Colorado's Front Range Passenger Rail Reaches Milestone Agreement

New commuter rail line set to connect Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and more by 2029

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:10am

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A bold, geometric illustration in the Art Deco style, featuring sweeping gradients and towering, streamlined forms that evoke the grand scale and romance of a new passenger rail system.The Front Range Passenger Rail project promises to transform transportation along Colorado's bustling corridor, connecting major cities with a sleek, modern rail system.Denver Today

Colorado's long-awaited Front Range Passenger Rail project has reached a preliminary agreement with BNSF Rail, the company that owns the tracks the train will run on. The project aims to launch a starter service along the Northwest Corridor by 2029, with plans to eventually expand south if voters approve a new tax.

Why it matters

The Front Range Passenger Rail project has been in the works for decades and will provide a much-needed transportation option for the rapidly growing communities along the Front Range. It's expected to help alleviate traffic, reduce emissions, and improve commuting for residents.

The details

The initial service will include three round trips per day linking Denver, Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder, Longmont, Loveland and Fort Collins. The total cost to launch the starter service is estimated at $333 million, with about $30 million in annual operating costs. The train, nicknamed 'CoCo', is expected to be running by 2029.

  • The Front Range Passenger Rail project has been in development for over a decade.
  • Officials announced the preliminary agreement with BNSF Rail in April 2026.
  • The starter service along the Northwest Corridor is expected to launch by 2029.

The players

Front Range Passenger Rail (FRPR)

The organization leading the development of the new commuter rail line connecting cities along Colorado's Front Range.

BNSF Rail

The company that owns the rail tracks the Front Range Passenger Rail line will operate on, and has reached a preliminary agreement to allow the project to move forward.

Joan Peck

The former mayor of Longmont who serves on the FRPR board and has been a long-time advocate for bringing commuter rail to her city.

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What they’re saying

“Everything's expensive right now. The best thing that ever happened in Colorado was this.”

— Derrick Martin-Armsted

“It's going to save gas prices. It's going to help people be able to commute, probably save accidents. I mean, this is amazing.”

— Derrick Martin-Armsted

“If it went up to Fort Collins, I would love to go up there. It's really close to Wyoming and stuff like that. I would definitely ride it up to Fort Collins, or even Pueblo.”

— Steven Escobar

“I've just been riding high that we're all a team, even the transportation departments within the cities are part of our teams. I know Longmont has been working on this for at least four or five years before it ever became this far. So, yep, they're ready to go. Longmont is ready to go.”

— Joan Peck, Former Mayor of Longmont, FRPR Board Member

What’s next

The next major milestone will be securing voter approval for a new tax to fund the expansion of the Front Range Passenger Rail line further south, beyond the initial Northwest Corridor service.

The takeaway

The Front Range Passenger Rail project represents a significant investment in Colorado's transportation infrastructure, providing a much-needed public transit option that is expected to reduce traffic, emissions, and commute times for residents across the rapidly growing Front Range region.