Northern California

Yes, we’re working on it! The Northern California alignment is 100% environmentally cleared and the Authority is actively seeking funding to progress design work and begin critical geotechnical studies in the Pacheco Pass, a key step for linking to the Central Valley, where 119 miles of construction is underway. In the meantime, key partnerships and investments have already brought high-speed rail infrastructure to the Bay Area. The Authority invested $714 million into the Caltrain Electrification Project, which will facilitate blended service with high-speed rail and electric Caltrain trains using the same infrastructure. A train box under the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco has already been built by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority to serve as the future terminus of both Caltrain and high-speed trains as part of the Portal Project. These building blocks will all be connected to provide rail service between the Bay Area and the rest of the state.

By 2030-2033, at the earliest. Bay Area riders can take the Amtrak San Joaquin from Oakland or the Altamont Corridor Express service from San Jose and other East Bay locations to connect to Merced, where California’s High-Speed Rail initial operating segment begins. Extensive partnerships are in place to ensure these future connections provide seamlessly timed rail-to-rail transfers. A timeline for direct high-speed rail service from the Bay Area to Central Valley and Los Angeles cannot be established until funding is secured. The authority is actively seeking funding to advance project design toward construction in Northern California. Like most large projects, the California High-Speed Rail system is being built in phases.

Within the Bay Area, the Authority is a partner on various projects, including Caltrain’s Electrification. This project is important as it will be used by high-speed trains that will share the tracks with Caltrain as a blended service corridor. Additionally, the Authority partnered with the City of San Mateo, San Mateo County and Caltrain on the 25th Avenue Grade Separation, which was completed in 2021.

The project has created more than 13,000 labor jobs since construction began in 2015. In the Northern California region, 289 certified small businesses are working on the project, the most of any region in the state. In Silicon Valley and the Bay Area, the project has spurred $2.4 billion of economic impact and logged $910 million of labor income between July 2006-June 2023.

Once funding is secured, the next major milestone for high-speed rail in Northern California will be completing the geotechnical investigations and advanced design work that will be necessary to acquire right-of-way and begin the process of tunneling through the Pacheco Pass to connect to the Central Valley. 

The Authority’s funding to date has included both state and federal funds as well as partnerships (such as Caltrain Electrification) where the Authority’s funds helped leverage other funding sources. While specific funds for construction in Northern California have not been identified yet, the Authority will continue to pursue the funds through competitive grant programs and other opportunities. For the latest on funding, please refer to the Authority’s Business Plan.

In addition to connecting the major regions of California, the Authority seeks to connect to existing rail and transit services so that the system can be accessible from many different places.  View the NorCal Rail Connectivity Map.
 

Caltrain and the Authority have electrified the Bay Area corridor, which will allow for both operators to share tracks in a blended system. The service will ultimately run to the Salesforce Transit Center once it is connected to the existing rail corridor, replacing Caltrain’s 4th and King Station as the northern terminus for high-speed rail trains.

The Authority’s goal is to limit, where feasible, the extent to which high-speed rail presents an additional barrier to an animal’s natural movement and improve movement where barriers currently exist. Wildlife movement areas such as Coyote Valley, Soap Lake Floodplain, Pacheco Pass, and the Grasslands Ecological Area are located along the Northern California alignment between San Francisco and Merced. 

Coordination with local and regional conservation groups throughout the design and environmental review process provides valuable insight and on-the-ground knowledge to mitigate impacts on wildlife. A $3 million grant was awarded to study The Pacheco Pass wildlife overcrossing. Thanks to their collaboration with the Authority, the design of the rail system includes a variety of measures to facilitate wildlife movement and reduce/mitigate the impact of the rail corridor.   

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is committed to small, disabled, disadvantaged, and diverse businesses playing a major role in building the statewide high-speed rail project. This commitment will inspire business growth, job creation, and workforce development opportunities while building the vitality of California’s high-speed rail program. View more on our Small Business Program page.