It's not just about the money. On a train, you don't have to pay attention to the road. You don't have to worry about traffic. You don't have to deal with other drivers. You don't have to sit at the wheel for 3 hours. You can stand up and stretch your legs without losing any travel time. You can watch a movie. You can play some games. You can take a nap. It's far less stress.
It’s not really about which is cheaper. Technically flying from Miami to Orlando is very very cheap but it’s about how much easier Brightline is. No having to drive, pay for parking, have to deal with airport security and delays, not having to deal with sometimes crazy drivers. It cuts out a lot of headache and that’s ent it can be worth it for those looking for a super simple trip. When I get to Orlando there’s shuttles and trolleys I can take to get around the relevant areas so a car isn’t super necessary and you can still get around
There is security, but it's nowhere near as hellish as TSA. You put your bag in, and they ask you to take stuff out of your pockets. People complain, but they're probably just recknecks angry about not being able to take their gun.
@@lorddoma6637 In Miami or Orlando? Either way you are going to deal with huge amounts of traffic & idiot drivers. Did I mention city gas prices? Nope, train is better & then Uber it.
@@ncard00 If the majority of cars on the road are Light Trucks compared to normal-sized cars, traffic would technically be longer because of the extra length of the vehicle.
Why would you round trip for 8 hours? Wouldn't it make more sense to ride 4 hours, enjoy your day, and then ride 4 hours home, making it 2 four hour trips?
For everyone, Brightline tickets will be cheaper in the future. This also happend on the WPB-FTL-MIA route. And when the extra 3 cars per train (30 cars total) the tickets will get even cheaper.
I am sure that within a few months every venue will have free shuttles to their attractions/services. Brightline trains arrive/depart from a massive 200k sf Terminal link station in Orlando which accommodates buses, shuttles, light rail to the air terminals and train service etc. The cost of traveling between south Fl and Orlando will also come down over time with specials and discounts from local businesses
Dream on. They will jack up the prices after a while just like every other special deal with private sector we've had in Florida. Just look at these privately funded tolled highways.
And even with transition to electric cars. That will do nothing to solve the traffic problem, which gets worse every year. Another reason train travel will increase.
Its not too much about the cost for me, as I really dislike driving nowadays. The next time I'm in Florida, I wanna spend as little time in a car as possible. It will be awesome to fly into town, and catch the train. The Sun-Rail should be connected to MCO by then too.
I'm a family of 5. As a commuter from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale, a monthly ticket is a huge bargain at $189 a month. But a trip to Orlando with my wife and 3 kids, hands down, our car is way cheaper. Consider as well that we are paying for Park entrance as well. So as 1 person, Brightline is best, family? You might need to do some calculations. But, either way, it's nice to have Brightline around. But prices can be better.
@@mattahmannstill doesn't add up. Like I said, a family of 5 is much cheaper in a private car. An adult traveling on their own is probably cheaper on Brightline. Remember, I have to foot the bill for my wife and kids, and food is not free on the train unless you ride in first class. Then, when I get to Orlando Airport, then what do we do with no car? Like I said,one person, it will work, but a family?? Might not be worth the expense.
@joealmoni4018 Yes, I did. My car takes $52 one way, $104 round trip. I make it to Orlando one way on one tank. I have sun pass, and tolls is about $33 round trip. wear and tare doesn't apply when you drive a single round trip. Wear and tare would matter if I did the trip daily. Hence why I use Brightline daily to go to and from work between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. A daily trip would cost me over $140 a week on tolls and gas. Brightline charges me $189 monthly between those two stations. That's a huge savings. But if I'm going to Universal or Disney with my family, a round trip of $400 + park entrance for each person, food, lodging, car rental, etc... the train is not an option. Like I said. It works for one traveler to Orlando, but a family of 4 or more is not beneficial in any way. This is also why many Florida residents drive and don't fly between Orlando and Miami. It's nice to have the train option there, but as a family, that doesn't work well.
I took Brightline from Orlando to West Palm Beach for a weekend getaway Saturday to Sunday with a friend. We each paid $39.50 each way so only $79 per person, stayed at a Marriott close by in WPB, took an Uber to Worth Avenue for shopping, lunch, people watching, and walked to end of Worth Avenue to beach and took Uber back. One thing this video doesn’t mention is the value of your time. If you drive there isn’t much you can do other than listen to the radio or music. When you take Bright-line you can work on your laptop, watch a video, enjoy the view out the large windows, take a nap, order/eat food without stopping, no wasted time going to gas stations, have a conversation with friends, text, play games, and so much more.
Next time you take the Brightline to West Palm, see if you can take the Circuit, it’s an electric van that goes from the Brightline station to some areas of West Palm for free of course I gave the nice man driving a tip.
It may be cheaper to drive but if people are happy to pay that sum for for a stress free ride that's up to them nobody is forcing them to go by train . If you want to drive its your choice
@@Satjr35031 More than you think cars are expensive, the average American spends 1-2k on vehicle repair and drives 13k miles for that trip it would be around $60 in wear and tear. Also, the more you drive the sooner you'll have to buy a new one.
@@FightclubatgmailI would still drive and put that extra money in my pocket Not worth it by saving 45 minutes What would you do but spend more money getting around Miami
@@Satjr35031 Usually when I take the train I'm visiting friends or family so I spend nothing lol. It's okay if it doesn't work you everyone but it's nice to have multiple options especially one where you don't have to drive. I imagine a lot of traffic accidents would be prevented if people who shouldn't be driving such as old or on medication had a good alternative. Hopefully, there will be a little less traffic now for your sake though
This is amazing, I as a tourist next time I go Miami on vacation. Can just take a train to Orlando and visit the parks and then come back on the train without renting a car. This is so good. Nice to see the USA finally catching up to the Asian super powers
You left one little thing out: if you want to drive to Orlando, YOU HAVE TO OWN A CAR FIRST! Given that the average price of a car in the US is ~$39K that's a hell of an initial outlay.
