Rail bosses say they're on track with a scheme which could halve journey times between Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Trips from the North East to the Scottish capital by train could take just 45 minutes under plans set to be presented to government ministers.
As the future of the HS2 rail project is , on Friday The Scotsman reported on the progress of Transport Scotland's ongoing plans to introduce high-speed train routes North of the border.
And, the paper revealed, an extra-fast route between Newcastle and Edinburgh is still on the table.
In 2012, then-Infrastructure Secretary Nicola Sturgeon pledged to bring high-speed rail to Scotland by 2024 - a pledge which would also benefit those travelling North from Scotland.
In an update on these plans, Transport Scotland said the Newcastle to Edinburgh route was one of three identified as potential locations for high speed rail, with an "in-depth feasibility study" completed this year.
Transport Scotland and the Department of Transport are now set to present a business case on "all feasible options" to UK and Scottish ministers, who will decide if the high-speed project can go ahead.
This case is expected to be presented by late 2020, a spokesperson for Transport Scotland confirmed.
So speedy trips to the Scottish capital could be just a few years away.
