Service has begun. I don't know how financially feasible it is, but I really like the idea of trains. I'm sure nostalgia is part of it, though they weren't part of my life. It does seem like some kind of mass transit rather than all of us driving our cars down increasingly crowded interstates ought to be in the future. High-speed trains begin making trip between Orlando and Miami
We're planning to try it. Yeah it doesn't save any money over driving. But the turnpike from S FL to Orlando is so damn aggravating Fri-Sun. Way too much traffic for two lanes. Accidents, random accordian panic braking, it gets old fast. We're considering the train as a lower stress option.
If it allows commuters the option to “park and ride” it might make sense, but there likely isn’t the public transit infrastructure to compel this sort of commute like there is in northern cities. You can easily live in several cities like NYC, Boston, D.C, Chicago and maybe a few others without even thinking of driving your personal vehicle to the office (or possible without owning a vehicle at all if an urban dweller). I just don’t see that as possible in FL unless you live in a very strategic location and your workplace is also in a particularly convenient spot. Otherwise: parking, riding the train, then taking an Uber every day to finally arrive gets old and likely gets expensive fast relative to just doing the drive yourself. Without the efficient local public transit the convenience factor isn’t likely to be there. I expect that to be a fatal flaw, unfortunately. Though admittedly haven’t looked much into this. I’m just speaking from personal experience from being one of those “commuters” up north and knowing how bad most southern cities are by comparison.
I hope it’s successful, and I hope they expand to Tampa. I will absolutely use it next time I go to Orlando. If you are going to Disney for a few days you don’t really need a car anyway. And when you do, Uber is there. Sure you can drive to Orlando in about the same time, unless of course you hit rush hour, or there’s an accident, or bad weather. Driving is also tiring and stressful. I’d rather be sitting on a train. And yes, it will be more expensive to take the train, but if you are going to Disney, you already gave up on expense anyway.
This doesn't really reduce traffic, it just confines it to the end points. Once you're at the station you will still need transportation to get where you want to go. So now the traffic will be a bunch of Ubers instead of each traveler's car. Hopefully it will be profitable for the company.
Of course it reduces traffic. By how much is up for debate, as that depends on ridership. If you drive from Miami to Orlando you are still driving in Miami and Orlando. So that doesn't change whether you are driving your own car or in an Uber. The reduction in traffic would be between Miami and Orlando.
I think this makes sense in certain runs. Apparently Brightline is building a track from LA to Vegas where the train will run at 200mph. Scheduled for the 2028 LA Olympics. That will definitely be a hit.
OTOH Brightline Train Hits, Kills Pedestrian On First Day Of Expanded Service Not that it’s an issue of speed. Lived in West Palm for a while and this happened frequently as Floriduh Man apparently enjoys walking or sleeping on railroad tracks.
Apparently jumping in front of a Brightline trains is becoming a preferred method of suicide. We just can’t have nice things in this country.
I took the Brightline train from Miami to Orlando this weekend. Left at 1045AM on Friday and got back at 615PM Sunday. Everything was clean, modern, and on time. No hassles getting to the train station. Lyft was not ready to pick up passengers from the train station as its drivers had no idea where to go. Fixed by Sunday. It was great and easy experience. Traveling alone, its probably the most economical value. Want less hassles with families then this might be a solution. The Orlando airport is nowhere near anything so getting a rideshare will cost you. Hopefully, their plans for a station on International Drive pan out. LESS STRESSFUL than flying!