Yeah the car brain in Florida is real. Seriously these are the same people that like to preach about freedom yet pressure everyone into getting a car and driving everywhere... Complete brain rot
@@ANonyMouse627 So is Vegas but tons of visitors don't rent cars and just use Uber/taxis to get around on vacation. The same can apply for downtown Miami/South Beach and even Ft Lauderdale and WPB. Even Orlando if you are only vacationing in Universal/DW.
By a car which took extra time and money! That's why the video is a bit misleading. Imagine she arrives, calls for an Uber and gets to her theme park 30 mins later.
Another thing to note is, not only do you save 40 minutes over driving, you could argue that you save the whole time of the trip because you can get work done or entertain yourself during the trip
The Brightline is a great option. I think it will add more value if it stops in Port Canaveral since many people are flying into Orlando to go on the cruises. The train passes through there anyway, so it would be great to get a stop there.
The thing is though the bright line is for people that come in to the state and don't necessarily have a car. This isn't for residence this is for tourists to get around the state.
I just booked a wicked cheap flight to Orlando and then hopped on the bright line down to Miami right from the airport. It was the most convenient thing ever.
For those who want to catch up on work, Brightline may be worth it. If you fly, you have to wait until 10,000 feet to pull your laptop out and you may have 15-20 minutes at most to work on what you have to do before they make you put it away for landing.
@@eric3434 Cars are way more dangerous. Brightline is safer for its passengers, and due to it being on a rail, it is very predictable for non passengers.
@@glaxxico907 It's far more dangerous than an Amtrak for the citizen area's it passes thru. Until Brightline stops killing so many people, it should be shut down.
Damn it's cheaper to fly from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale if you book the tickets ahead of time. Spirit, as terrible as it is, sometimes offers tickets for $39 depending on the day.
I’m pretty sure a car drive is faster since you can drive directly to your destination. I’ve driven from Gainesville to Ft. Lauderdale in 4 hours. There is hardly any wear and tear on a one-time trip. Driving a car is way cheaper. A ticket for this train is $108. I still would have to drive 90 minutes to Orlando to catch the train and then 90 minutes back home. My car is almost 20 years old. I’ve changed the tires once and get an oil change once every 5 years. No other maintenance costs.
@@ncard00 You don't think a person can stick to a train? Just curious if that person they splattered this morning got hosed off or what? Did they just keep right on truckin?
I don’t live in Florida, but if there is a way to take a Passenger Train to my destination, I’ll try to use it. In many areas of the country, the driving on the interstates is becoming more frustrating and nerve racking, to say the least.
It really depends on what you're using the Brightline for. I've flown from Miami International Airport to MCO for $100 back in 2021 with American Airlines. The thing is, I have friends with a car in Orlando, so I have a ride everywhere per say. I've taken the RedCoach bus and they cost about $30 each way, it takes about 4 hours to get there. With stops at some Turnpike stations and FLL. I've also driven there (V8 Dodge Charger) and it took me half a gas tank (9 gallons) and 3 hours to get there. About $30 for half tank in today's prices. Reading some other comments, yes. Taking the Brightline, you don't have to pay attention to the road and traffic. But is $80 really right? Maybe. I think if you're solo traveling maybe. But flying and taking the bus (can) be cheaper funny enough. Because in Orlando, its borderline impossible to be without a car. An Uber cost me $15 to go to Universal Studios and I was by the Orange County Convention Center. I truly think if you have a way to get around Orlando without renting a car or taking your own. Taking the Brightline, Plane or bus makes sense.
Florida's roads are among the most dangerous for any life! be it animals,pedestrians,cars,bicyclists,or trains! btw Brightline ridership has had 0 deaths.
@@joealmoni4018 Who said anything about passengers being killed? If you were anywhere else in the 1st world you would not even be having this conversation, because well run trains are not built on the cheap and it's taken for granted that they are safe for everyone, passengers and public alike.
There is room for improvement. More public money will only be spent if there is a demand for the service. Brightline proves that, by transporting over 5 million passengers. @@Shytot-1
You gave the cheapest fare in each service. On some trains, they had a one way Smart fare @134.00 (economy) when I checked. Also, if you check bags in Smart service, it's $25.00 each. I'm taking a one way fare in Premium in 9 days from Orlando to West Palm Beach for $229.00. My Uber ride is included in the Premium service (within a 5 mile radius). It's worth it to me but I think a family of four might use the car more. I'm flying into Orlando because of the greater flight choice than West Palm has. I don't have to pay for parking at the airport but I assume that there is parking costs at the airport.
The train operates on dynamic pricing. So if you're seeing higher prices, that means your train is almost sold out or you're booking last minute. You can take up to two 28-in suitcases on the train for free as carry-ons. Brightline has carried over 57,000 passengers to/from Orlando within three weeks of operations.
@@Ven100As stated above, I'm using Brightline in Premium (my 2nd experience with them; my first was West Palm/Miami R/T in Premium); so this isn't a bashing of another option of travel. Even though I spent my career in the airline industry, starting in the 1970s, & flew on passes around the world with family, I still used Amtrak enough to be an Amtrak Select Plus member before COVID hit. I saw the numbers in The Next Miami & they are pretty good for a new service but did notice the load factor has dropped since adding the 15 R/Ts & probably not as many train enthusiasts after the first days of service. Of the Sept. numbers, they sold 17,578 seats out of 34, 560 available seats; more than 50%. October 1-16 had available 88,320 seats & sold 40,219; which left 48,101 unsold seats. Of course, the available seats are if all scheduled trains operated. It's good that the average ticket went up from $84.00 to $91.00 but I imagine that will have to continue to rise to obtain a profit. You probably have noticed on YT videos that the Premium service is usually pretty empty. According to their site, you are allowed 1 personal item & 1 carry-on with Smart fare. A 2nd carry-on or bigger than 28"x22"x14" or heavier than 40lbs. costs $25. I'm quite familiar with ticket pricing & will be interested in seeing how many will be in Premium on my trip. It should be fairly full since I paid $229. vs. $149. unless the Smart seats are heavily booked & they up Premium fares. I wish Brightline the best & am curious if the 15 trains a day are sustainable in the long run.
