Renfe signs contract with Texas Central as operator of high-speed project between Houston and Dallas

July 16, 2021
Renfe will work on the design and development of the operational and commercial aspects of the high-speed project.

Renfe has signed a contract with Texas Central, making it the early operator of the project.  

After signing this agreement, Renfe will work together with Texas Central on the design and development of the operational and commercial aspects of the high-speed project. This agreement represents a new phase of the project that incorporates experts in the railway industry from around the world and comes after Texas Central has announced the incorporation of the multinational Webuild to lead the consortium that will build the infrastructure. 

In addition to the future operation guaranteed by this second contract, Renfe has provided advisory and consulting services to Texas Central since the end of 2018 in the supply, final design, execution, construction, testing and commissioning of the future high-speed line. 

The system that Texas Central Railroad proposes to build in Texas will replicate Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed rail system, operated by the Central Japan Railway Company. Texas Central chose a system with 55 years of experience that is one of the safest and most advanced in the world and carries more than 400,000 passengers every day. 

The Texas Central project foresees the creation of 17,000 direct jobs during the six years of construction, more than 20,000 jobs in the supply chain and more than 1,400 permanent direct jobs when the service is fully operational. In addition, the project will use $ 7.3 billion in materials from U.S. companies in 37 states. And, over the next 25 years, it will have a direct cumulative economic impact of $36 billion. 

First high-speed train in the U.S. 

The high-speed train between Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth, the first in the United States, will connect these two cities, 240 miles apart, in less than 90 minutes.  

In addition to the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston stations, it will have an intermediate station in Brazos Valley. All stations will be connected to the motorway network and public transport systems, and will have large parking areas.