Virgin Trains USA’s Miami-Orlando rail construction has begun!
- tianyalexandra
- May 23, 2019
- 2 min read
Virgin Trains USA, formerly named Brightline, announced that construction on tracks between Orlando and South Florida has begun. The passenger-rail company expects to complete construction and start transportation between the destinations by 2022.
The Orlando station itself is nearly complete, but the rail will require laying more than 170 miles of new track. The new station will be located at Orlando International Airport and the trail will pass near Cocoa Beach along the State Road 528 corridor. The estimated time for each trip will be:
- Orlando – West Palm Beach: 2 hours
- Orlando – Ft. Lauderdale: 2.5 hours
- Orlando – Miami: 3 hours
You can already try the service between Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Ticket prices average around $17 (economic-Smart) $41 (premium-Select). Make the math to calculate the time between the destinations. I wonder how long it will take the entire journey when they expand to TAMPA!
Below are the addresses for each station and tips to move around the city:
Miami - Virgin Miami Central (600 NW 1st Ave, Florida)
- The new 11-acre complex offers shopping, dining and the city’s first food hall.
- It connects with other transportation options:
Metromover (it’s free!)
Metrorail ($2.25/single trip)
Miami Trolley (it’s also free!)
Or you can rent a Citi Bike or a car with Zipcar. There will also be an AVIS car rental office.
Ft. Lauderdale - 101 NW 2nd Ave.
- Right next to the Museum of Discovery and Science, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, Riverside A&E Distric, and more.
- It connects with other transportation options:
Broward County Bus is walking distance ($2/single trip; $5 all-day pass)
Sun Trolley Las Olas link is walking distance ($1/single trip; $3 all-day pass)
Or you can take a taxi/Uber/Lyft. There will also be an AVIS car rental office.
West Palm Beach - 501 Evernia Street
- Nearby to museums, golf courses, wildlife sanctuaries, beaches and more.
- It connects with other transportation options:
Palm Tran bus stops are three blocks away ($2/single trip)
Palm Trolley (it’s free!)
Tri-Rail is three blocks away ($2.50 - $6.90/one-way trip to Miami and Fort Lauderdale)
Or you can take a taxi/rideshare or rent a SkyBike ($3/half hour).
The rail construction between West Palm Beach and Orlando is expected to have a significant economic impact in the State of Florida, including the creation of more than 10,000 jobs and is anticipated to generate more than $650 million in federal, state and local tax revenue. The project is 100% privately financed and represents a total investment of $4 billion. “We are revolutionizing train travel and realizing a decades long vision of operating express passenger rail in the State of Florida” said Patrick Goddard, Virgin Trains USA President.
All images and videos are content by Brightline/Virgin Trains USA
Comentários