Passenger Rail

Texas Eagle Amtrak train pulling into station in Austin, Texas with glass high-rise buildings in background.

Five Key Transportation Funding Proposals in Trump’s Budget

The President’s proposed 2026 budget would keep spending roughly the same for transit and rail and eliminate over $5 billion in funding for EV charging infrastructure.

June 10, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of Rancho Cucamonga, California with suburban commercial center and large palm trees at sunset with mountains in background.

Car-Centric LA Suburb Looks to a Train-Oriented Future

City leaders in Rancho Cucamonga, the future western terminus of the Brightline West rail line to Las Vegas, want to reimagine the city as a transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly community.

June 8, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of red Amtrak Borealis train at station.

Amtrak’s Borealis Exceeds First Year Ridership Expectations

205,800 passengers have boarded the St. Paul to Chicago line, well above initial MDOT projections.

June 5, 2025 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Nevada State Senate building.

Nevada Legislature Unanimously Passes Regional Rail Bill

If signed by the governor, the bill will create a task force aimed at developing a regional passenger rail system.

May 28, 2025 - KRNV News 4

A yellow RTD train at platform at Union Station in Denver, Colorado.

Colorado Officials ​P​lan Denver-Fort Collins Rail Service ​by 2029

About $40 million a year in state funding from new transportation fees could be the key to getting a short passenger rail line from Denver to Fort Collins up and running in the next four years, Colorado officials said last week.

May 26, 2025 - Colorado Newsline

White Shinkansen high-speed rail train passing on bridge over pond in Japan.

Texas, California Rail Projects Seek Out Private Funding

In the wake of Trump’s cuts to high-speed rail projects, rail authorities are looking to private-public partnerships to supplement their budgets.

May 25, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Pedestrian underpass being built at Wasco Amtrak station as part of CA high-speed rail project.

Trump: Federal Government Won’t Pay for California HSR

The President has targeted federal funding for the California bullet train project since his first administration.

May 8, 2025 - The Fresno Bee

US Department of Transportation headquarters building in Washington DC.

Where USDOT Awarded $3.2 Billion in Grants

The department announced awards for projects that include intercity rail, low-emission buses, and tech-driven transit improvements.

May 8, 2025 - Mass Transit

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

May 2, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

April 24, 2025 - San Diego Post

Rendering of Texas Central high-speed rail train stopped at covered platform in Dallas, Texas

High-Speed Rail Tracker

Smart Cities Dive follows high-speed rail developments around the country

April 21, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Red and white Caltrain train.

Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification

The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.

April 15, 2025 - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

Amtrak Acela

How to Make US Trains Faster

Changes to boarding platforms and a switch to electric trains could improve U.S. passenger rail service without the added cost of high-speed rail.

April 11, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Two white and red Stadler electric Caltrain trains next to each other on a sunny day.

Which US Rail Agencies Are Buying Zero-Emissions Trains?

U.S. rail agencies are slowly making the shift to zero-emissions trains, which can travel longer distances without refueling and reduce air pollution.

March 30, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Cyclists and a red T train on the Longfellow Bridge in Boston, MA at sunset.

What the Proposed Federal Budget Means for Transit, Rail

The proposed FY 2025 budget keeps spending for public transit and passenger rail essentially the same as in 2024.

March 16, 2025 - American Public Transportation Association

Blue Tri-Rail train at station at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida.

South Florida Commuter Rail Tops Pre-Pandemic Ridership

The Tri-Rail service connects Miami to Broward and Palm Beach counties.

February 10, 2025 - Progressive Railroading

Wasco Viaduct under construction in California's Central Valley as part of California High-Speed Rail project.

California HSR Could Be Up and Running by 2033

A newly restructured leadership promises to speed up the arduous construction process and start running trains in five to eight years.

February 7, 2025 - GovTech

Amtrak train with downtown Seattle in background.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record

The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

February 2, 2025 - Daily Hive

Close-up of front of blue locomotive with Amtrak logo.

What the US Intercity Rail System Could Look Like

An FRA study shows how new Amtrak lines could connect tens of millions more Americans to rail travel.

January 30, 2025 - Fast Company

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.