For more than 25 years, the Amtrak Heartland Flyer has been a vital link between Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City along the I-35 corridor. Operated in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Heartland Flyer faced imminent service suspension starting October 1, 2025, due to the lack of funding from Texas.
The Texas Transportation Commission has approved the Texas portion of funding for the route, allowing time for continued funding options to be sourced for the continued success of the Heartland Flyer.
Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell stated, “On behalf of our Amtrak guests who count on daily Heartland Flyer trains, we thank the Texas Transportation Commission for approving the state’s share of funding of the service from the North Central Texas Council of Governments and its Regional Transportation Council.”
She continued, “We will work with the Commission, TxDOT, NCTCOG, and other interested parties in Texas for a longer-term state funding solution. More than 80,000 passengers rode this service last year, up by 11 percent from the previous 12 months, on trains that are an economic benefit to both Texas and Oklahoma.”
Serving over 80,000 customers in FY24 and reaching $2.2 million in ticket revenue, the Heartland Flyer alleviates congestion on one of Texas’ busiest highways. It supports workforce mobility and job access – key pillars of Texas’ $97.5 billion travel industry. In Fort Worth alone, 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.
With the renewed source of funding, Amtrak will continue the tradition of welcoming guests to ride the Heartland Flyer to and from the annual Red River rivalry game between the UT Longhorns and OU Sooners on October 11 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
For more details on the Heartland Flyer, including schedules and fares, visit Amtrak.com.
