Is there train service into Las Vegas?

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Gingee

OBS Chief
Joined
Nov 21, 2004
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924
Is there train service into Las Vegas Nevada? Someone told me told that they took a train there. I can't find it on the Amtrak site.
 
Gingee said:
Is there train service into Las Vegas Nevada? Someone told me told that they took a train there. I can't find it on the Amtrak site.
Click to expand...
No, not now, the Desert Wind was discontinued in 1997. Plans are afoot to put in rail service again, but nothing yet and nothing from Amtrak.
 
Gingee said:
Is there train service into Las Vegas Nevada? Someone told me told that they took a train there. I can't find it on the Amtrak site.
Click to expand...
5 California Zephyr

Departs: 2:00 PM - Chicago, IL

Arrives: 11:05 PM - Salt Lake City, UT

Duration: 34 hr, 5 min

2805 Self Transfer

Departs: 11:50 PM - Salt Lake City, UT

Arrives: 12:02 AM - Salt Lake City, UT - Greyhound Station

Duration: 0 hr, 12 min

8453 Bus

Departs: 8:30 AM - Salt Lake City, UT - Greyhound Station

Arrives: 3:40 PM - Las Vegas, NV - Bus Service

Duration: 8 hr, 10 min

3 Southwest Chief

Departs: 3:00 PM - Chicago, IL - Union Station

Arrives: 8:15 AM - Los Angeles, CA - Union Station

Duration: 43 hr, 15 min

8534 Bus

Departs: 10:25 AM - Los Angeles, CA - Union Station

Arrives: 4:35 PM - Las Vegas, NV - Bus Service

Duration: 6 hr, 10 min
 
No train service per se.

I will say that I tried out the Passport portion of the iPhone app, and it did register a check-in when I was at the airport. I think there's an Amtrak bus stop at the airport.
 
oh how I wish they would ressurrect the desert wind or some form thereof!
 
leemell said:
No, not now, the Desert Wind was discontinued in 1997. Plans are afoot to put in rail service again, but nothing yet and nothing from Amtrak.
Click to expand...
Oh, don't tease... I would love to see this happen. What are the chances? Has it just been mentioned, or are there actual proposals in place?
 
Sorcha said:
Oh, don't tease... I would love to see this happen. What are the chances? Has it just been mentioned, or are there actual proposals in place?
Click to expand...
The nearer term plans for service are from the X-Train from Las Vegas Railways Express. They are proposing not to run a daily service, but a limited service departing Fullerton to Las Vegas on Thursdays and Fridays with 2 return trains on Sunday starting late 2013 or early 2014. Intended for weekend trips to Las Vegas from the LA area. We have been discussing the prospects and viability of the X-Train in the General Rail Discussion forum for some time.

The other potential southern CA (Victorville) to Vegas train service is Xpress West HSR (formerly Desert Xpress) which is waiting on the FRA to approve a $5 billion RRIF loan application. But that is HSR and would be some 4-5 years even if the FRA approves the loan soon.

With 2 private companies seriously proposing a LA (or Southern CA) to Las Vegas train service, there is clearly a market. Amtrak may have missed an opportunity to get Nevada (or the city of Las Vegas) to support a LA Union Station to Las Vegas daily corridor service and put up the funds to upgrade the UP tracks (which LVRE is now proposing to pay UP for).
 
afigg said:
Sorcha said:
Oh, don't tease... I would love to see this happen. What are the chances? Has it just been mentioned, or are there actual proposals in place?
Click to expand...
The nearer term plans for service are from the X-Train from Las Vegas Railways Express. They are proposing not to run a daily service, but a limited service departing Fullerton to Las Vegas on Thursdays and Fridays with 2 return trains on Sunday starting late 2013 or early 2014. Intended for weekend trips to Las Vegas from the LA area. We have been discussing the prospects and viability of the X-Train in the General Rail Discussion forum for some time.

The other potential southern CA (Victorville) to Vegas train service is Xpress West HSR (formerly Desert Xpress) which is waiting on the FRA to approve a $5 billion RRIF loan application. But that is HSR and would be some 4-5 years even if the FRA approves the loan soon.

With 2 private companies seriously proposing a LA (or Southern CA) to Las Vegas train service, there is clearly a market. Amtrak may have missed an opportunity to get Nevada (or the city of Las Vegas) to support a LA Union Station to Las Vegas daily corridor service and put up the funds to upgrade the UP tracks (which LVRE is now proposing to pay UP for).
Click to expand...
Considering the struggle and demise of Amtrak's Atlantic City service, they probably weren't interested in going down that road again...
 
afigg said:
Sorcha said:
Oh, don't tease... I would love to see this happen. What are the chances? Has it just been mentioned, or are there actual proposals in place?
Click to expand...
The nearer term plans for service are from the X-Train from Las Vegas Railways Express. They are proposing not to run a daily service, but a limited service departing Fullerton to Las Vegas on Thursdays and Fridays with 2 return trains on Sunday starting late 2013 or early 2014. Intended for weekend trips to Las Vegas from the LA area. We have been discussing the prospects and viability of the X-Train in the General Rail Discussion forum for some time.

The other potential southern CA (Victorville) to Vegas train service is Xpress West HSR (formerly Desert Xpress) which is waiting on the FRA to approve a $5 billion RRIF loan application. But that is HSR and would be some 4-5 years even if the FRA approves the loan soon.

