Brightline's High-Speed Rail Between Miami and Orlando Is Launching This Month
The Sunshine State is officially stepping up its high-speed rail transit game.
There is some bright news out of Florida to report. Brightline, the intercity high-speed rail line being built across the state of Florida, will be officially starting service on September 22 from the Brightline Orlando Station at the Orlando International Airport. Service from Orlando will connect to Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach.
Back in May, tickets went on sale with one-way fares between Orlando and Miami starting at $79. Now, you can book tickets at GoBrightline.com, and still find fares starting at $79 for the Smart fare for adults and $39 for kids. Premium seats, which include snacks and beverages and a slew of other amenities, are $149. All seats include Wi-Fi and charging stations. For a limited time, groups of four or more purchasing Smart tickets will save an additional 25% automatically. Later this fall, students with eligible college or university emails will be able save up to 25% off Smart fares.
"Opening Orlando fulfills our ultimate business model. We have seen incredible enthusiasm from the business and tourism industries eager to travel between Central and South Florida," said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. "As we start service to Orlando for peak holiday seasons, I encourage everyone to check calendars, make plans, visit our website or app and reserve a seat now."
The Orlando station itself is something of a marvel. Details were announced back in April, which included that the space is 37,350 square feet, adjacent to the newly updated Terminal C at the Orlando International Airport and will connect directly to Parking Garage C.
The Brightline station will feature a security screening tunnel, self-service kiosks, and a guest services center. The two-floor station will also include a craft cocktail bar, retail spaces, free Wi-Fi, and even a children's play area.
"This station will be a gateway for visitors and travelers throughout Florida, but beyond that, it is indicative of how we set out to transform travel in a way that hasn't been done in more than a century," Mike Reininger, CEO of Brightline, said in a previous statement. "We're proud to start this journey in Florida and rejuvenated in our belief that the time is now to accomplish this in other parts of the country."
Brightline will offer 16 daily roundtrips with hourly departures between Miami and Orlando. The direct train will connect the two cities in three hours and 33 minutes, according to the train schedules. The other train will make stops in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Aventura, which will take three and a half hours between Miami and Orlando.
On weekdays, there will be hourly southbound departures from Orlando to Miami starting at 5 am until 8:50 pm. Northbound departures will run hourly starting at 6:50 am and run until 9:45 pm. On weekends, the north- and southbound departures will remain the same,
This new train line is a game changer for locals and tourists alike, as it can take hours and hours to make the same journey on the highways. The addition of the Brightline will make it easier and more eco-friendly to travel across the state.
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