TEXRail is Trinity Metro’s commuter rail service that serves Tarrant County, traveling from downtown Fort Worth up to Grapevine’s Main Street and ending at Terminal B in the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
The planned extension will mark the 10th rail stop for the 27-mile line and the first addition to the service that launched five years ago. Both Trinity Metro and Grapevine officials predict the additional station will benefit not only Trinity Metro and TEXRail but also the city of Grapevine, which already has one of the most popular stops for the line, data shows.
“Any expansion in Fort Worth and Tarrant County is a plus,” Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate said.
What you need to know
The new station will be located in the Fort Worth Medical District and called the Near Southside Station. Destinations in this area include Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center, Cook Children’s Hospital and independent medical clinics.
Officials estimate the medical district employs about 50,000 people, some of whom could potentially make the commute on TEXRail instead of driving their own cars.
Reed Lanham, Trinity Metro’s vice president of rail, pointed out the variety of restaurant and shopping options in the area, which could also serve as destinations for TEXRail riders.
The more than $167 million project, funded by the city of Fort Worth, Trinity Metro and federal dollars, is expected to begin construction next year, Lanham said. Trinity Metro planning documents show project completion is set for late 2026.
Paul W. McCallum, executive director of the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the stop will offer an easy option for accessing the hospitals and medical centers in the area.
“It still serves the citizens of Grapevine, and Tarrant County for that matter,” he said.
Click here to see a map of the planned new station.
How we got here
TEXRail experienced record ridership in 2023, with Nov. 20 being the highest-ever single day of ridership for the line. This was also the day Grapevine’s annual Christmas tree lighting celebration, Carol of Lights, took place.
“We see huge ridership numbers for a lot of the Grapevine festivals,” Lanham said.
McCallum said the Near Southside stop will not only give Grapevine residents access to this new area, but it also will open up a new batch of potential riders. They will be able to take the train and enjoy the festivals and attractions in Grapevine.
Dan Weinberger owns Weinberger’s Deli on Main Street near the station in Grapevine. He said he saw an immediate boost in revenue once TEXRail began operations in 2019, and rail expansions should only continue that trend.
“I can tell you when there has been an exceptional explosion in business, and the train was one of them,” he said.Citywide sales tax revenue is up 22% since 2020, with businesses within a 5-minute walk of the station, like the deli, seeing even higher gains.A closer look
The sales tax revenue growth and the ridership numbers are both good indicators of the success of a TEXRail station, Lanham said. Projections show the number of rides to increase by another 14% this fiscal year, and then ridership could increase by another 5%-10% over the next four years, he said.What’s next?
As TEXRail ridership grows, transit agency Dallas Area Rapid Transit is moving full-steam ahead with its passenger rail line that will connect downtown Plano to the DFW Airport. This new Silver Line route is slated for completion in 2025.
Grapevine City Council member Paul Slechta, who also serves on the Trinity Metro board, said he foresees TEXRail and the Grapevine station growing in what they can accomplish.
“TEXRail is still in its infancy, but Trinity Metro and Grapevine have gotten it right so far,” he said.
Click here to see a map of the Silver Line connection.