Even in places with better and cheaper intercity transit driving is still cheaper if you have a full car but if you look at the cars on the road so many only have one person.
Brightline is actually slower than a car. It takes 3:30 hours from Miami to Orlando but you have to add 30 minutes to get to the station in Miami and another 30 minutes to get from the Orlando station to wherever you're going. That makes the total 4:30 hours.
@@Cassie4486 those are the same 30 minutes you could count towards going to Orlando or towards finding where to park in downtown Miami, dragging your stuff to the train station, setting your stopwatch to zero, and starting your trip.
This would be a $13 trip in gas in my Toyota Sienna Hybrid. Not to mention basically nothing in wear and tear because its all highway and an extremely reliable vehicle. He's rught, time is money, and me saving $50-$100 for an extra 30-60 minutes of driving is a lot of money per hour.
Agreed. My Rav4 hybrid has no baggage restrictions and would cost me $15 on the trip, round-trip for me and mu wife. No way I’m paying $300 for a train. That’s a full day of work for me.
I think it's more about convenience. The only issue I see is when you get to the station, don't you need to rent a car or something? I hope that self driving cars become a thing soon. I personally do no like driving. After 30 minutes, I'm just so over it.
I don’t enjoy driving long distances either or the stress of the toll road and depending which station you’re going to sometimes there’s good public transportation such as I found half a block from the Brightline Miami station there is metro rail, very convenient with going to some stations and an expensive, two dollars I think it was
probably the worst calculation, Family of 4 (exept if it is only babies/very young kid) can take public transportation usually. and i am pretty sure that the theme parks offer shuttle service from orlando station to the park
It's still cheaper and gets you to your destination lot faster than having to drive by car which in fact you have to stop for gas+having to stop by every light+making turns by car before finally making it to your destination. Train is faster.
We did the math for a trip from orlando to miami for a cruise for my spouse and I. It was way cheaper to drive. We would have to either drive to the airport and pay for parking for a week plus pay $79x2 there AND back or pay for an uber from the house to the airport and the train station in miami to the cruise port. Plus getting the baggage through all of those transfers from the house to the uber to the train to the uber to the port ....it makes zero sense to me. We found that mileage and tolls included we could drive down the night before, stay in a hotel, and park at the cruise terminal for considerably less than taking the brightline. I get the appeal ...and if i lived in europe and could take cheap convenient reliable trains everywhere i totally would.
Very misleading video. You do pay for parking if you leave your car there. She will need an Uber to get to that theme park or anywhere from the train station. She also did not get there faster if you axxou t for your time to get from your house to the train, the train ride ans then the destination from the train. Also, with a somewhat moden car, you are spending less in gas for a round trip and tolls then you would for a single ride and parking. One last note, since the stations are connected to an airport, you also have to deal woth that traffic.
I’ve taken the city bus from the station for two dollars. Sometimes taking the car is not a decision if you cannot drive for some reason or are too stressed and driving in a major city that you do not know or take medication for some reason.
That cost would be nothing to most if they weren’t forced to buy a car in the first place. America open your eyes to public transit for once and say goodbye to cars.
Tell Brightline to do the same analysis on the trip from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas or the other way around. The $400 suggested price is stupidly expensive. I'd rather fly.
We are a family of 5 and Brightline IS NOT the cheapest option. Granted you don’t have to deal with traffic or a long drive but we still need a car when we get to our destination. Easily $500 when it’s all said and done.
It sometimes is a lot cheaper than $500 for family of five they often have specials where parents take a child or two for free or half price. Just look at their website and get on the email list. Some people like driving, no matter what and it might be more convenient in some examples but it’s good to have choices.
I left from Orlando station on a Saturday and the BL parking garage C was full so had to drive to the Economy lot and then shuttle back to terminal C which is connected to the train station. This parking problem took me an hour so missed my train and had to take the next one, so total time due to the full parking garage made my trip to the FT Lauderdale station 6.5 hours. This was 3 hours slower than if I drove so until they fix the parking problem at the Orlando station, skip the train. Also, parking at Terminal C Orlando for BL passengers is $19 a day which is 3 times higher than other BL lot which makes the Orlando station expensive if one begins their travel from it.
Brightline missed the ball on this one. Here’s how to generate 30-50% more riders. Make it 49.95 for general or 39.00 even better watch how packed it gets. Now I won’t even consider it because it’s still 3 hours lol. Then 3 hours back better off filling my car for 50.00 I can drive to orlando and back off that! I did my own survey and every one agrees because of the time is almost the same as driving but cost more money no need to ride the train. So bright line executives I hope you read this adjust your prices maybe even for certain times certain trains. Also a bus ticket is like 39-49 and those coaches are comfortable.
US need a lot of nice qualities of train around the country,cities ,we are tired dirty airline system .train can save energy and save environment and safety.
@@SetheMan True. Having said that, Brightline takes a longer trip since it takes the long way from the airport to Cocoa before running down the coast. On the other hand, it runs faster and has more amenities.
@@DTD110865 actually I checked the travel time from Miami to Orlando on Amtrack and it takes over 6 hours (Brightline can do that in almost half the time), the benefit that Amtrack has over Brightline is their private rooms that many people desire.
Cheaper to take train for 1-2 when you figure wear and tear on vehicle. But it’s also much safer and you’re not tired from the drive. Plus it’s unknown if there’s a road closure
Yeah, taking the train, a fast and efficient one like Brightline, is way better than driving. Once folks discover how awesome train rides can be, they definitely going cut down their driving.
What if the train can go faster say up to 200miles per hour and 30-50% lower in cost per miles like the rest of the world? Just US train technology is not up to world standard.
I have driven Tampa/NYC close to 15 times.(thru PA: no tolls). Having your own wheels at your disposal 24/7 is priceless. The $ for Air, hotel, and rental direct to NYC came out the same as a two day drive r/t, hotels on the road,gas, and food. I'm disabled, so door to door for me. 40 minutes? That's all? Man, see ya on the Reagan.
