A Proposed New Train Line Could Take Travelers From NYC To LA In Complete Comfort In Just 72 Hours

Most countries have some kind of railway system. There are a few notable exceptions, like Iceland, Bhutan, and Cyprus, which don't have a network. On the other end of the spectrum are countries like Japan and Switzerland, widely regarded as the most train-friendly destinations in the world. Somewhere in the space between is the United States. Despite having the largest rail transportation network on the planet, in addition to most Americans agreeing that long-distance train travel should be more widely available, the country's infrastructure and services are limited and outdated compared to what they could be. There's one essential detail missing from the equation, according to experts: high-speed trains. 

One company, AmeriStarRail, is looking to transform the scene. Their latest proposals, if they come to fruition, would bring high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor, including hourly nonstop service from Boston to New York (3 hours) and New York to Washington, D.C. (2 hours). Even more exciting for travelers is the suggestion of a new service called the "Transcontinental Chief," which would transport passengers from coast to coast in less than 72 hours. Starting and ending in New York and Los Angeles, the train would travel on existing tracks, stopping in destinations like Chicago and the Grand Canyon along the way. If you're interested in traveling cross-country by train, find out more about America's longest train ride that runs through breathtaking scenery and big cities.

AmeriStarRail hopes to launch the new service by May 2026. If a debut ahead of the FIFA World Cup (and the United States' 250th anniversary) sounds like a tight timeline, consider the fact that the company plans to partner with Amtrak, employing its coaches and dining cars, as well as with existing railroads like New Jersey Transit. While details about the proposed transcontinental service haven't been revealed — it's not known, for example, to what extent the trains' interiors would be renovated or updated — AmeriStarRail promises triple-class service (coach, business, and first-class) and affordable pricing on trains that could travel as fast as 160 MPH.

Some experts are dubious, like Mark Burris, a professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M University, who discussed the topic with Newsweek. Burris explained,  "When you examine places like Texas where the vast majority of people looking to travel significant distances already have a car, live in suburbs where they would likely want to drive their car to/from the high speed rail (HSR) station, and have access to an excellent interstate highway system, the numbers don't work well for HSR when comparing it to taking your car the whole trip."

If you're particularly eager to use public transportation around the Transcontinental Chief's start and end points while this story continues to unfold, check out this visitors' guide to New York's subway system. On the West Coast, you'll find that the metro is also the cheapest way to get around Los Angeles.