Texas DOT Formalizes Withdrawal from Heartland Flyer Funding Partnership

Heartland Flyer funding will be covered by Oklahoma through the end of 2026. This week, Texas DOT formally notified Amtrak of its intention. It intends to stop paying Texas’ share after Aug. 31, 2026. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The daily state-supported passenger rail service runs between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas. For now, no discontinuance notices will be posted. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation says its remaining funding is enough. It can keep the train operating through December 2026.

Heartland Flyer funding shifts after Texas withdrawal

The route has been supported through a joint arrangement. In various forms, that arrangement dates to 2006. Under that agreement, Texas was committed to contributing at least $2.5 million. That contribution was to Oklahoma’s Tourism and Passenger Rail Revolving Fund.

In addition, Texas DOT had requested more than $3 million from state lawmakers. The request covered operations and additional capital costs. The legislature adjourned last May until January 2027. Still, before that adjournment, it authorized no money from a $337 billion discretionary budget.

The North Texas Council of Governments then stepped in. It did so to avoid the loss of the state-supported service. Last summer, it redirected up to $3.5 million from regional toll road revenue. The money went to the Heartland Flyer. The money was described as an “emergency funding commitment to extend service long enough to develop a second-year funding program” before the legislature reconvenes.

Emily Long, a spokeswoman for Oklahoma DOT, told Trains, “Based on current projections, remaining fund balances are sufficient to support operations through the end of calendar year 2026.” She added, “ODOT remains supportive of the Heartland Flyer and will continue exploring partnership opportunities to sustain the service.”

2027 funding gap remains unresolved

Trains sought comment from both the Texas Department of Transportation and the North Texas Council of Governments. Separately, the inquiries concerned funding for Texas’ share of Heartland Flyer costs into 2027. No response was received.

The Texas legislative session begins on Jan. 12, 2027. Also, bills may be filed as early as Nov. 9, 2026. That timing leaves a gap. Funding is being sought to keep the daily round trip running.

Meanwhile, Amtrak continues to sell Heartland Flyer tickets through March 31, 2027. It does the same on all Amtrak routes. In addition, fares are higher on the nine dates in June and July 2026. Those fares apply to travel to and from Fort Worth. FIFA World Cup matches are being held in Arlington, Texas, on those dates. Still, the train’s schedules have not been changed to accommodate match times. Those times range from noon to 9 p.m.

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