The DesertXpress is a unique project that is based on using proven, steel wheel on rail high speed train technology to connect Southern California and Las Vegas without using any taxpayer dollars.

The Pressing Need

Today, over one-third of the 38 million annual Las Vegas visitors come from Southern California, and most of them drive to Las Vegas on Interstate 15. Further, as Las Vegas has grown into a very large metropolitan area, the demand for travel to Southern California from Las Vegas has continued to increase as well.

As the only roadway directly linking Southern California to Las Vegas, I-15 has rapidly evolved into a time-consuming, stressful, and often congested and dangerous travel experience. With no public funds programmed nor plans developed to widen this aging highway over the majority of its length, which in most places is only two lanes in each direction, the situation can only worsen.

And the present situation will only worsen. Las Vegas has consistently continued its rapid growth, making it by far the fastest growing large city in the country over the past decade.

Even in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, hotel occupancy remained strong at over 90%, with the pace of expansion increasing as evidenced by the $30 billion in new construction currently in progress. Meanwhile, Southern California continues to grow at a rapid rate –especially the Inland Empire and High Desert areas.

A New Transportation Alternative without Raising Taxes

DesertXpress will be privately financed and would extend over nearly 200 miles on new, high quality exclusive double track with no at-grade crossings. DesertXpress would provide a convenient and efficient travel alternative to Interstate 15.

With trains departing both ends of the line as frequently as every 20 minutes on Fridays and Sundays, and hourly during most of the week, passengers would not need to worry about traffic congestion, erratic timetables and long security lines.

The vast majority of DesertXpress passengers will be diverted from I-15, to the tune of almost 22% of all the cars that currently travel on the freeway between Victorville and Las Vegas.

As a "for-profit" private passenger railroad, DesertXpress presents an opportunity for the private sector to demonstrate its ability to implement needed transportation without federal or state funding. Revenues from fares and advertising make the project financially feasible without public funds.