Madera Acres Passenger Rail Station Set to Move Toward Avenue 12; New Schedule Targets Construction in 2027

MADERA ACRES, Madera County — November 9, 2026. The passenger railway station now located near Madera Acres is expected to move south as part of a long-planned regional rail project. The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) says final design and right-of-way acquisition for the replacement Gold Runner station are finished, while construction of the relocated station is expected to begin in 2027.

Why the current Madera Acres-area station would close

SJJPA’s official Madera Station Relocation Project page states that the existing Madera passenger station is located north of the city, near the Madera Acres neighborhood. It has limited transit connections and constrained regional access. The new stop is planned north of Avenue 12, near Madera Community College and the point where conventional railroad tracks meet the future high-speed rail corridor.

What comes first?

Under Phase 1, the authority plans a new Gold Runner passenger platform, bus transfer facilities, parking, pickup and drop-off space, access road and related track works. The state’s August 27, 2026 environmental decision notice confirms a California Transportation Commission action on August 20 associated with the relocation’s environmental clearance. This is not an announcement that the replacement station is open.

When will service move?

On its more recently updated page, SJJPA says 2027 is the anticipated start of construction for the relocated conventional-rail station, after project design was completed. Once Phase 1 is built and service transferred, the existing station near Madera Acres is expected to close to that passenger service. The website does not give a firm opening date, a timetable change or a confirmed last-train date for the old station. Older agency documents predicting an opening in 2025 should not be treated as the current schedule.

What about high-speed rail?

Later Phases 2 and 3 would adapt and expand the new Avenue 12 site for future California high-speed rail services and additional tracks. Those longer-range improvements depend on future project delivery and funding. The approval of a station relocation does not mean commercial high-speed passenger service has begun.

What Madera Acres riders should do

Keep using current operator information to verify where trains stop until a formal relocation notice is issued. Travelers can follow updates through SJJPA, the Gold Runner passenger service and Madera County Transportation Commission. Key questions include how to reach the new stop without a car, whether buses will connect to Madera Acres, and the arrangements for passengers with disabilities.

Sources: San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, Madera Station Relocation Project updated schedule and phase descriptions; California CEQAnet SCH 2020109008, August 2026 environmental action; reviewed November 9, 2026.

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