Dispel the myths about high-speed rail in California.

• Construction Facts
• Sustainability Facts

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) is responsible for planning, designing, building and operating the first high-speed rail system in the nation. California high-speed rail will connect the mega-regions of the state, contribute to economic development and a cleaner environment, create jobs and preserve agricultural and protected lands. This high-profile project has garnered a lot of publicity, which in turn has led to speculation and rumor. When considering the impact high-speed rail has on California, it is important to separate fact from fiction. Download fact sheet.

Drag the arrows to the left or right to reveal myths versus facts

Construction Facts

Fact

Phase 1 of the California high-speed rail system will connect 6 of the 10 largest cities in the state.

Myth:

High-speed rail will be a train to nowhere.

Fact

Other countries with high-speed rail systems service 1.6 billion passengers per year. Amtrak’s California corridors are among the busiest in the nation, with 5.7 million Californians riding trains last year.

Myth:

No one rides trains anymore.

Fact

In blended/shared corridors, trains will be slowed to 110 miles per hour, as required by regulations. However, in other areas speeds will top 220 miles per hour.

Myth:

High-speed rail will not be high-speed.

Fact

High-speed rail in California will run on 100% renewable energy. It will be all electric all the time.

Myth:

California High-Speed Rail will be diesel-powered.

Fact

Providing the same capacity as high-speed rail from San Francisco to Los Angeles would require 4,300 new highway lane miles, 115 additional airport gates, 4 new airport runways costing more than $158 billion with a 50-year maintenance cost of more than $132.8 billion.

Myth:

High-speed rail is a waste of money. We can expand our roads and airports.

Fact

California’s population is projected to grow to more than 50 million by 2060. $28 billion is lost each year in time and wasted fuel due to traffic congestion. Los Angeles, San Francisco and San José already rank among the top five most gridlocked cities in the nation.

Myth:

High-speed rail is a solution in search of a problem.

Sustainability Facts

Fact

Contract requirements dictate our construction sites have significantly better air quality than the California average. Our contractors use tier 4 on- and off-road vehicles and technology to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions. Site emissions are 60 percent lower than the state average.

Myth:

Building High-Speed Rail Causes More Pollution Than it Will Save.

Fact

$10 million in funding has been awarded for station area planning efforts, which will help create thriving and sustainable station area districts. Planning among key cities creates meaningful connections and economic oportunites.

Myth:

High-Speed Rail Causes Sprawl

Fact

Cap-and-Trade funding has helped create 1.5 billion dollars of activity in disadvantaged communities and specifically added 2,100 jobs (or job hours) in priority communities. Of the 427 small businesses participating in the high-speed rail program, 115 are located in disadvantaged communities. There are already 2,000 workers on site building high-speed rail.

Myth:

Investing Cap-and-Trade Proceeds In High-Speed Rail Has Produced No Results.

Fact

High-Speed Rail will run on electricity supplied entirely from renewable sources. The Authority is committed to using 100 percent renewable energy to operate our trains and facilities.

Myth:

High-Speed Rail will be a drain on the power grid.

Fact

At this very moment rail crossings throughout northern and southern California are being upgraded or eliminated. This reduces traffic congestion, improves safety and cuts GHG emissions from idling vehicles. A single rail crossing can cause up to 45 days of stopped traffic per year, which results in about 1,800 tons of GHG emissions annually.

Myth:

High-Speed Rail Does Nothing to Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Now.

Fact

High-Speed Rail is a critical part of California’s sustainable transportation network. The goals of high-speed rail are reducing congestion and pollution while improving mobility and increasing access to jobs and affordable housing. As California’s population rises and our economy continues to grow, high-speed rail is the only mode that meets every one of these goals.

Myth:

California Could Make Better Transportation Investments.