HOUSTON – The Texas Bullet Train is one step closer to becoming reality thanks to a new loan of up to $300 million, secured by Texas Central.
The loan comes from the Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corp. for Transport & Urban Development, according to Biz Journal.
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The loan will help Texas Central work toward getting approval for permits with a goal of starting construction in 2019.
San Antonio to Austin in 8 minutes? Could this be real life?
"Not only has Texas Central been committed to an investor-led financing model since day one, Senate Bill 979 passed during the last legislative session and signed by Governor Abbott ensures that the State of Texas cannot use tax dollars to build, operate, or take over the train system,” wrote regional vice president for Texas Central David Hagy.
Train travel speeds for Texas are currently estimated to start around 186 miles per hour, making a trip from Houston to Dallas less than 90 minutes.
Maximum speeds could be increased to 205 mph, cutting travel times even further, according to Texas Central.
The big question for Alamo City: Is the Texas bullet train system coming to San Antonio? In short, there are no current plans that would bring the rail system west of its current Houston to North Texas corridor.
However, this project does create a backbone for possible future expansion into other cities, according to Texas Central.
Read more quick facts about the Texas Bullet Train here.
A TRAVEL CHOICE TEXANS DESERVE - Y'ALL READY FOR THIS?! 😁🚅🙌🏼 The travel experience will be unrivaled in safety, comfort and ease. Whether traveling for leisure, business, or just for fun, the Texas Central Railroad will provide passengers a world-class option with a genuine Texas touch! Now that's #LifeOnTheFastTrain! Visit www.texascentral.com/life-on-the-fast-train to learn more about the joy of the journey. #YallAboard #BuildThisTrain #ItsAboutTimeTX #Dallas #Houston
Posted by Texas Central on Tuesday, May 1, 2018