Phoenix-Tucson train route lands key approval: What to know

A passenger rail service between Phoenix and Tucson took a small step toward reality this week — though it still has a long way to go before trains are yo-yo-ing between the two Arizona cities.

The Federal Railroad Administration approved the Arizona Department of Transportation’s proposal to study the scope, schedule and budget of the passenger rail project. This move, which Gov. Katie Hobbs called “a big step forward for Arizona,” will allow ADOT to begin preparing the Service Development Plan for the project, which is expected to take two to three years.

After that plan is completed, the project will enter the third and final phase of the project development, which is the project’s engineering and environmental impact study. That study will take another two to three years before actual construction can begin.

It will be years until any track is laid, if it happens at all. Until then, here’s what you need to know about the project.

Where would the train go?

The passenger train, operated by Amtrak, would cover a 160-mile route between the Phoenix and Tucson areas. The route, which would run partly parallel to Interstate 10, was chosen in 2016. The train would make three round trips a day, traveling at speeds up to 79 mph.

Starting in Tucson, the train would travel along I-10 until Eloy, then dart north to run through Queen Creek, Tempe and Phoenix before ending in Buckeye. A one-way trip would take just less than two hours and 30 minutes with stops in downtown Phoenix, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Tempe, Coolidge and more.


The newly announced leadership team will work to determine where the train should stop and how many stops it will make based on travel demand and feasibility, factoring in the locations of “critical facilities,” such as airports and colleges.

It’s possible Amtrak will seek to extend the route beyond its two end points, going as far west as Los Angeles and as far east as New Orleans.

When could it be finished?

The real question is when will the project really start. A passenger rail line between the two cities has been in some stage of development since at least 2011. The current planning phase alone won’t wrap up until mid-2027 at the earliest.

There are hurdles. Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers wanted to stop the train in its tracks. Republicans, including Sen. Jake Hoffman, attempted to pass a bill to squash the project, arguing that no one would ride the passenger rail and that it would be a waste of money. The bill passed the state Senate but died in the House.

However, if a bill to kill the project had reached the desk of Gov. Katie Hobbs, she likely would have vetoed it. One of her first actions in office was securing $3.5 million in one-time funding to develop a service plan for the passenger rail project.

“Investing in passenger rail between Phoenix and Tucson holds enormous promise for economic growth and employment, and would mean more transportation options for more Arizonans,” Hobbs said in an ADOT press release.

What still needs to be done?

So far, no funding has been set aside to construct a line in the Phoenix-Tucson passenger rail corridor. All funding up to this point has been for plans and studies.

Aside from the $3.5 million Hobbs secured, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded ADOT a grant of $500,000, which was used to complete “a proposed scope, budget, schedule and planned steps” for creating a service development plan. In other words, they’ve planned for how to create the plan. In late June, the FRA approved the state’s “plan for the plan.”

The project is now in the real planning phase and work on the Service Development Plan can now begin, which is expected in the coming weeks. The completion of the development plan is expected to take two to three years. The plan will identify a variety of factors, including a travel analysis to identify the number of needed train stations and required infrastructure improvements.

This process will also forecast ridership and revenue, as well as determine how many trips will be available and how long the trip along the rail will take. ADOT’s approved budget for the planning is $10.6 million.

“This is a big step forward for Arizona,” Hobbs said in a statement on June 24. “I am committed to creating a bright transportation future for our state that fosters economic growth, creates jobs and expands transit opportunities for working people and families.”

Additionally, around summer 2027 or 2028, based on approval by the FRA, ADOT will conduct preliminary engineering and environmental analyses for the project. If all goes well, construction of a rail line between Tucson and Phoenix may finally begin.