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A PLAN THAT WORKS:
Service Starting in 2029
The FRPR District Board of Directors approved a comprehensive Delivery Plan on July 31, 2026 outlining how the Colorado Connector (CoCo) will connect communities along the Front Range with fast, affordable passenger rail service within five years.
Some big ideas never leave the page. CoCo is different. The FRPR District’s realistic approach leads the country in how to plan, fund and deliver passenger train service. So, yes, CoCo is Good to Go!
Here’s why first trains by 2029 is a realistic timeline, not wishful thinking.
The key partners are already at the table. A project like this only works when the right players are aligned – and they are:
BNSF
The State has signed a term sheet with BNSF for a 25-year access agreement to run passenger service between Denver and Fort Collins, with the formal agreement targeted for 2026.
UP
Union Pacific will serve as the host railroad on the corridor south of Denver.
Amtrak
The planned starting operator, bringing crews, ticketing, maintenance, and federal safety compliance from a national platform.
CDOT
The state agency behind Colorado’s transportation network, CDOT, is a partner on technical expertise, delivery, and oversight.
RTD
Owner of the rail corridor between Westminster and Denver, and a core partner in launching the northern starter service.
CoCo starts on tracks that already exist. CoCo doesn’t need to carve a brand-new route across the Front Range to begin service. It will start running on existing freight lines, upgraded for shared passenger and freight use. Less disruption, faster path to service.
AND IMPORTANTLY, COCO LEVERAGES A PHASED APPROACH
Work is already underway and Starter Service will be built via existing funding commitments.
CoCo doesn’t try to build everything at once. It grows step by step, adding destinations and frequency as ridership climbs and funding allows.
The FRPR District has mapped how service expands north and south over a roughly 20-year planning horizon. Full Service depends on new dedicated funding, which would come from a future ballot question potentially in November 2026; this would be decided only by the communities closest to the permanent stations.
Phase 1
Starter Service
Ready in 2029. Funded with existing commitments.
3 round trips Denver to Fort Collins
8 stations: Denver Union Station, Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, and Fort Collins
Phase 2
Full Service
Ready in 2032. Funded with a potential new tax.
More frequent trips between Fort Collins to Denver
Adds 5 stations (Littleton, Sterling Ranch, North Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo) to extend service to Colorado Springs and Pueblo with 2 round trips
Phase 3-5
Expanded Service
Full Buildout. Funded with a potential new tax.
Up to 10 round trips a day, Fort Collins to Denver Union Station
8 round trips a day, Denver Union Station to Pueblo