Rerouting the US: Reimagining a country for high-speed trains

Rerouting the US: Reimagining a country for high-speed trains By Eleanor Stubbs, Alex Leeds Matthews, Curt Merrill, Agne Jurkenaite and Alexandra Skores, CNN Published November 22, 2025 Americans planning holiday travel may be facing some of the worst flight delays in years. Although the government shutdown has ended, it could take months for air travel to fully recover.High-speed trains would offer Americans an attractive alternative — if they existed.Nearly 200 years ago, the United States opened its first modern railway and by 1850, it was home to more than 9,000 miles of railroad — as much as the rest of the world combined.Today, US train travel is unrecognizable from its heyday, yet there’s a proven alternative to gridlocked highways and overcrowded airports: high-speed trains. CNN has reimagined three of the busiest flight and road trip routes across the US mainland as high-speed rail lines – offering a glimpse into a faster, more connected future. Ready to ride? Select a route to begin. New York –ChicagoSan Francisco –Los AngelesAtlanta –Orlando