Riding Florida's BRAND-NEW High-Speed Train Service! | Brightline | Miami - Orlando

Welcome to another video and Happy New Year! Today, we're in the sunny state of Florida to do something pretty special! We'll be taking a ride aboard Brightline, a relatively new train service operating between Miami and Orlando. Brightline commenced operations in 2018, with introductory service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. In September 2023, the highly anticipated extension to Orlando was opened, making it possible to travel between the cities of Miami and Orlando by train in just 3 1/2 hours! Join me as I take a ride with Brightline and try out its Smart Service.
Enjoy!
Railroad: Brightline
Train: 10:50 AM Northbound | MiamiCentral - Orlando
Rolling Stock: Siemens SCB-40 Charger | Siemens Venture
Class: Smart Service
Seat: Car 3, Seat 4A
Fare: $59.00
Date: December 5th 2023
Music: Epidemic Sound
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[@viarnay]

Nice train line at reasonable price..

[@jamallhayden2512]

Thank You!

[@davidyoung5114]

Could you compare this journey with how long a similar trip would take by car and by airplane, and compare the cost for all three?

[@GrantMcWilliams]

Flying
Taking the tram from downtown Miami to MIA takes 22 minutes, 30 minutes to get through security, 30 minutes to get to your gate and 30 to board. The flight takes 1 hr 14 minutes, 30 minutes to deboard and 44 minutes from Orlando MCO to downtown on the Bus 11... So 22 + 30 + 30 + 30 + 74 + 30 + 44 = 260 minutes or 4 hrs 20 minutes to fly. If you're like me and you show up at the airport at the very last minute and stress out your significant other you might shave 30 minutes from this and make the journey in 3 hrs 50 min. You might be able to trim a few more minutes by taking taxis/Uber on each end but the cost will go up substantially. Tickets are $46 + the price of transit on each end.
Driving
3 hrs and 28 minutes to drive. Total cost at .55 cents per mile is $129 plus $15.86 for tolls = $145ish for one car. If you have more people in the car divide it by each. The .55c per mile is the accepted rate by the AAA and the IRS (and any company that employees accountants, calculating just the cost of gas is erroneous by a large margin).
Brightline
3 hrs 30 minutes - $49 per person in Smart class + the price of the transit on each end (which I don't know).
The train and driving even for time, flying is the slowest.
The train and flying even on cost. Driving with one person is by far the most expensive. If you are driving and you have 3 people in the car the price almost breaks even with the train. With 4 people driving is as fast as Brightline and slightly cheaper.
The train is the most comfortable, especially if you are the designated driver which I usually am. To sit in a seat and look out the window while enjoying a beverage and reading a book is a thing of beauty. Comfort wise flying is the worst.
For Flexibility driving wins as you can bring a lot of luggage or stop off along the way. The train is second for flexibility as you could get off the train along the way too, it just isn't as convenient. Flying loses for flexibility.
So in summary the train ties for the fastest and ties again for the cheapest (for one person), comes in first for comfort and second for flexibility. Overall it's very competitive. Driving wins on flexibility and if you have a packed car on cost.

[@davidyoung5114]

Thank you. If I should ever get to Florida to tick this one off of my 'bucket list', then taking the train looks like it would be the best option for me (I don't drive!)@@GrantMcWilliams

[@Ahuntsicspotter]

This year, you have do more train 🚆 trips and don't fly this year.