This week, Brightline announced ticket sales for their new Orlando station which is located at the South Terminal at Orlando International Airport (MCO). Tickets between South Florida and Orlando are on sale now for late summer through early 2024 ahead of Disney Cruise Line’s year round homeporting at Port Everglades.
An exact start date is not yet known, as the official opening date will be announced after Brightline has completed required testing.
“Brightline guests and the travel market have spoken loudly, and we want to respond by opening ticket sales from late summer through the beginning of next year,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “While we are finalizing an official launch date, guests can now book travel for Labor Day, Halloween and holidays through the new year.”
Brightline service will include 16 daily round trips with hourly departures between Miami and Orlando. Regular service from Orlando to Miami will stop at all Brightline stations including Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach.
Brightline’s new South Terminal at the Orlando International Airport (MCO) is a part of the company’s Phase 2 expansion into Central Florida including a Tampa extension. The massive infrastructure project is making progress and encompasses four zones including the area of the Orlando International Airport and the Brightline Vehicle Maintenance Facility.
Brightline will offer one-way SMART fares starting at $79 for adults and $39 for kids. Groups of 4+ automatically save an additional 25 percent on SMART fares. SMART service offers a comfortable business-class option onboard in hand-stitched leather seats, complimentary Starlink WiFi, multiple power and USB outlets and an array of food and beverages available for purchase.
One-way PREMIUM fares start at $149, a first class experience with added amenities including a dedicated PREMIUM lounge, priority boarding, checked luggage, and complimentary snacks and beverages throughout the journey.
Transportation and mobility options at Brightline Orlando Station will feature new Brightline+ products including shuttles, Uber rideshare and car rental options, which will cater to the unique needs of the Orlando visitor. When booked, guests receive confirmation email and instructions on how to add on extras such as parking, checked baggage, and Brightline+ mobility options available closer to their trip date.
In South Florida, Brightline offers a wide variety of options to get guests to and from the stations using Brightline+ with Uber, fixed route shuttles to the airports, neighborhood electric vehicles and event shuttles. PREMIUM booked guests also enjoy Brightline’s first and last-mile service to get to and from the station with complimentary Uber rides anywhere within a five mile radius in South Florida.
Although the previously announced station at Disney Springs was scrapped in June 2022, there will still be options for Central Florida travelers starting this summer with the Orlando station at the airport. Potential future stops at the Orange County Convention Center and near Disney Springs in planning stages as part of a future expansion to Tampa.
Land (Theme Parks) & Sea (Cruise) Route: Orlando <––> Fort Lauderdale
Brightline’s Fort Lauderdale station is about 4 mile drive from the cruise terminals at Port Everglades which will soon be Disney Cruise LIne’s 2nd year round home port opening the door to a second land and sea vacation opportunity when also visiting Walt Disney World and the other Central Florida theme parks.
The Fort Lauderdale Station is located at 101 NW 2nd Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311.
Here is a look at departure times from Orlando, you could spend a few days in Orlando then take Brightline to Fort Lauderdale for the Disney Dream’s first call from the new Disney Cruise Line terminal at Port Everglades on November 20, 2023.
For more information and to purchase Brightline tickets please visit gobrightline.com.
This is great news !We saw part of thin being built 2 years ago when we flew into Orlando to got to Port Canaveral. All there was, was a cleared pathway, some tunnels and a bit of track laid down. Its almost finished to the point they know when they can sell tickets? We cannot get a train in California built that quick.
Yes, earlier this month, they were conducting speed tests between Cocoa Beach and Orlando.
Ugh, Brightline obviously did not look at any of the other studies done by transit systems. Any time a potential passenger has to use multiple transfers to other forms of transit, the use decreases dramatically. There should be a stop in FLL. They did the same thing with the Miami station. It should be in MIA with a spur to down town Miami and Port Miami.
Hopefully they add Cocoa Beach and Vero Beach down the road. Would be perfect for us then.
Pricing is outrageous. I can’t see this as sustainable. Almost $500 for a family of 3 to go from WPB to Orlando, then you don’t have a car so you have to uber everywhere. Out of their minds! We go to Orlando about 4-6x’s a year. We will continue to drive the 2 1/2 hours.
Well, this is a service I will NOT use. They have priced their way out of a potential Market due to cost. You can rent a car cheaper than you can take this train.