Texas Central

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 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

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

Texas Central Railway Could Have “Massive Positive Impact”

Amtrak took the lead on the proposed high-speed rail project, which would connect Houston and Dallas in less than 90 minutes.

November 19, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Traffic on Interstate 45 with signs leading to Dallas and Galveston.

Texas High-Speed Rail Plan Calls for Eminent Domain

The proposed rail line would link Dallas and Houston via a 90-minute trip.

September 17, 2024 - Newsweek

Texas Central

Texas High-Speed Rail Awarded $63.9M Federal Grant

In August, Amtrak received a $63.9 million grant from the FRA to continue its work to identify a high-speed rail corridor between Dallas and Houston.

September 3, 2024 - Texas Rail Advocates

Shinkansen high-speed rail train traveling across bridge with green trees on either side.

Will Texas High-Speed Rail Become a Reality?

A proposed Houston-to-Dallas rail line shows promise, but faces major hurdles before it can come to fruition.

July 25, 2024 - Houston Public Media

Rendering of proposed Dallas station for Texas Central bullet train.

Will Texas Really Get a Bullet Train?

While state leaders remain silent, federal transportation officials are touting the proposed project’s benefits.

May 23, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Rendering of proposed modern glass high-speed rail station in Houston, Texas.

Amtrak Takes Lead on Texas Central Rail

The high-speed rail project isn’t a done deal, but if it moves forward, trains could begin operating in 2030.

April 23, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Rendering of busy concourse at Houston train station for Texas Central train.

US, Japan Governments Express Support for Texas HSR

A proposed high-speed rail project would link Houston and Dallas using Japanese Shinkansen technology.

April 15, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Rendering of California high-speed rail train viaduct with arches

Tracking U.S. ‘Higher-Speed’ Rail Progress

Five projects are moving the United States forward on so-called “higher-speed” rail.

September 5, 2023 - The Washington Post

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

Amtrak Exploring Partnership for Central Texas Bullet Train

A privately funded high-speed rail line could link Houston and Dallas.

August 14, 2023 - Houston Chronicle

Texas Bullet Train

Eminent Domain Questions Still Dog Texas Central High Speed Rail Plans

The Texas Attorney General took a break from its crusade against unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud to weigh in on a controversial question of property rights.

December 28, 2021 - Texas Tribune

Texas Central

Contracts Signed, Funding Still TBD: Texas Central High-Speed Rail Moves Forward

Texas Central has its construction contracts and a court decision in its favor, but significant obstacles remain for the high-speed rail project connecting Houston and Dallas to get underway.

June 23, 2021 - Railway Age

Texas Central

Texas Central High-Speed Rail Gets Green Light From Feds

The Federal Railroad Administration has granted two key permissions for Texas Central to operate a high-speed trail between Houston and Dallas.

September 21, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Texas Central

Eminent Domain Challenges Remain for Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Project

While Texas Central's plan to build a high-speed rail link between Houston and Dallas has already dealt with years of opposition from rural communities, big fights over the use of eminent domain have yet to begin.

March 10, 2020 - The Dallas Morning News

High-Speed Rail

$14 Billion Deal for Texas High-Speed Rail Construction

Italian construction giant Salini Impregilo will build the high-speed rail route connecting Houston and Dallas.

September 17, 2019 - Houston Chronicle

High-Speed Rail

The Future of U.S. High-Speed Rail Is in Texas

Carlos Aguilar, Texas Central president and CEO, comments on the changes to the San Francisco-to-Anaheim project announced last month by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and why his project linking Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth will progress.

March 5, 2019 - Texas Central

High-Speed Rail

Dallas Brainstorms Multimodal Hub to Accompany High-Speed Rail

With a Dallas-Houston bullet train proposal proceeding apace, a complementary idea is now on the table: a multimodal transit hub linking Amtrak, transit, and even Hyperloop.

October 14, 2018 - D Magazine

High-Speed Rail

High-Speed Rail to Partner with Amtrak in Texas

The Texas Central high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas is planning to offer smooth connections with Amtrak lines at either end of its 240-mile route.

May 6, 2018 - Houston Chronicle

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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.