A new passenger train being built in Sacramento will connect riders to San Jose – and have a station stop right in midtown, near the Ice Blocks.
Known as Valley Rail , the train service is expected to begin around 2026. It represents a major northern expansion of the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) train service, which currently connects Stockton to San Jose.
The midtown station will be a platform that runs between P Street and the wye (that’s train speak for “triangular junction”) at S Street, and bisected by Q Street.
Stay tuned for future NBNA meetings in the spring and summer of 2023, when project representatives will present to the community on the status of the station, plus plans for public art. NBNA is tracking how the art will be selected to ensure community input.
The ACE train’s new northern branch will have Sacramento-area station stops in Elk Grove, at Sacramento City College, Midtown, Old North Sacramento and Natomas.
Amtrak California’s San Joaquin Services will also run trains on the new lines.
The new train service will use existing Union Pacific freight lines, which run just east of Interstate 5. Track work to make the freight lines ready for passenger rail, and new stations, are largely paid for through California’s SB1 funds.
Sacramento Regional Light Rail stations are located three blocks away, enabling commuter connections.
For background and more information, see this Modesto Bee story from March, 2023; this CBS news story and this KCRA story about the station.