Northwest Mall selected as Houston station for Texas Bullet Train

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - If Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Texas Central Partners have their way, the Northwest Mall could become a bustling transit hub.

The developers behind the $15 billion Texas Bullet Train, made that announcement Monday, alongside Mayor Turner.

The announcement came just hours before the public would have a chance to weigh in on the project that boasts passengers could get from Houston to Dallas in 90 minutes.

Anderson Braun has taken the four hour car trip north, and loves the idea of the train.

"I just think I'd trust it more, the technology [to flying]," said Braun. "I prefer being on the ground if I can help it."

Karla Chaloupka says she thinks the Texas Bullet Train could be a great thing for the state. However, she's concerned about the landowners who could be displaced. 

"I'm a land owner," said Chaloupka, "I would not give up my land freely and I think the people that have to give up their land for such a venture, they're going to be unhappy about that."

According to the environmental impact study released by the Federal Railroad Administration, Texas Central would have to buy more than 200 homes, businesses and agricultural properties from landowners. In total, almost 2,000 parcels along to the 240 mile track would need to be purchased.

So how much would a ticket cost you? Business travelers could end up paying more for a ticket during the week, than families traveling on weekends. During Monday's media event, developers wouldn't give a hard figure about a price, only saying it could be "around two-thirds the price of air travel."

The FRA must approve the final environmental impact studies before the project can move toward a construction phase. Developers say the earliest construction could begin, would be in 2019.