2023 has been a particularly good year for American high-speed rail. In Florida, Brightline expanded its fast train (top speed 125 mph) from Miami to Orlando with plans to break ground on an extension to Tampa. The company’s project (186 mph) to connect Las Vegas with the exurbs of Los Angeles both acquired the necessary environmental approvals and received $3 billion (about $9 per person in the US) from the federal government. The Biden Administration awarded $3 billion of the $10 billion needed to help California finish its new 171-mile central valley corridor (220 mph) between Merced and Bakersfield (220 mph). Finally, Amtrak’s new, lighter, and faster Acela train sets (160 mph) may finally hit the rails in 2024, which along with some important upgrades, will cut the journey between New York and Washington by two-and-a-half hours from about three.
But, while some believe the dream of U.S. high-speed rail is finally within reach, the reality is America is still worlds from boasting a high-speed rail network like those found in Asia and Europe. The reason is simple—cost.
U.S. rail projects are more expensive and take longer to finish than anywhere else in the world. Domestic rail/transit projects cost 50 percent more (on a per mile basis) than those in Europe and Canada. U.S. projects also take more time. According to one study, European tunnels can be completed 18 months faster than anything similar in the U.S. That extra time is costly, as companies must pay salaries and benefits during the long wait.