Could a 90 minute train trip between Austin and Dallas someday be possible? Today the popular choices are plane (50 minutes), car (three hours), bus (four hours), and train (best-case about 4 ½ hours). On Thursday, April 16, 2009, the President offered another alternative: his vision of multiple high-speed rail corridors within the United States that included Austin. “My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America. We must start developing clean, energy-efficient transportation that will define our regions for centuries to come,” said President Obama. A down payment on the plan of $8B was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and another $1B was added in the proposed FY2010 budget. Cost estimates for the high-speed rail range from $250B to $500B. more ›