Brightline opens between Orlando and Miami
The news we have all been waiting for!! High-speed passenger rail service between Miami and Orlando is finally open!
Travel time between South Florida and Central Florida will be approximately 3 hrs at top speeds up to 125 mph. There will be 16 total train sets running system-wide daily. To think that you can finally work while traveling or even better, rest… is absolutely phenomenal!
The amenities include a signature Mary Mary Bar, 4 self-service kiosks, high-speed WiFi, BrightKids play area and more!
Prices, according to the website, start at $79 and up to $149 for Premium, First Class with added amenities.
Orlando, Fla. (Sept. 22, 2023) – Today marks the official start of Brightline’s passenger rail service between Orlando and Miami. The first train, Bright Pink, arrived in Orlando at 11:05 a.m. and was greeted by more than 500 elected officials, business leaders, community partners, and company leaders from across the state. The celebration put an exclamation point on the boldest private infrastructure project in the nation and marks the revitalization of Henry Flagler’s original vision for the Florida East Coast Railway. A decade in the making, Brightline’s launch is poised to reinvent train travel in America and offers a blueprint to connect city pairs that are too short to fly and too far to drive.
ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Brightline’s phase I and II construction along with the launch of service have and will have an indelible impact on the state’s economy. Independent studies show the combination of construction and operations will generate more than 10,000 jobs, 2,000 permanent jobs and over $6.4 billion in direct economic impact to the state. The system is expected to have a major impact on Florida’s travel and workforce industries while bringing a sustainable transportation alternative. Environmental benefits are equally impressive and include reduced highway and city congestion and CO2 emissions by an estimated 72,000 metric tons per year. Studies show the system will remove more than three million cars from roadways each year.
“A multimodal vision of planes, trains and automobiles inspired by Orlando International Airport leaders nearly 50 years ago has come to fruition, making this a truly historic day in Florida transportation. We warmly welcome Brightline and the beginning of intercity high-speed rail service, which will provide mobility for the unprecedented growth our region is seeing and promote economic activity that benefits us all.” – Kevin J. Thibault, Chief Executive Officer, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority