Proposed Rail Project Would Bring Trains from L.A. to Coachella Valley

Riverside County's transportation commission is moving forward with a proposal to bring passenger rail from Los Angeles to Indio.

1 minute read

June 7, 2021, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Proposed Coachella Valley Rail Project Map

Riverside County Transportation Commission / Proposed Coachella Valley Rail Project

A new rail project may be coming to the Coachella Valley, reports Steven Sharp for Urbanize Los Angeles. "Earlier this month, the Riverside County Transportation Commission published a draft environmental study for the Coachella Valley rail project, which calls for running two daily round-trip trains between Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles and either the City of Indio or the City of Coachella."

"The first"—and recommended—"build option under study would serve the full 144 mile corridor between Los Angeles and the City of Coachella. Within the western section of the project area, trains would make use of existing infrastructure, including stations in the Cities of Fullerton and Riverside." 

In addition to being a thriving agricultural region, the Coachella Valley, which includes Palm Springs, plays host to a variety of festivals, conventions, and events that bring more than 3 million visitors to the area each year. Riverside County Transportation Commission Chair and Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Jan Harnik says "I see this as a transformational project – it will truly change how people travel between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley." If approved, the project "could start construction within 10 years of the completion of the environmental study" and is estimated to cost around $1 billion.

Friday, June 4, 2021 in Urbanize Los Angeles

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

1 hour ago - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

2 hours ago - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

3 hours ago - The Sacramento Bee