DART rolls out Silver Line service

Dallas Area Rapid Transit in Texas opened its 26-mile (41.6km) Silver Line rail service on 25 October, with free rides on the Plano–DFW (airport) line until 8 November. opening day saw food and festivities at every stop. Service is provided by eight Stadler Flirt diesel LRVs, built in Salt Lake City running every 30 minutes at peaks and hourly off-peak, giving passengers an alternative to the traffic on Interstate 635. Service is provided 04.00-01.00. Each unit can carry up to 230 passengers (130 seated). There is interchange with the DART Red Line light rail at Cityline/Bush and with the Green Line at Downtown Carrollton. DFW Airport Terminal B is also served by the DART Orange Line. The service is designed to provide accessibility to major employment and educational opportunities. Construction started in 2021 and cost USD 2.1bn (a USD 908M federal loan came from the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Fund). When regular fares are introduced USD 3 will buy a three-hour pass and USD 6 a day ticket. The line is operated for DART by Herzog. 

 

The mayor of the city of Richardson, who helped cut the ribbon to inaugurate service, said, ‘Today we celebrate with our partners DART as our two new stations are officially opened. The 10-station Silver Line connects Richardson with six other North Texas cities and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. It also uses Stadler FLIRT trains that not only provide a quiet efficient ride, but also help meet regional sustainability goals and meet the EPA’s highest clean air standards. It also means economic mobility for many people in the community by strengthening connections to jobs, schools and travel opportunities across the region’.