Florida - Wednesday April 20, 2023: Brightline Thursday announced the schedule and ticket prices for its high speed passenger rail service between Miami and Orlando.
The company plans hourly round-trip departures between the two cities, 16 times a day.
One-way fares between Miami and Orlando will start at $79 for SMART service, and $149 for PREMIUM service. SMART fare bundles for families of four will be available for less than $199 one way. Tickets will go on sale in May, although Brightline has not said what day in May they'll start selling tickets.
Brightline says the Miami to Orlando service will begin this summer, although no official launch date has been set yet.
Brightline’s non-stop trains have a run time between Miami and Orlando of two hours and 59 minutes. Regular service from Orlando to Miami will stop at all Brightline stations which are West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura. The regular service run time is three hours and 30 minutes.
Earlier this year, Brightline made history as the fastest train in the Southeast by reaching a speed of 130 mph during a test runalong the 35-mile rail corridor between Cocoa and the Orlando International Airport. However the company has said that passenger service speeds will not exceed 110 mph.
Brightline’s Miami-Orlando schedule
Weekdays
- Hourly southbound departures from Orlando to Miami starting at 5:00 a.m. until 8:50 p.m.
- First southbound train from Orlando arrives in Miami at 8:30 a.m.
- Hourly northbound departures from Miami to Orlando starting at 6:50 a.m. until 9:45 p.m.
- First northbound train from Miami arrives in Orlando at 10:15 a.m.
Weekends
- Hourly southbound departures from Orlando to Miami starting at 5:00 a.m. until 8:50 p.m.
- First southbound train from Orlando arrives in Miami at 8:30 a.m.
- Hourly northbound departures from Miami to Orlando starting at 5:45 a.m. until 9:45 p.m.
- First northbound train from Miami arrives in Orlando at 9:15 a.m.
Additional dedicated trains will continue to serve commuters and the South Florida region between Miami and West Palm Beach with early morning departures at 5:00 a.m. from West Palm Beach and late-night departures until 12:45 a.m. out of Miami.
The passenger trains will be serviced at Basecamp, the most advanced train maintenance facility in the country. It lies on a 62-acre lot south of Orlando International Airport.
Orlando Station Preview
The schedule and ticket price announcements were made on the same day that Brightline opened the doors to its Orlando Station to give 300 invited guests an advance look at the facility which is located at the Orlando International Airport (MCO). The Orlando station is the first intercity passenger rail station of its kind, located in the heart of an American airport.
Among those in attendance at the Thursday morning event were Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Kevin Thibault. They were joined by Brightline CEO Mike Reininger and President Patrick Goddard.
Brightline Orlando Station
The Orlando Brightline station is located in Orlando International Airport’s new 80,000 square foot station facility which is adjacent to Terminal C and connects directly to the airport’s Parking Garage C. There are 350 parking spaces in Parking Garage C branded for Brightline passengers.
The Train Station provides direct access to the other airport terminals A and B via the airport Terminal Link, an automated people mover.
Once inside the station, passengers can purchase tickets from guest services or from one of several self-service kiosks. They can also check their luggage before proceeding through touchless turnstiles into the security screening tunnel. Once through the security tunnel, guests will enter the expansive two-story station space, featuring the following amenities:
- Mary Mary Bar, serving hand-crafted cocktails and light bites. The signature sit-down bar is positioned at the far end of the station with a stunning panoramic view overlooking the train platforms where guests can leisurely watch as trains arrive and depart.
- Above the Mary Mary bar is a split-flap message board that can rotate alphanumeric text and/or graphics to form a message. A nostalgic nod to historic train stations, the split-flap will provide updated train schedules, boarding times, news of the day and other announcements complete with sounds reminiscent of the first passenger train stations in America.
- MRKT PLACE offers convenient in-station shopping for last-minute gifts, sundries and refreshments.
- Brightline offers two classes of service, SMART and PREMIUM. Brightline’s PREMIUM service includes complimentary meals, snacks and beverages, a dedicated first class lounge, free checked luggage, priority boarding and a dedicated coach.
- Throughout the station, all guests will have access to free high-speed Wi-Fi, charging stations at every seat, 87 big screen televisions and a BrightKids children’s play area located in the SMART lounge.
Passengers will access trains by escalator or elevator to first level platforms. These platforms are 1,000 feet long and can accommodate a train with up to 10 coaches and two locomotives.
The Brightline Orlando Station is located at 10705 Jeff Fuqua Blvd. South, Orlando FL 32827.
The Brightline Orlando Station Design
Brightline Orlando Station was designed by Bigtime Design Studios, an architecture firm based out of Miami that also designed the newly-opened Brightline stations in Boca Raton and Aventura, alongside the architect of record Sonny Fornoles of Borrelli + Partner. The buildout of the station was led by Orlando-based contractor Gomez Construction Co., a minority-owned business, that employed more than 100 workers on this project.
For more information on Brightline Orlando, visit www.gobrightline.com/Orlando.