Really stupid comparison when there was no mention of driving on Florida highways, with so many nut jobs on the road, an accident is possible. Train much safer was not even mentioned. I’m sure kids would love riding a train than a boring drive. Not a good comparison at all. Where do they get these news reporters from I’ll never know.
Ok, you made it to the train station....Now what?.....Also, is the train subsidized by the tax payers?.....If its anything like Amtrak then it's a yes!
@@gnnascarfan2410 Maybe the train was operating unsafely. Might have to look into the operating logs and the speed limits for that particular stretch of track. Might have to delve into the background of the conductor etc. Might have to look into the maintenance records for that train. People are dead, and people must be made whole.
@@jameylane1591 You really shouldn't though. A person trespassed illegally on the track and broke the law. End of story. Their foolish actions resulted in their own death, end of story.
@@jameylane1591None of the 99 deaths involving the trains have been Brightline’s fault, including the one yesterday, so please spill facts when commenting instead of fake news.
Brightline is a joke. Late running trains, skyrocketing fares, numerous fatalities, rude employees and customer service which doesn't give a damn. Did I leave anything out?
It's not just about the money. On a train, you don't have to pay attention to the road. You don't have to worry about traffic. You don't have to deal with other drivers. You don't have to sit at the wheel for 3 hours. You can stand up and stretch your legs without losing any travel time. You can watch a movie. You can play some games. You can take a nap. It's far less stress.
I’ve seen a lot of 60 year olds sleeping when they are driving
Just keep jordan neely types off the train
your nap will be disturbed when Brightline takes out another darwin award winner at a crossing lol
I wasn't napping while driving. I was in deep thought with my eyes shut.
@@SirRobbins they deserve those Darwin awards lol
It’s not really about which is cheaper. Technically flying from Miami to Orlando is very very cheap but it’s about how much easier Brightline is. No having to drive, pay for parking, have to deal with airport security and delays, not having to deal with sometimes crazy drivers. It cuts out a lot of headache and that’s ent it can be worth it for those looking for a super simple trip. When I get to Orlando there’s shuttles and trolleys I can take to get around the relevant areas so a car isn’t super necessary and you can still get around
Car is still better you can go wherever you want once you get to your destination
There is security, but it's nowhere near as hellish as TSA. You put your bag in, and they ask you to take stuff out of your pockets. People complain, but they're probably just recknecks angry about not being able to take their gun.
@@lorddoma6637 but train
@@lorddoma6637not in all cases i hate having to drive into the city it sucks packed streets hard to find parking id much rather take the train
@@lorddoma6637 In Miami or Orlando? Either way you are going to deal with huge amounts of traffic & idiot drivers. Did I mention city gas prices? Nope, train is better & then Uber it.
Brightline has a railpass that can bring tickets down to like $14 per ride for 40 rides
What??? How???
@@jordanbey870 on the brightline website
Nothing from Miami to Orlando (yet).
@@k_zildjian4460 yeah give it some time
Nah my rail pass is is cheaper and it still doesn't earn me any good pulls
-Honkai Star Rail
The type of car you drive makes a difference too. I know people that have pick up trucks and those cost way more in gas…
And some people have gigantic SUVs
But type of car doesn’t change amount of traffic, parking, productivity lost and so on.
That too!
@@ncard00 If the majority of cars on the road are Light Trucks compared to normal-sized cars, traffic would technically be longer because of the extra length of the vehicle.
Dont have to drive for 8 hours round trip when you take the train
8 hours you can use to sleep, work, eat, relax, read, watch movies and so on.
Why would you round trip for 8 hours? Wouldn't it make more sense to ride 4 hours, enjoy your day, and then ride 4 hours home, making it 2 four hour trips?
@@fauxque5057Noooo idiot. 3 to 4 by train is cheaper than driving.
It's the same calculation
But so far Ticket sales are very bad
For everyone, Brightline tickets will be cheaper in the future. This also happend on the WPB-FTL-MIA route. And when the extra 3 cars per train (30 cars total) the tickets will get even cheaper.
Not if demand at the current prices stays high enough, then there’s no reason to lower the prices.
The Brightline trains I see going by have 4 cars and not many riders
@@fauxque5057 depend whether your observing peak or non peak trains.
@@fauxque5057 Brightline has 10 Cafe cars on order + 20 Coach cars on order. And when they get delivered, tickets could become more attractive.
@@ncard00Huh? Overtime tickets will come down in pricing through discounts etc.
Can't wait to see Brightline going to Tampa!
Along with Jacksonville, Cocoa, and the NEC alongside Amtrak.
I'd love a connection to ATL so i can ride in speed and style to universal.
Amtrak already goes from Tampa to Orlando near both downtowns. Florida just needs to fund it!
@@mattahmannAmtrak only offers one trip each way per day to and from Tampa.
@@christopherchi9230 yes, the state needs to fund it. I4 is a mess and we could really use Amtrak since it goes near both downtowns.
I am sure that within a few months every venue will have free shuttles to their attractions/services. Brightline trains arrive/depart from a massive 200k sf Terminal link station in Orlando which accommodates buses, shuttles, light rail to the air terminals and train service etc. The cost of traveling between south Fl and Orlando will also come down over time with specials and discounts from local businesses
Dream on. They will jack up the prices after a while just like every other special deal with private sector we've had in Florida. Just look at these privately funded tolled highways.
And even with transition to electric cars. That will do nothing to solve the traffic problem, which gets worse every year. Another reason train travel will increase.
A whole lot of BS Brightline will end up just like Palm Tran in PBC another TAX Boondoggle for Florida Residents🤣🤣
Its not too much about the cost for me, as I really dislike driving nowadays. The next time I'm in Florida, I wanna spend as little time in a car as possible. It will be awesome to fly into town, and catch the train. The Sun-Rail should be connected to MCO by then too.
I'm a family of 5. As a commuter from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale, a monthly ticket is a huge bargain at $189 a month. But a trip to Orlando with my wife and 3 kids, hands down, our car is way cheaper. Consider as well that we are paying for Park entrance as well. So as 1 person, Brightline is best, family? You might need to do some calculations. But, either way, it's nice to have Brightline around. But prices can be better.
