NEWS RELEASE: High-Speed Rail Authority Issues Draft 2026 Business Plan for Public Review and Comment
Streamlining efforts cut Phase 1 costs by $1.7 billion, delivering high-speed rail faster and more efficiently
February 28, 2026
| KOJ YUAV TSUM PAUB: The Authority’s Draft 2026 Business Plan lays out a clear plan to connect key regions of California by right-sizing the high-speed rail project to deliver service as quickly and economically as possible. Throughout construction, the California High-Speed Rail has created more than 16,400 good-paying construction jobs and generated nearly $25 billion in economic impact and growth across the state. |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) today issued its Draft 2026 Business Plan for 60-day public review and comment. The overall projected cost for Phase 1 delivery, between San Francisco and Los Angeles/Anaheim, dropped by $1.7 billion due to streamlining efforts aimed at making high-speed trains a reality as quickly and economically as possible.
Through partnerships, proposed private financing, and legislative changes, the Authority has laid out a clear, cost-effective approach to taking travelers from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The Authority also envisions creating new revenue streams through real estate development, ancillary projects, and initial fare service that will help pay for the delivery of transformative transportation.
“The Draft 2026 Business Plan sets out the path forward: completion of Merced to Bakersfield, expansion to major population centers for revenue positive service, and early asset commercialization to produce additional revenue to build out high-speed rail. It explains how we build from progress underway, prioritize investments that produce early and durable commercial benefits, and create the conditions for long-term financial strength and private-sector participation as the system expands.”
Authority Board Chair Tom Richards
Based on proven global best practices for development of high-speed rail, the Draft Business Plan includes policies and implementation tools that would help speed the delivery of high-speed rail.
The Authority is providing the following options for submitting comments on the draft Business Plan. The comment period is from February 28 through April 29. There are four ways to provide comment:
- Online comment form at: 2026 Draft Business Plan Comment Form
- Ntawm email ntawm: BusinessPlan2026@hsr.ca.gov
- By U.S. mail to the Authority: California High-Speed Rail Authority Attn: Draft 2026 Business Plan 770 L Street, Suite 1180, Sacramento, CA 95814
- At the March 4, 2026, Board of Directors meeting during the public comment section.
High-Speed Rail Progress
Work continues daily on the high-speed rail project, with 171 miles currently under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield. Nearly 80 miles of guideway are complete, along with nearly 60 fully completed major structures, and 29 more structures underway across Madera, Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties.
Txoj haujlwm txuas ntxiv mus ntxiv mus thoob lub xeev, nrog 463 mais ntawm 494-mais San Francisco mus rau Los Angeles / Anaheim system tag nrho ib puag ncig tshem tawm thiab npaj tsim kho.
Since construction began, the project has created more than 16,400 good-paying jobs—most filled by Central Valley residents. Up to 1,700 workers report to high-speed rail construction sites each day.
Saib tsimhsr.com for more on construction updates and progress.
Kev xam phaj ua lus Mev muaj nyob rau thaum thov. Yog xav paub ntxiv, hu rau Authority's media relationship office ntawm: news@hsr.ca.gov.
Se ofrecen entrevistas en Español bajo solicitud. Para obtener más información, contacte a la Oficina de Relaciones con los Medios por correo electrónico: news@hsr.ca.gov.
Cov kab ntawv txuas hauv qab no muaj cov yeeb yaj kiab tsis ntev los no, cov yeeb yaj kiab, duab, duab, xov xwm chaw pabcuam thiab cov ntaub ntawv tshiab: https://hsra.box.com/v/ca-hsr-media-resources. Cov ntaub ntawv yog txhua yam muaj rau kev siv dawb, saib xyuas los ntawm California High-Speed Rail Authority.
Tsim Ntau, nrawm dua
Cov hais lus Bureau
California Kev Ciav Hlau High Speed Speed Authority ເວົ້າ lus chaw ua haujlwm yog tswj hwm los ntawm Lub Chaw Haujlwm Txuas Lus thiab muab cov ntaub ntawv kev tshaj tawm xov xwm ntawm High-Speed Rail Program.

