Alberta will invite private companies to bid for a 320 km/h high-speed rail line linking Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, with a private-sector partner selected by April 2027, the provincial government announced on September 28.

The province is preparing a formal request for proposals for a dedicated passenger rail corridor between its two largest cities. Alberta estimates the service could carry passengers between downtown Calgary and downtown Edmonton in 105 minutes, with Red Deer as the key intermediate stop — a journey that currently requires highway or air travel.

The federal government has confirmed it will refer the proposed corridor to Ottawa's Major Projects Office, opening the federal review pathway for the project. Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said Ottawa would work with Alberta once a private-sector proponent has been selected.

What does the corridor cover?

The Calgary–Red Deer–Edmonton route was identified as a priority in Alberta's passenger rail master plan. The three cities and their surrounding areas account for about 80% of the province's population, making the north-south spine one of Canada's busiest economic corridors.

The trains would run at up to 320 km/h on newly built, dedicated tracks. The province says its master plan found that operating more than one train per hour would be feasible and could deliver significant economic benefits over the next three decades.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the Calgary–Edmonton connection as a long-term infrastructure project designed to accommodate the province's population and economic growth.

How will it be funded?

Alberta has committed C$15 million (US$11 million) over three years to advance its broader passenger rail program. The high-speed project itself is expected to require limited direct government funding, with private-sector investment playing the central role.

That funding posture leaves the bulk of the capital risk with the eventual concessionaire, and the April 2027 selection date gives bidders roughly six months from the RFP announcement window to shape their proposals. No cost estimate for the line itself has been published.

Is high-speed rail the whole plan?

No. The wider passenger rail strategy envisages a network of more than 500 km, including:

• rail service between Calgary and Banff;
• all-day connections to Calgary and Edmonton airports;
• the Calgary–Red Deer–Edmonton high-speed spine as the priority corridor.

For travellers, the planned 105-minute downtown-to-downtown journey would remove the need to travel to airports for the Calgary–Edmonton trip, positioning rail as an alternative to both highway and short-haul air travel on the corridor.

What happens next?

The project remains at the proposal and procurement stage. The immediate milestones are the release of the formal request for proposals, the referral through the Major Projects Office, and the selection of a private-sector partner by April 2027 — a date that will determine whether Alberta's long-discussed high-speed corridor advances toward construction.