A car is less of a hassle when considering getting to your destination and stopping for food.
@@mattahmannstill doesn't add up. Like I said, a family of 5 is much cheaper in a private car. An adult traveling on their own is probably cheaper on Brightline. Remember, I have to foot the bill for my wife and kids, and food is not free on the train unless you ride in first class. Then, when I get to Orlando Airport, then what do we do with no car? Like I said,one person, it will work, but a family?? Might not be worth the expense.
@@markydee48 I’m glad brightline exists because options are wonderful. I just don’t see how they will make a profit though.
Did you factor in wear and tear on car (about $42 roundtrip Miami to Orlando) and extra gas to pay for weight of passengers and luggage?
@joealmoni4018 Yes, I did. My car takes $52 one way, $104 round trip. I make it to Orlando one way on one tank. I have sun pass, and tolls is about $33 round trip. wear and tare doesn't apply when you drive a single round trip. Wear and tare would matter if I did the trip daily. Hence why I use Brightline daily to go to and from work between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. A daily trip would cost me over $140 a week on tolls and gas. Brightline charges me $189 monthly between those two stations. That's a huge savings. But if I'm going to Universal or Disney with my family, a round trip of $400 + park entrance for each person, food, lodging, car rental, etc... the train is not an option. Like I said. It works for one traveler to Orlando, but a family of 4 or more is not beneficial in any way. This is also why many Florida residents drive and don't fly between Orlando and Miami. It's nice to have the train option there, but as a family, that doesn't work well.
I took Brightline from Orlando to West Palm Beach for a weekend getaway Saturday to Sunday with a friend. We each paid $39.50 each way so only $79 per person, stayed at a Marriott close by in WPB, took an Uber to Worth Avenue for shopping, lunch, people watching, and walked to end of Worth Avenue to beach and took Uber back. One thing this video doesn’t mention is the value of your time. If you drive there isn’t much you can do other than listen to the radio or music. When you take Bright-line you can work on your laptop, watch a video, enjoy the view out the large windows, take a nap, order/eat food without stopping, no wasted time going to gas stations, have a conversation with friends, text, play games, and so much more.
Next time you take the Brightline to West Palm, see if you can take the Circuit, it’s an electric van that goes from the Brightline station to some areas of West Palm for free of course I gave the nice man driving a tip.
It may be cheaper to drive but if people are happy to pay that sum for for a stress free ride that's up to them nobody is forcing them to go by train . If you want to drive its your choice
You're forgetting about the cause of maintaince of the car which will add up. The train is still the better option
That’s included in the irs mileage calculator he used
Not a good comparison How much wear an tear on doing around 480 miles round trip Minute
@@Satjr35031 More than you think cars are expensive, the average American spends 1-2k on vehicle repair and drives 13k miles for that trip it would be around $60 in wear and tear. Also, the more you drive the sooner you'll have to buy a new one.
@@FightclubatgmailI would still drive and put that extra money in my pocket Not worth it by saving 45 minutes What would you do but spend more money getting around Miami
@@Satjr35031 Usually when I take the train I'm visiting friends or family so I spend nothing lol. It's okay if it doesn't work you everyone but it's nice to have multiple options especially one where you don't have to drive. I imagine a lot of traffic accidents would be prevented if people who shouldn't be driving such as old or on medication had a good alternative. Hopefully, there will be a little less traffic now for your sake though
This is amazing, I as a tourist next time I go Miami on vacation. Can just take a train to Orlando and visit the parks and then come back on the train without renting a car. This is so good. Nice to see the USA finally catching up to the Asian super powers
This is some good journalism! Honest, and not biased towards any point of view.
You left one little thing out: if you want to drive to Orlando, YOU HAVE TO OWN A CAR FIRST! Given that the average price of a car in the US is ~$39K that's a hell of an initial outlay.
Don't forget the $3700 per year for mandatory car insurance.
Yeah the car brain in Florida is real. Seriously these are the same people that like to preach about freedom yet pressure everyone into getting a car and driving everywhere...
Complete brain rot
Ever heard of car rentals and buses?
Most cities in Florida are not walkable. It is highly inconvenient to not have a car. Most people who are carless are poor.
@@ANonyMouse627 So is Vegas but tons of visitors don't rent cars and just use Uber/taxis to get around on vacation. The same can apply for downtown Miami/South Beach and even Ft Lauderdale and WPB. Even Orlando if you are only vacationing in Universal/DW.
It’s good to have the option, not everyone wants always drive, it can be stressful
If we had better public transit in both areas they could take another train or fast bus to the hot spots
There is public transport to Sarius. It depends on what city.
How did she get to the station to travel and to her destination?
By a car which took extra time and money! That's why the video is a bit misleading. Imagine she arrives, calls for an Uber and gets to her theme park 30 mins later.
@@patrickglory5420 He also said that she got to the destination 40min quicker by train vs car. So those 30min maybe just evens it out.
@ANonyMouse627 this company is losing money big time. Even with government assistance. Something needs to change quickly
@@patrickglory5420 Yeah the US is just not built for pedestrians. You really need a car to get everywhere.
Another thing to note is, not only do you save 40 minutes over driving, you could argue that you save the whole time of the trip because you can get work done or entertain yourself during the trip
They don't have a shuttle to the theme parks???
Nope!
The Brightline is a great option. I think it will add more value if it stops in Port Canaveral since many people are flying into Orlando to go on the cruises. The train passes through there anyway, so it would be great to get a stop there.
The thing is though the bright line is for people that come in to the state and don't necessarily have a car. This isn't for residence this is for tourists to get around the state.
I’m a resident of Florida and I take the train!!! my doctor enjoyed the stress of driving the toll road
Great! And, once you get to Orlando... how do you get around? $$$$$$$......
I just booked a wicked cheap flight to Orlando and then hopped on the bright line down to Miami right from the airport. It was the most convenient thing ever.
