Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer service, which is operated in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), will have service suspended no later than Oct. 1 unless the state of Texas secures its share of funding.
“Reliable rail service provides a vital transportation option for residents and visitors alike, strengthening regional mobility, economic development and tourism,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “With service that supports Texas’ continued economic growth and the region’s connectivity, sustaining the Heartland Flyer is essential to maintaining momentum and ensuring long term mobility in the region.”
Serving over 80,000 customers in fiscal year 2024 and reaching $2.2 million in ticket revenue, Amtrak notes the Heartland Flyer, which has been in service for more than 25 years, alleviates congestion on one of Texas’ busiest highways by providing service between Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Okla., along the I-35 corridor. In Fort Worth alone, Amtrak says the $3.5 billion tourism economy benefits significantly from continued rail service. Amtrak is also investing over $63 million in ADA station improvements at 16 stations in Texas, further bolstering the state’s passenger rail network.
The Heartland Flyer links communities across Texas, Oklahoma and beyond, connecting to the Texas Eagle between Chicago, Fort Worth and San Antonio, with further connections on the Sunset Limited for travel between San Antonio, El Paso and Los Angeles.
Amtrak notes the Heartland Flyer potential reaches even further with ongoing efforts by the Kansas Department of Transportation, ODOT and the Northern Flyer Alliance to extend the Heartland Flyer north to Newton, Kan., creating a seamless link to the Southwest Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles.
According to Amtrak, with the Dallas-Fort Worth region set to host more 2026 World Cup matches than any other U.S. city, maintaining Heartland Flyer service will be vital for transporting fans and visitors from Oklahoma and beyond.
TxDOT requested $7.05 million this year to support the Heartland Flyer for two years, which Amtrak says was not approved in the legislative budget cycle. Amtrak will continue to work closely with state and local partners to address the funding challenge and will provide a specific suspension date at a later time.
About Section 209
According to Amtrak, outside the Boston-to-Washington Northeast Corridor (NEC), Section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) requires that short- and middle-distance Amtrak routes (those 750 miles or less in length) be state-supported.
Amtrak operates 30 state-supported routes in partnership with 21 agencies representing 18 states. Section 209 requires the use of a standardized methodology, maintained by the State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee (SAIPRC) to fairly allocate route costs between Amtrak and these partners.
“The Heartland Flyer is key to ensuring Fort Worth’s continued success as a global destination and is central to the city’s tourism industry, business community and thriving economy,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. Fort Worth is the busiest Amtrak station in Texas – generating millions in economic impact annually – and as people continue to move to our region, travel reliability, mobility choices and connectivity will be key to our competitiveness.”
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt added, “Oklahoma City has long been committed to a comprehensive, connected transportation system, and we have benefited from the Heartland Flyer’s contribution to that vision. We recognize that Texas benefits greatly from the visits of our residents via the Flyer, and we also deeply appreciate the amenity and the connection to the entire Amtrak system. The Heartland Flyer is a vital link that supports economic opportunity throughout our region.”
