October 3, 2025 - TRA Newswire -

A major milestone in North Texas public transportation will soon be reached: The DART Silver Line will begin operations Saturday, Oct. 25.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments announced that the 26-mile, east-west regional rail line will link the cities of Dallas, Plano, Richardson, Addison, Carrollton, Grapevine and Coppell with Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, where it will also connect with Trinity Metro’s TEXRail commuter line. With new stations, cutting edge vehicles and seamless transfers, the Silver Line is poised to transform the way residents travel for work, school and entertainment throughout one of the fastest growing regions in the nation.

Built by Salt Lake City-based railroad manufacturer Stadler U.S., the Silver Line’s new fleet of state-of-the-art electric diesel multiple units (DMUs) will be powered by engines that meet the strict EPA air quality standards.

Following years of planning, construction of the Silver Line began after DART secured a $908 million U.S. Department of Transportation loan in 2021.

The Silver Line project is complemented by the $184 million Cotton Belt Trail, part of NCTCOG’s Mobility 2050 Regional Veloweb network. The Cotton Belt's construction is being coordinated alongside portions of the Silver Line through a partnership between NCTCOG and the cities along the corridor. For more information, visit our Cotton Belt webpage.

To celebrate the Silver Line’s opening, DART is offering free rides on the entire system on opening day, Saturday, Oct. 25. The Silver Line itself will remain free to ride through Nov. 8, allowing North Texans a chance to discover the new line for themselves. For more information, visit DART’s Silver Line webpage. 

While the Silver Line will be the newest addition to a growing public transportation network in North Texass, the Regional Transportation Council’s transit subcommittee kicked off its effort to develop a next-generation transit system in September when it convened for its first meeting. The group, chaired by Denton City Councilmember Jill Jester, discussed several ideas for a safe, efficient transit system that covers more of the region in anticipation of continued expansion.

NCTCOG forecasts suggest the region’s population of 8.6 million will eclipse 12 million people by 2050. One way for the region to keep up with the demands of explosive growth is an expanded transit system. The subcommittee will be guided by the recently completed Regional Transit 2.0 study, which resulted in a series of reports that will be used to re-imagine public transportation.

One option is to expand the footprint of the current transit system so it serves a larger percentage of the growing region. More population growth is expected to take place in parts of the region not currently served by transit authorities. Just under half the population (47%) lives within a transit authority boundary. By 2050, that number is projected to decline to 38%. Increasing transit authority membership, one of the tasks handled by Transit 2.0, would help make transit more accessible to new areas.

A focus on density, particularly around transit stations, could also make public transportation an option for more people.

Co-chaired by Cedar Hill Mayor Stephen Mason, the subcommittee plans to meet twice a month, with one meeting held in person and the other virtual. The results of the study are available at the Regional Transit 2.0 webpage.

Photo credit: Texas Rail Advocates