DART Advances $2.1 Billion Silver Line Commuter Rail Ahead of Landmark Passenger Service Linking DFW Airport to Plano

Connecting DFW International Airport to Northern Collin County Across 26 Miles

DALLAS, Texas — In a transformative milestone for North Texas regional transportation, regional economic integration, and multimodal connectivity, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is accelerating comprehensive dynamic testing and infrastructure commissioning across the landmark $2.1 billion Silver Line Regional Rail project. Spanning 26 miles of newly reconstructed heavy rail corridor, the high-speed passenger artery traverses seven major North Texas municipalities—including Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson, and Plano—directly connecting the western regional hub at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) with the thriving commercial and corporate centers of northern Collin County.

Designed to provide a high-frequency, congestion-free alternative to gridlocked highway corridors such as the President George Bush Turnpike (SH 190), Interstate 635 (LBJ Freeway), and State Highway 114, the Silver Line slashes regional transit times. Commuters will travel seamlessly between DFW Airport's Terminal B and Shiloh Road in Plano in under 60 minutes, delivering critical transit equity and economic accessibility across three booming counties.

Custom Stadler FLIRT Trainsets and Ultra-Low Emission Tier 4 Power

Passenger operations on the Silver Line are powered by a bespoke fleet of eight Stadler FLIRT (Fast Light Intercity and Regional Train) diesel multiple unit (DMU) trainsets, engineered and assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah. Featuring an aerodynamic, lightweight aluminum body structure, each four-car articulated trainset is propelled by a central power pack housing low-emission, EPA Tier 4-compliant diesel-electric engines paired with kinetic energy recovery and regenerative braking systems.

Engineered for passenger comfort and universal convenience, the trains feature level boarding with automatic sliding gap-fillers at every doorway, ensuring frictionless, step-free access for wheelchair users, cyclists, and passengers traveling with heavy luggage. The climate-controlled cabins accommodate up to 230 seated passengers and are equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, overhead storage racks, integrated USB power charging ports at every seat, dynamic digital LED journey displays, and dedicated bicycle stowage zones.

Ten Universally Accessible Passenger Stations and Seamless Multimodal Transfers

The 26-mile alignment incorporates ten brand-new, universally accessible passenger stations strategically situated near regional employment clusters and educational institutions: DFW Airport Terminal B, DFW North, Cypress Waters, Downtown Carrollton, Addison Transit Center, Knoll Trail, UT Dallas, CityLine/Bush, Downtown Plano, and Shiloh Road.

At key junction hubs, the Silver Line establishes direct, grade-separated transfers across the broader regional mass transit web. Commuters can transfer seamlessly to the DART Orange Line at DFW Airport, the Green Line in Downtown Carrollton, and the Red Line at CityLine/Bush and Downtown Plano, as well as Trinity Metro's TEXRail commuter service connecting to central Fort Worth. The dedicated on-campus station at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) in Richardson connects more than 31,000 students, faculty, and research personnel directly to regional transit without relying on private automobiles.

Catalyst for Transit-Oriented Density, Job Growth, and Decarbonized Mobility

Civic leaders, urban planners, and regional transportation authorities emphasized that the Silver Line functions as a tremendous catalyst for economic vitality and transit-oriented development (TOD). Dense mixed-use commercial districts, tech incubator campuses, and master-planned residential communities are already flourishing around station precincts in Addison, Richardson’s Telecom Corridor, and Carrollton.

By removing an estimated thousands of private vehicular trips daily from heavily congested regional freeways, the electrified-hybrid Silver Line will significantly curb nitrogen oxide and greenhouse gas emissions across the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Built with continuous welded rail, advanced Positive Train Control (PTC) safety signaling, and extensive acoustic sound walls through residential neighborhoods, the Silver Line establishes a resilient, world-class transportation lifeline engineered to serve North Texas for generations to come.