£12m of government funding from a list called Regional Funding Advice has been allocated for the first part part of a project which would see a new railway station at Coventry City's Ricoh Arena home and a new platform at Coventry station.
It is proposed to run four trains an hour from Coventry to Nuneaton which will have a new station at Bermuda Park. Many more trains will be provided on matchdays instead of the single carriage trains which hurtle past the stadium at the moment.
Trains would also link up with a new service that would service a new station in Kenilworth and Leamington.
More plans for the Ricoh include developing it as a transport hub with bus services and a park and ride service.
Coventry City Council's John McGuigan said to the CT: "This list provides money to build a station and recognises it as a regional priority. So far, it has been like treading treacle. "Now there is no reason why we shouldn't be on site within 18 months.