Columbia, SC
Stop on the proposed 17,000-mile maglev network. Next stop: Augusta, GA (66.9 mi).
About Columbia
Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census and estimated at 147,035 in 2025. It is the principal city of the Columbia metropolitan area, the second-largest metropolitan area in South Carolina, with an estimated population of 879,918 in 2025.
Source: Wikipedia summary (full article). Population and facts as published there.
Cost breakdown (proposal-scale estimates — see math)
| Item | Basis | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal construction | Mid-size city — metro tier (range $1–2B) | $1.5B |
| Land acquisition | Regional factor 1.5× on $200M base | $300M |
| Track: Columbia → Augusta | 66.9 mi × $500M/mi | $33.5B |
| Annual operations (share) | Staffing, power, maintenance | $30M/yr |
| Stop total (excl. annual ops) | $35.2B |
Best terminal location (proposed)
The Vista district near the existing Amtrak station. Columbia's Amtrak station sits in the Vista, the city's entertainment and redevelopment district, with downtown and the university within walking distance. The terminal would serve the state capital's government workforce and USC's tens of thousands of students, anchoring the Midlands corridor.
Before / after
Aerial mock-up (illustrative, not an engineering rendering). Left: the proposed site today. Right: with the maglev terminal.
- Lexington, SC — fast-growing suburb on I-20.
- Batesburg-Leesville, SC — twin towns on US-1.
- Aiken, SC — research and equestrian community.