Work begins on the first high-speed train in the United States between Los Angeles and Vegas

Long-awaited construction on the first high-speed commuter train between Los Angeles and Las Vegas broke ground on Monday — promising to transport passengers between the two cities in half the time it now takes to drive across the desert.

BrightLine West is leading the $12 billion project, which will lay 218 miles of track between a new station in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and another station just south of the Las Vegas Strip by 2028, according to luck.

In a statement, Brightline Holdings founder and president Wes Eddins said Monday's start of rail construction — thanks to $6.5 billion in support from Joe Biden's administration, plus $2.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds — was laying “the foundation for a new industry.” “. “.

Brightline also received federal authorization in 2020 to sell similar bonds worth $1 billion, Fortune reported.

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will reportedly participate in the groundbreaking for the railway on Monday.

When completed, Bright Line West expects to welcome millions of passengers aboard the high-speed train, which will travel at speeds of up to 200 mph between the two major U.S. cities in just over two hours — about half the time it takes to drive between the two cities. Los Angeles and Vegas.

The high speeds are comparable to Japan's high-speed Shinkansen trains, whose network includes nearly 2,000 miles of lines on the country's four main islands.

Brightline estimates that 11 million passengers will take the electric-powered train one way per year, meaning there will be 30,000 passengers per day. The trains will also have restrooms, Wi-Fi, food and drinks.

There will also be a checked baggage option, with ticket prices with or without large bags expected to be much lower than the cost of flying through the Mojave Desert.

It was not immediately clear how much a ticket on Brightline West would cost, although airline costs range between $80 and $230 depending on the time of year.

Passenger traffic at Sin City's Harry Reid International Airport hit a record 57.6 million people in 2023, Fortune magazine reported.

Meanwhile, an average of more than 44,000 cars per day crossed the California-Nevada state line on Interstate 15 in 2023, according to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority data — likely due to the Super Bowl and Formula 1 Grand Prix races that were both held. In Las Vegas last year.

Las Vegas, with a population of nearly 3 million, attracts more than 40 million visitors annually.

The goal is to have high-speed trains up and running in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, Brightline CEO Mike Reininger said.

Almost the entire distance of the upcoming train will be along the median of I-15, according to Fortune, which begins in San Diego and runs through Los Angeles before passing through Nevada and parts of Arizona, Utah, Idaho and Montana.

At this point, only one stop along the route will be in the Victorville area of ​​San Bernardino County, according to Fortune.

Later, Brightline West said it may add more stops in Palmdale, California, and other U.S. metros that are too close to fly between but too far to drive to, though details have not been finalized. after.

The goal is to relieve congestion on I-15, where motorists are often stuck in slow-moving traffic.

Representatives for Brightline West did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment.

Florida-based Brightline already runs a high-speed line from Miami to Orlando, where trains reach speeds of up to 125 mph.

The service launched in 2018 and expanded to include service to Orlando International Airport in September 2022, Fortune reported. It now offers 16 round-trip flights daily, with a one-way ticket to travel the 235-mile route for about $80.

Other high-speed trains in the United States include Amtrack's Acels, which can reach speeds of up to 150 mph while transporting passengers between Boston and Washington, D.C. — but railways are not considered “high-speed” unless they exceed at least 160 mph.