With 2 private companies seriously proposing a LA (or Southern CA) to Las Vegas train service, there is clearly a market. Amtrak may have missed an opportunity to get Nevada (or the city of Las Vegas) to support a LA Union Station to Las Vegas daily corridor service and put up the funds to upgrade the UP tracks (which LVRE is now proposing to pay UP for).
Click to expand...
What he said.
 
There is a mega bus who goes to Vegas daily from union station to Vegas with a quick stop in riverside ! It's only 2.00 one way
 
OBS said:
Considering the struggle and demise of Amtrak's Atlantic City service, they probably weren't interested in going down that road again...
Click to expand...
Las Vegas is not Atlantic City. Even with the economic downturn there, Vegas has a much larger population, more diverse economy than many people realize, gets a lot more convention business, and has a huge number of people who travel from Southern CA to Vegas. What has likely kept Amtrak from actively pursuing a LA to Vegas corridor service is lack of spare equipment, I would guess lack of strong interest by Nevada, and the cost of the track upgrades that UP wants.

If the X-Train plans happen, LVRE has agreed to put $27 million in escrow to pay UP for initial track improvements and provide an additional $29 million in 2 years for more improvements. The LVRE X-Train service will also be able to take advantage of BNSF and UP track projects in Southern CA that are being undertaken for Metrolink and Transcon freight service. There are start-up costs that someone has to pay for.
 
I used to ride the mega bus from NYC to Philly and back and never had a issue. I believe for 2.00 and 6 departures from union station, and free wifi, those buses will be full .
 
I took Megabus almost two years ago Chicago-Cincinnati. Other than the unpleasant wait out on the street, which was something of a zoo, the bus was just fine and the driver excellent. He was such a nice gentleman I even tipped him $5 when I got off.
 
Guest lsa said:
I used to ride the mega bus from NYC to Philly and back and never had a issue. I believe for 2.00 and 6 departures from union station, and free wifi, those buses will be full .
Click to expand...
See the thing is, those $2 fares are promotional gimmicks. Only a few seats on each bus are sold for $2 on a random basis. The other seats are sold for higher fares. Megabus couldn't make any money selling all their seats for $2.
 
afigg said:
OBS said:
Considering the struggle and demise of Amtrak's Atlantic City service, they probably weren't interested in going down that road again...
Click to expand...
Las Vegas is not Atlantic City. Even with the economic downturn there, Vegas has a much larger population, more diverse economy than many people realize, gets a lot more convention business, and has a huge number of people who travel from Southern CA to Vegas. What has likely kept Amtrak from actively pursuing a LA to Vegas corridor service is lack of spare equipment, I would guess lack of strong interest by Nevada, and the cost of the track upgrades that UP wants.

If the X-Train plans happen, LVRE has agreed to put $27 million in escrow to pay UP for initial track improvements and provide an additional $29 million in 2 years for more improvements. The LVRE X-Train service will also be able to take advantage of BNSF and UP track projects in Southern CA that are being undertaken for Metrolink and Transcon freight service. There are start-up costs that someone has to pay for.
Click to expand...
There are about 36,000.000 people a year use just i15 alone and another 3.7 million fly between LA and LV. A very sizable volume to be ignoring.
 
leemell said:
afigg said:
OBS said:
Considering the struggle and demise of Amtrak's Atlantic City service, they probably weren't interested in going down that road again...
Click to expand...
Las Vegas is not Atlantic City. Even with the economic downturn there, Vegas has a much larger population, more diverse economy than many people realize, gets a lot more convention business, and has a huge number of people who travel from Southern CA to Vegas. What has likely kept Amtrak from actively pursuing a LA to Vegas corridor service is lack of spare equipment, I would guess lack of strong interest by Nevada, and the cost of the track upgrades that UP wants.

If the X-Train plans happen, LVRE has agreed to put $27 million in escrow to pay UP for initial track improvements and provide an additional $29 million in 2 years for more improvements. The LVRE X-Train service will also be able to take advantage of BNSF and UP track projects in Southern CA that are being undertaken for Metrolink and Transcon freight service. There are start-up costs that someone has to pay for.
Click to expand...
There are about 36,000.000 people a year use just i15 alone and another 3.7 million fly between LA and LV. A very sizable volume to be ignoring.
Click to expand...
It was noted that improvements needed would be costly. As it stands now, people want to fly in or drive in, and much of the bus service to Las Vegas is subsidized by the casinos.
 
BCL said:
leemell said:
afigg said:
OBS said:
Considering the struggle and demise of Amtrak's Atlantic City service, they probably weren't interested in going down that road again...
Click to expand...
Las Vegas is not Atlantic City. Even with the economic downturn there, Vegas has a much larger population, more diverse economy than many people realize, gets a lot more convention business, and has a huge number of people who travel from Southern CA to Vegas. What has likely kept Amtrak from actively pursuing a LA to Vegas corridor service is lack of spare equipment, I would guess lack of strong interest by Nevada, and the cost of the track upgrades that UP wants.

If the X-Train plans happen, LVRE has agreed to put $27 million in escrow to pay UP for initial track improvements and provide an additional $29 million in 2 years for more improvements. The LVRE X-Train service will also be able to take advantage of BNSF and UP track projects in Southern CA that are being undertaken for Metrolink and Transcon freight service. There are start-up costs that someone has to pay for.
Click to expand...
There are about 36,000.000 people a year use just i15 alone and another 3.7 million fly between LA and LV. A very sizable volume to be ignoring.
Click to expand...
It was noted that improvements needed would be costly. As it stands now, people want to fly in or drive in, and much of the bus service to Las Vegas is subsidized by the casinos.
Click to expand...
Wait, Greyhound gets paid by casinos?
 
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