Chattanooga is on a preferred passenger rail route under a new study by the Federal Railroad Administration linking New York and Houston.
The line would come down through Washington, D.C., Lynchburg, Va., Roanoke, Va., Johnson City and Knoxville.
It would also go through Mobile and New Orleans.
The line extends 1,841 miles and would serve more than five million people, the study says.
There would be 42 stations along the way with five in small communities.
The train would depart Houston in early evening and arrive in New York early the next afternoon.
An existing station would be used in Atlanta, but new stations would be needed in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City, the study says.
It is projected the line would cost $5 billion and take 15 years to complete.