April 8, 2026 - TRA Newswire -

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKbCecr8w9g  (run time 04:11)

For schedules and tickets go to amtrak.com.

In a video just released, two transportation staffers at the North Central Texas Council of Governments rode the daily Heartland Flyer between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City to promote the train that carried over 80,000 passengers in 2025. "Jacki and Jackie" from NCTCOG Transportation showed how it offers a safe and convenient alternative to driving between North Texas and Oklahoma City. You can get some work done or kick back and relax in comfortable, spacious seats.

The train nearly stopped last year. But when money for the popular passenger rail service did not make it into the final state Senate Finance budget in 2025, Dallas-Fort Worth transportation officials stepped in at the last minute to keep it on the tracks. Last summer, the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approved a $3.5 million emergency infusion to ensure Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer could keep moving between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. The funding represents half the state’s biennial contribution to the operation of the Amtrak route.

The Heartland Flyer is funded jointly by the states of Texas and Oklahoma, the only two states in which the service operates. The Texas Transportation Commission gave final approval for the RTC funding in August 2025. The emergency infusion lasts for a year, meaning more action will be required to keep the train going until the Texas Legislature reconvenes, in January 2027, and has a chance to revisit the matter.

While the state of Texas claimed half-ownership of the popular interstate train over the last two decades, little to no effort was done by the Texas Department of Transportation or state tourism offices to promote it. Oklahoma has a website dedicated to the Heartland Flyer. Texas does not. 

Significant growth in ridership could help bridge the gap, as the additional revenue realized would reduce the subsidy and could entice more funding partners to come forward. In Fiscal Year 2025, Heartland Flyer ridership grew 1% to almost 81,000 passengers. 

Rail advocates have been pushing for a second daily round-trip for a long time, which would allow for same day business meetings at either end or at intermediate stations, which would boost ridership and revenue. 

Staff members from the NCTCOG Transportation Department traveled the route to experience first-hand the ease of traveling by train. While there, they toured some of the city’s most popular places the city has to offer.

The train's lone Texas stop is in Gainesville at the Red River, although many years ago there was talk of a stop at Krum, close enough to serve the universities at Denton and the growing population of Denton County. In Oklahoma, the Heartland Flyer makes brief stops at Ardmore, goes through the Arbuckle mountains to Pauls Valley, Purcell and Norman before arriving in Oklahoma City.

The video features a few of the gems of Oklahoma City, from the touching tribute to the 168 people who died in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building to the city’s treasured downtown parks. 

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is one of the city’s most popular attractions. It is a testament to how a community can overcome unspeakable tragedy while ensuring that the memory of those lost is preserved for generations. There are two distinct parts to the museum. Inside, visitors will find an interactive educational experience, telling the story of those directly affected by the bombing. Outside is the memorial, a tribute to the 168 killed in the terrorist attack. It tells the story of that horrific day by depicting how the city endured the bombing and was able to heal thereafter. 

Scissortail Park is a 70-acre haven in the middle of downtown, close to Bricktown. The 2.4-mile Scissortail Perimeter is a path winding through the park, which includes something for every member of the family: a playground for the kids, a lawn where the whole family can enjoy a picnic, even a dog park for those who bring their four-legged friends. 

The nearby Myriad Botanical Gardens provide a place for the community to connect with nature and enjoy community events. The Inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory is a 224-foot-long greenhouse that offers a variety of flora in two tropical climates across 13,000 square feet. 

Also featured in the video is The Jones Assembly, a popular restaurant and music venue housed in historic downtown buildings that were once part of the Fred Jones Manufacturing Company complex, an early 1900s automotive assembly plant tied to Oklahoma’s rich industrial history.

Watch the video at the NCTCOG Transportation Department’s YouTube page

The train is a popular way to travel for students from Texas to the University of Oklahoma in Norman, where the historic train station downtown is the stop for the Heartland Flyer.

Train 822 departs Fort Worth Central Station downtown daily at 5:35pm, arriving in Gainesville at 6:31pm and Oklahoma City Santa Fe Station downtown at 9:27pm. 

Southbound train 821 leaves OKC at 8:25am and arrives Gainesville at 11:05am and Fort Worth at 12:23pm. 

Comparing sample fares

(from April 8 for April 11)  $ 32.00 each way Fort Worth-Oklahoma City

(from April 8, 2026 for May 6, 2026)  $28.00 either way Fort Worth-Oklahoma City

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