She did not mention the cost of getting to the Brightline station from her home in South Florida...
Ok, now divide the 40'00$ vehicle, car payments, insurance, and maintenance.
Fly Spirit Airlines. It cost $40 to fly out from Miami to Orlando one way.
For those who want to catch up on work, Brightline may be worth it. If you fly, you have to wait until 10,000 feet to pull your laptop out and you may have 15-20 minutes at most to work on what you have to do before they make you put it away for landing.
And you can be packed in like sardines be miserable the whole flight!
cost of parking. time and hassle in the airport and going to and from..
@@p1xel1115The flight is 30 minutes!
Also the train is much safer and relaxing.
this train has killed more people that any other so far.
@@eric3434 Thousands of Floridians are killed on roads every year.
@@eric3434 Cars are way more dangerous. Brightline is safer for its passengers, and due to it being on a rail, it is very predictable for non passengers.
@@glaxxico907 It's far more dangerous than an Amtrak for the citizen area's it passes thru. Until Brightline stops killing so many people, it should be shut down.
@@glaxxico907 Brightline has created one death per 29,000 miles travelled. This is insane, it's a slaughter machine.
Damn it's cheaper to fly from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale if you book the tickets ahead of time. Spirit, as terrible as it is, sometimes offers tickets for $39 depending on the day.
I booked a ticket on Brightline to Miami for $22 and another ticket for $39. If you’re flexible in the time of the day you can find some cheap fares.
I’m pretty sure a car drive is faster since you can drive directly to your destination. I’ve driven from Gainesville to Ft. Lauderdale in 4 hours. There is hardly any wear and tear on a one-time trip. Driving a car is way cheaper. A ticket for this train is $108. I still would have to drive 90 minutes to Orlando to catch the train and then 90 minutes back home. My car is almost 20 years old. I’ve changed the tires once and get an oil change once every 5 years. No other maintenance costs.
From Gainesville, it would also be quicker to just take a greyhound/flixbus to south Florida. Amtrak does run from Palatka to Miami too
got a car with you when you drive
With a car you can go to Hooters!!!!!
Is that person they hit this morning still stuck to the train?
How can a person be stuck to the train, apart from blood? And hopefully not.
@@ncard00 You don't think a person can stick to a train? Just curious if that person they splattered this morning got hosed off or what? Did they just keep right on truckin?
how many more car brained comments are you gonna make jamey?
@@mondude89 So the person is still stuck under there?
@@jameylane1591 You done being stupid yet?
Thats so dope!!!
That’s exactly what people wants to know
I don’t live in Florida, but if there is a way to take a Passenger Train to my destination, I’ll try to use it. In many areas of the country, the driving on the interstates is becoming more frustrating and nerve racking, to say the least.
Is $80 to go one way or round trip?
What about the cost for insurance co-pay when a distracted driver runs you off the road and runs away?
Hopefully this train culture will get further to the West Coast.
It really depends on what you're using the Brightline for. I've flown from Miami International Airport to MCO for $100 back in 2021 with American Airlines. The thing is, I have friends with a car in Orlando, so I have a ride everywhere per say. I've taken the RedCoach bus and they cost about $30 each way, it takes about 4 hours to get there. With stops at some Turnpike stations and FLL. I've also driven there (V8 Dodge Charger) and it took me half a gas tank (9 gallons) and 3 hours to get there. About $30 for half tank in today's prices. Reading some other comments, yes. Taking the Brightline, you don't have to pay attention to the road and traffic. But is $80 really right? Maybe. I think if you're solo traveling maybe. But flying and taking the bus (can) be cheaper funny enough. Because in Orlando, its borderline impossible to be without a car. An Uber cost me $15 to go to Universal Studios and I was by the Orange County Convention Center. I truly think if you have a way to get around Orlando without renting a car or taking your own. Taking the Brightline, Plane or bus makes sense.
I bought a Brightline ticket from Orlando to Miami for $22 when it was on special and another time I paid $39
General theme park parking is $30/day. Your $45 is for prime level parking.
It has got to be the only train in any 1st world country where you know from the start that the train could be involved in a crossing accident.
Florida's roads are among the most dangerous for any life! be it animals,pedestrians,cars,bicyclists,or trains! btw Brightline ridership has had 0 deaths.
@@joealmoni4018 Who said anything about passengers being killed? If you were anywhere else in the 1st world you would not even be having this conversation, because well run trains are not built on the cheap and it's taken for granted that they are safe for everyone, passengers and public alike.
There is room for improvement. More public money will only be spent if there is a demand for the service. Brightline proves that, by transporting over 5 million passengers. @@Shytot-1
@@Shytot-1 people who respect the law are in no danger from the train.
@@w.alan.21 Judging by the number of deaths it would seem that quite a few Americans do not respect the law.
You gave the cheapest fare in each service. On some trains, they had a one way Smart fare @134.00 (economy) when I checked. Also, if you check bags in Smart service, it's $25.00 each. I'm taking a one way fare in Premium in 9 days from Orlando to West Palm Beach for $229.00. My Uber ride is included in the Premium service (within a 5 mile radius). It's worth it to me but I think a family of four might use the car more. I'm flying into Orlando because of the greater flight choice than West Palm has. I don't have to pay for parking at the airport but I assume that there is parking costs at the airport.
The train operates on dynamic pricing. So if you're seeing higher prices, that means your train is almost sold out or you're booking last minute. You can take up to two 28-in suitcases on the train for free as carry-ons. Brightline has carried over 57,000 passengers to/from Orlando within three weeks of operations.
