop at Victor Valley on the way to its destination, which will be close to the Las Vegas Strip. Brightline projects the project’s completion will go live in 2027.

According toTravel & Leisure, the train service would travel at 186 mph across a 260-mile route, slashing the current travel time between the two cities. After accounting for security and check-in delays, taking the train might even be a speedier alternative than flying – flights last, on average, one hour and 15 minutes.

TheLas Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority estimated that over 38 million visitors came to Las Vegas in 2022, an increase of 20% from the previous year. TheLas Vegas Sun noted that the city has experienced a drop in visitors from California prior to the pandemic, but the new rail could make it simpler for people in Southern California to travel there.

TheLas Vegas Review-Journal reports that state and local officials in Nevada and California have shown support for the project and are lobbying Congress for $4 billion in federal funding to make it possible.

“This project is a major priority because it will make southern Nevada more accessible to millions of visitors each year,” U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen said, as reported by theAssociated Press.

Once completed, the Brightline West train will provide passengers with a number of conveniences, including free Wi-Fi, refreshments, luggage storage, and more.

Travelers can get a preview of what’s to come by looking to Florida, where Brightline is finishing up work on a brand-new high-speed rail service that will soon link Orlando to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

Brightline just displayed the brand-new Orlando Station at Orlando International Airport, and according toDetour, the service is anticipated to launch this summer, with tickets beginning at $79 per person.

“We’re proud to start this journey in Florida and rejuvenated in our belief that the time is now to accomplish this in other parts of the country,” Brightline CEO Mike Reininger said in a recent statement made available to the outlet.

Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.

If you enjoy our perspective on travel and Black culture, please sign up for our newsletter. You should consider joining our travel club, too. Or maybe write a piece for us about your favorite destination. In other words, let’s stay connected!

This story was originally published April 27, 2023 12:00 PM.