Two of the desert’s most popular, and traffic-jamming, events will get train service for at least the next two years with special event runs from Los Angeles to Indio for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, transportation officials said Monday, May 2.

Don’t sign up yet. Still in the works are ticket prices, the round-trip schedules, and possible stops along the way. Amtrak trains are planned for the 2017 and 2018 versions of the festivals, which are a week apart at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

A festival train as a way to reduce traffic air pollution has been in discussion during previous years, said Riverside County Traffic Commission Deputy Executive Director John Standiford.

Now there’s money to fund it. The multi-agency member Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Committee has approved $1.2 million to run demonstration trains both years, said Greg Pettis, who is chair of the committee.

In 2008, Goldenvoice partnered with Amtrak for a Coachella Express that provided free transportation for 300 campers from Los Angeles’ Union Station to Indio as a way to reduce the event’s carbon footprint. That one-year only promotional event was free, and featured live electronic DJs, a makeshift dance floor and ice cream sandwiches for passengers.

Pettis, who is also mayor pro tem of Cathedral City and represents the Coachella Valley on the RCTC, said in an email that the funds will subsidize ticket sales to make the trains possible.

Transportation and air quality officials have linked before for other special-run trains to venues that draw huge crowds and put lots of cars on the highways, such as Dodger and Angel games, the Orange County Fair and Fontana Speedway races.

The just-ended version of the Coachella Festival drew 198,000 people over two three-day weekends, and the Stagecoach Festival drew 75,000 for its single weekend.

For the two festivals “the trains will run from L.A. Union Station to Indio, where folks will either be bused directly to the site or go via taxi or other means to their respective hotels,” Pettis said in an email.

Planners are currently looking at outbound from Los Angeles on Friday and return trains at the end of the weekend’s performances, Sunday night or Monday morning.

“Price has yet to be determined but we want it to be cost effective vs driving, traffic, and time considerations,” Pettis said. He said a three-car train can carry “hundreds” of passengers, but more cars could be arranged, depending on ticket sales.

There is no passenger train platform in Indio, and the Riverside County Traffic Commission will build a temporary one to handle the three weekends of passengers Standiford said. The cost is still under review.

Festival promoter Goldenvoice, the RCTC and others involved will begin discussions in a few weeks to lay out details.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Standiford said. “I know it’s a year away, but it will be very busy between now and then.”

Contact the writer: rdeatley@pe.com or 951-368-9573