@@Ven100As stated above, I'm using Brightline in Premium (my 2nd experience with them; my first was West Palm/Miami R/T in Premium); so this isn't a bashing of another option of travel. Even though I spent my career in the airline industry, starting in the 1970s, & flew on passes around the world with family, I still used Amtrak enough to be an Amtrak Select Plus member before COVID hit. I saw the numbers in The Next Miami & they are pretty good for a new service but did notice the load factor has dropped since adding the 15 R/Ts & probably not as many train enthusiasts after the first days of service. Of the Sept. numbers, they sold 17,578 seats out of 34, 560 available seats; more than 50%. October 1-16 had available 88,320 seats & sold 40,219; which left 48,101 unsold seats. Of course, the available seats are if all scheduled trains operated. It's good that the average ticket went up from $84.00 to $91.00 but I imagine that will have to continue to rise to obtain a profit. You probably have noticed on YT videos that the Premium service is usually pretty empty. According to their site, you are allowed 1 personal item & 1 carry-on with Smart fare. A 2nd carry-on or bigger than 28"x22"x14" or heavier than 40lbs. costs $25. I'm quite familiar with ticket pricing & will be interested in seeing how many will be in Premium on my trip. It should be fairly full since I paid $229. vs. $149. unless the Smart seats are heavily booked & they up Premium fares. I wish Brightline the best & am curious if the 15 trains a day are sustainable in the long run.
Def worth it
I bought a special ticket for Orlando to Miami for $22!! Of course, I was a bit flexible for time and day and booked it a bit in advance
Lots of out-of-towners and tourists from abroad. This is a great option.
A family of 4 or more can also save 25% with Brightline, probably still not as cheap as the car but it's close.
Even in places with better and cheaper intercity transit driving is still cheaper if you have a full car but if you look at the cars on the road so many only have one person.
@@Fightclubatgmail exactly, that is why the news station are encouraging single riders to try it out.
Very helpful. Thank you
For 3 or more, driving is better. For one, Brightline is better. Two is the break even point.
Brightline is actually slower than a car. It takes 3:30 hours from Miami to Orlando but you have to add 30 minutes to get to the station in Miami and another 30 minutes to get from the Orlando station to wherever you're going. That makes the total 4:30 hours.
Yeah and its easily 30 minutes by car in Miami or Orlando trying to get out of the city on I-95.
@@Cassie4486 those are the same 30 minutes you could count towards going to Orlando or towards finding where to park in downtown Miami, dragging your stuff to the train station, setting your stopwatch to zero, and starting your trip.
They should make the Brightline train run frequent service not rush hour because making it frequent service helps reduce traffic.
This would be a $13 trip in gas in my Toyota Sienna Hybrid. Not to mention basically nothing in wear and tear because its all highway and an extremely reliable vehicle.
He's rught, time is money, and me saving $50-$100 for an extra 30-60 minutes of driving is a lot of money per hour.
$13 from Miami to Orlando? I totally don't think so...
If you take the train it’s not 30-60 less minutes of driving. It’s 3.5 hrs less minutes of driving. And that’s one way, not round trip.
Agreed. My Rav4 hybrid has no baggage restrictions and would cost me $15 on the trip, round-trip for me and mu wife. No way I’m paying $300 for a train. That’s a full day of work for me.
@@immersion9880One way between Ft Lauderdale and Orlando is 3.5 hours.
I think it's more about convenience. The only issue I see is when you get to the station, don't you need to rent a car or something? I hope that self driving cars become a thing soon. I personally do no like driving. After 30 minutes, I'm just so over it.
I don’t enjoy driving long distances either or the stress of the toll road and depending which station you’re going to sometimes there’s good public transportation such as I found half a block from the Brightline Miami station there is metro rail, very convenient with going to some stations and an expensive, two dollars I think it was
probably the worst calculation, Family of 4 (exept if it is only babies/very young kid) can take public transportation usually. and i am pretty sure that the theme parks offer shuttle service from orlando station to the park
Make the orlando extension happen through the city that parking issue won't be a problem anymore.
Yes but you stop & pick up passengers then see how long it takes you
It's still cheaper and gets you to your destination lot faster than having to drive by car which in fact you have to stop for gas+having to stop by every light+making turns by car before finally making it to your destination. Train is faster.
Actually, the longest stop time at any station between Miami and Orlando is 4 minutes. The majority are even less.
You neglected to include the value of safety and relaxation during your trip--both favor Brightline.
We did the math for a trip from orlando to miami for a cruise for my spouse and I. It was way cheaper to drive. We would have to either drive to the airport and pay for parking for a week plus pay $79x2 there AND back or pay for an uber from the house to the airport and the train station in miami to the cruise port. Plus getting the baggage through all of those transfers from the house to the uber to the train to the uber to the port ....it makes zero sense to me. We found that mileage and tolls included we could drive down the night before, stay in a hotel, and park at the cruise terminal for considerably less than taking the brightline. I get the appeal ...and if i lived in europe and could take cheap convenient reliable trains everywhere i totally would.
It didn't cost you 60 cents per mile How much was gas and tolls.
If its so great and reasonably priced how come nobody is using it!!! Trains are always half empty🤣🤣
Very misleading video. You do pay for parking if you leave your car there. She will need an Uber to get to that theme park or anywhere from the train station. She also did not get there faster if you axxou t for your time to get from your house to the train, the train ride ans then the destination from the train. Also, with a somewhat moden car, you are spending less in gas for a round trip and tolls then you would for a single ride and parking. One last note, since the stations are connected to an airport, you also have to deal woth that traffic.
I’ve taken the city bus from the station for two dollars. Sometimes taking the car is not a decision if you cannot drive for some reason or are too stressed and driving in a major city that you do not know or take medication for some reason.
Looking forward to the Stuart Florida Train Station!!!!!!!!
That cost would be nothing to most if they weren’t forced to buy a car in the first place. America open your eyes to public transit for once and say goodbye to cars.
Tell Brightline to do the same analysis on the trip from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas or the other way around. The $400 suggested price is stupidly expensive. I'd rather fly.
Then the seats in the train could sell the seats by blocks of 4 seats cheaper." The family ticket"
You're going to need a rental car at your destination with the train, and all of the hassle that goes along with that.
We are a family of 5 and Brightline IS NOT the cheapest option. Granted you don’t have to deal with traffic or a long drive but we still need a car when we get to our destination. Easily $500 when it’s all said and done.
