LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Holiday travelers are hitting the road in droves this week, with many taking the I-15 south toward Southern California to visit friends and family.
But in just a couple of years, a different kind of travel could be part of the mix with people taking the Brightline West high-speed rail instead of sitting in traffic.
WATCH | How locals feel about the high-speed rail set to finish by 2028
Brightline West is slated to open in 2028. The project is anticipated to reduce congestion and remove 3 million cars from roadways between Southern California and Southern Nevada.
I went to the streets in Jean, Nevada, where travelers frequently stop for gas on their way to and from Las Vegas, to see how people feel about the upcoming rail system.
Everyone I spoke with was heading to the coast, including Las Vegas locals Vitas and Ethan, who were traveling to Vallejo, California, with their five dogs.
"Back here we got a couple different breeds but we want to take them with. Part of the family," they said.
The Las Vegas locals told me high-speed rail and better public transportation is something they'd get on board with.
"We might check it out," Vitas said.
"Absolutely, the transparency and time, the time difference that would be awesome," Ethan said.
Though Vitas did say he's hesitant to have too much enthusiasm, due to the cost.
They're not the only ones excited about the prospect of faster travel.
"It would be lovely, it would be fantastic, of course, train would be better than driving. We get tired of the road sometimes," one traveler said.
"I can be sitting, having me a drink, hopefully, and just chill," another said.
When asked if her family would take advantage of the rail system, one mother traveling with children said it would be a game-changer.
"Most definitely, I would think since to cut our time travel down from 5.5 to 2 hours, I think that would be a big hit. Especially traveling with the kids," she said.
Construction recently started on Las Vegas Boulevard to remove the median and realign a sewer line to support the planned Brightline West station. The rail system is planned to be 218 miles, connecting the Las Vegas location through the middle of Interstate 15 to several stops in California.
The station will be located on Las Vegas Boulevard between Robindale and Eldorado, though currently there's not much to see besides signs of construction and piles of dirt.
While the high-speed rail could serve as a major holiday convenience in just a few years, travelers will have to rely on traditional roadways for now.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
