Here's everything you need to know about Florida's newest high-speed passenger train

Brightline photo from Facebook

​A new rail system coming to Florida will be offering an alternative to driving or flying for travelers in Orlando and Miami and tickets will be going on sale soon. Here's what Uncovering Florida knows so far.

Brightline, a high-speed passenger rail system that currently operates in South Florida, connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, is expanding its services to include a new route that will run from Miami to Orlando.

"Connecting two of the most congested city pairs in the nation, Brightline will whisk passengers between South and Central Florida in about three hours," an official press release from March, 2023, states, furthering that the trains reach a maximum speed of 125mph with passengers onboard.

"Once carrying passengers, Brightline trains will travel at maximum speeds of 125 mph which is more than two miles per minute."

According to Brightline's website, the Miami to Orlando route will cover a distance of approximately 235 miles, and depending on the train, will make stops at several stations along the way, including to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. The travel time between Miami and Orlando is expected to be around three hours, making it a faster and more convenient alternative to driving or flying and there will be 16 daily round-trips with hourly northbound and southbound departures between Central and South Florida.

"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 including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura with a run time of three hours and 30 minutes," Brightline's official website notes.

The new train will be powered by clean diesel-electric engines and will have several modern amenities, including comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, and food and beverage services. It will also offer a first-class experience with additional amenities. SMART tickets will start at $79 and rise to $149 for PREMIUM.

The service is expected to launch in May of 2023 and tickets can be purchased inside the train stations.

Once operational, the new Brightline train service will offer Floridians and visitors to the state a fast, reliable, and convenient mode of transportation between two of its largest and most popular cities.
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You can find more information about Brightline's Orlando to Miami project here.