It sometimes is a lot cheaper than $500 for family of five they often have specials where parents take a child or two for free or half price. Just look at their website and get on the email list. Some people like driving, no matter what and it might be more convenient in some examples but it’s good to have choices.
13 seconds in. I'm not prepared to deal with plastic people right now.
I imagine the Brightline tickets will go down as ridership increases...at least that's the way it's supposed to work.
Nope. Their ridership is horrible, so it won’t go down. They’re already discounting.
I left from Orlando station on a Saturday and the BL parking garage C was full so had to drive to the Economy lot and then shuttle back to terminal C which is connected to the train station. This parking problem took me an hour so missed my train and had to take the next one, so total time due to the full parking garage made my trip to the FT Lauderdale station 6.5 hours. This was 3 hours slower than if I drove so until they fix the parking problem at the Orlando station, skip the train. Also, parking at Terminal C Orlando for BL passengers is $19 a day which is 3 times higher than other BL lot which makes the Orlando station expensive if one begins their travel from it.
There's plenty of offsite parking places for $5 a day & pick you up at the train station now.
Cheaper to drive...more freedom too..this train is a scam..2000$ a ticket??? 12 rides???
Brightline missed the ball on this one. Here’s how to generate 30-50% more riders. Make it 49.95 for general or 39.00 even better watch how packed it gets. Now I won’t even consider it because it’s still 3 hours lol. Then 3 hours back better off filling my car for 50.00 I can drive to orlando and back off that! I did my own survey and every one agrees because of the time is almost the same as driving but cost more money no need to ride the train. So bright line executives I hope you read this adjust your prices maybe even for certain times certain trains. Also a bus ticket is like 39-49 and those coaches are comfortable.
US need a lot of nice qualities of train around the country,cities ,we are tired dirty airline system .train can save energy and save environment and safety.
Now compare the price of a Brightline ticket to Amtrak.
Fair point, but you can't just compare the price unless you also compare the time of a one way trip.
@@SetheMan True. Having said that, Brightline takes a longer trip since it takes the long way from the airport to Cocoa before running down the coast. On the other hand, it runs faster and has more amenities.
@@DTD110865 actually I checked the travel time from Miami to Orlando on Amtrack and it takes over 6 hours (Brightline can do that in almost half the time), the benefit that Amtrack has over Brightline is their private rooms that many people desire.
@@SetheMan Than compare to a Red coach. still 25.00 like an Amtrak.
Cheaper to take train for 1-2 when you figure wear and tear on vehicle. But it’s also much safer and you’re not tired from the drive. Plus it’s unknown if there’s a road closure
Yeah, taking the train, a fast and efficient one like Brightline, is way better than driving. Once folks discover how awesome train rides can be, they definitely going cut down their driving.
She paid close to $226 by herself. How much for a family of 12😂
Good story
This is BS the prices are outrageous. I was just quoted $420 for round trip tickets from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando. Insane
So did you take into account that additional people in the car is additional weight?
It definitely *NoT* worth riding the Brightline… We’ve done it.. A family of four, is definitely cheaper to drive.
Meanwhile in Europe-
Those prices are just stupid
What if the train can go faster say up to 200miles per hour and 30-50% lower in cost per miles like the rest of the world?
Just US train technology is not up to world standard.
And yet they carried 57,000+ passengers to/from Orlando within 3 weeks of operation. Guess people they haven't missed the ball..
Is this The US first high speed train?
It is US "high speed" train but regular speed for the rest of the world.
No, the Amtrak Acela that runs from Boston To Washington DC can get upto 165 mph! Mainly between Boston and NYC. Plenty of vids on youtube.
Wait hold on but if you put 4 people in a car it means the car is heavier which means more gas is used!!!
I have driven Tampa/NYC close to 15 times.(thru PA: no tolls). Having your own wheels at your disposal 24/7 is priceless. The $ for Air, hotel, and rental direct to NYC came out the same as a two day drive r/t, hotels on the road,gas, and food. I'm disabled, so door to door for me. 40 minutes? That's all? Man, see ya on the Reagan.
Really stupid comparison when there was no mention of driving on Florida highways, with so many nut jobs on the road, an accident is possible. Train much safer was not even mentioned. I’m sure kids would love riding a train than a boring drive. Not a good comparison at all. Where do they get these news reporters from I’ll never know.
This was well done❤
So basically the moral of the story is all that costs too much so just stay home.
Ok, you made it to the train station....Now what?.....Also, is the train subsidized by the tax payers?.....If its anything like Amtrak then it's a yes!
Not to mention being on a train you can relax and do whatever while in a car you have to always pay attention to the road
It's too expensive... Brightline is a nice idea but it's not practical.
And yet they carried 57,000+ passengers to/from Orlando within 3 weeks of operation. Guess people find it practical.
And yet they carried 57,000+ passengers to/from Orlando within 3 weeks of operation. Guess people find it practical.
@@Ven100 Still lying?
@@Ven100 Still lying?
It would be cool if Brightline did a second line from Miami to Ft Myers/Sarasota/St Pete/Tampa.
What was the cost to that person they ran over yesterday? Everything..
Perhaps people should stay off the tracks. And how many people died in car accidents yesterday?
I don't know, maybe that person should have stayed off train tracks.
@@gnnascarfan2410 Maybe the train was operating unsafely. Might have to look into the operating logs and the speed limits for that particular stretch of track. Might have to delve into the background of the conductor etc. Might have to look into the maintenance records for that train. People are dead, and people must be made whole.
@@jameylane1591 You really shouldn't though. A person trespassed illegally on the track and broke the law. End of story. Their foolish actions resulted in their own death, end of story.
@@jameylane1591None of the 99 deaths involving the trains have been Brightline’s fault, including the one yesterday, so please spill facts when commenting instead of fake news.
Brightline is a joke. Late running trains, skyrocketing fares, numerous fatalities, rude employees and customer service which doesn't give a damn. Did I leave anything out?
Hello,Karen
Brightside must not make money because they don't pay their bills !
thats not ture gas not gonna cost u 92 bru and toll not 16 ! not true at all bro stop lie