Brightline, a private high-speed rail company, debuted its new route on Friday (22) after years of anticipation.
The company is trying to attract some of the more than 40 million people who make the trip between Miami and Orlando every year – with about 90% of them driving, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The biodiesel-powered trains travel up to 79 mph in urban areas, 110 mph in more rural areas, and 125 mph in the agricultural lands of central Florida.
In Miami-Dade, you can catch the train in downtown or in Aventura. There are also stations in Fort Lauderdale, Boca, and West Palm Beach. The destination is Orlando International Airport.
A direct trip from Miami to Orlando takes about 3.5 hours, compared to a car trip of approximately four hours, depending on traffic.
It also costs more, especially for families.
Round-trip tickets in business class start at $158 for adults and $78 for children ages 2 to 12, with groups of four or more able to save 25%.
A family of four with two small children can book a round-trip ticket for $398.
Premium rides that offer free food and drinks start at $298 per person.
There is concern about how the train’s higher speed and longer route will affect public safety.
Brightline trains have the highest fatality rate among any rail company in the U.S. Since the launch of the Miami to West Palm Beach route in 2018, 98 people have suffered fatal accidents, according to an AP analysis.
Brightline has not been found liable for any of the deaths, according to AP, which were largely suicides, cases of impatient drivers going around gates, and pedestrians misjudging the train’s speed.
Last year, the federal government granted $25 million for rail safety improvements along the Florida East Coast Railway, where Brightline operates its trains, as part of a larger $45 million program.
We will keep an eye on this!
Source: Axios and AP